Things I see - gyda llygad bach fi. Aberystwyth.

Bywyd. Celf. Ethnography. Art. Ble ydw I? Fragments of life. Accidental art moments, installations and temporary exhibitions of Aberystwyth. Pobol yw'r lle.

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Gardd 28.06.18

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26.06.18

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23.06.18

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How much is that doggy in the window? 23.06.18

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Signage. 15.06.18

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H. 15.06.18

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Nodyn. 999.

15.06.18

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13.06.18

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Still life. Afal. 10.06.18

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He means business.

Ffrind newydd y dinosaur.

09.06.18

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Angel y dre. Aberystwyth Angel.

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From the archive O'r Archif 28.10.16

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Bin Day. "What We Throw Away" - A Review

Fortnightly Black bag collection. Tuesday.

Aberystwyth

Bin Day. Alternative title "What We Throw Away".

Aberystwyth's collective installation by locals exhibited on the streets of Aberystwyth is indeed a controversial work. One many of the locals not only participate in and collaborate upon. The controversy around the work is often due to the way it impacts the environment it examines.

As an immersive site specific work, it is both created by the community and then the seagulls. Initially when viewing the works the other participants are often left with questions such as "what is in this bag", those questions are then answered by the later adaptions of the work by the seagulls participation, adding shape to the sculptures with a process based approach of opening the sculptures contents across the site and blank canvas of pavenents. The seagulls are not naturally artists this has been a development over the years and speaks of the locals relationship to the natural avian world. The locals have developed a deep relationship with the seagulls one often born or conflict and admiration.

Originally conceived as a way to dispose of waste, there was in fact very little artistic merit to the works however, over the past few years the process has developed and includes recycling and food waste responses. These are separately created showing the towns love of recycling and general care towards the environment. Only on a fortnightly basis is the subject as a whole exhibited as a triptych alongside the black plastic bags. Much to the annoyance of the yogurt pot, croissant stealing seagulls.

The works have become more controversial when occupants leave their original homes and their final works are often large scale and are uncomfortable viewing. These works are reminiscent of the sculptures that are created on and around the bottle bank on the first week of the new academic year predominately but not singularly created by students (pictured 2016's "woohoo I got my student loan and now live in town)

The sensory level of work is visceral. On a hot summer's day the work can often leave the viewer uneasy. It speaks to our own memory of unpleasantness and reminds of us of our own domesticity like cleaning out and washing out bins. Reactions to the works are often met with harsh, far ranging and fair criticism "Omg gross" "so disgusting" and "when does waste collection come". For those not in the know waste collection interact with the works and take away the pieces across the period of a few hours this is by far the most successful aspect of the work.

The work has developed a new narrative over the past year where many participants are hoping to remove the need of black bin bags and are hoping for a more sustainable work where more consideration and resources are given to the clear bags and food waste works. There are talks within the town to eliminate plastic waste much to the annoyance of the seagulls as this would negate their own offerings to the semiotic nature of language created by avian efforts. There have been reports that crows are amused by this and since they have no problems working with a far wider range of materials including metal bins.

Bin Day is available to view every fortnight. It is not an enjoyable work and the fortnightly "Clear bags only" a response to landfill and environmental change is a far more considered and pleasant view. If you are wandering around Aberystwyth on a Tuesday the work is free to access and participants note to not feed the seagulls.

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Submission from Claire Wilkins.

Drunk mannequins

08.06 18

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Number 1.

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07.06.18