13 September – 12 October 2014
Wednesday – Sunday 10am – 5pm
Free
Private View 12 September 7-9pm
The 2013/14 Fellows of the Wirral Met College Art School are exhibiting their works in a show entitled Celtic Genii Locorum as both artists, Breda Whyte and Jane Acott, explore aspects of their heritage.
Jane Acott’s work is related to the copper industry of the Greenfield Valley, Flintshire, North Wales where copper ore from Pary’s Mountain, Amlwch, Anglesey was smelted into copper sheeting to protect the hulls of slave ships traveling in tropical waters. In this new exhibition, Acott’s work is a personal response to the copper mine, Pary’s Mountain, on Anglesey, the local landscape and harbour area of Amlwch from where the copper ore was sent to Greenfield Dock. Her work is textile based and is primarily associated with the colours and textures of the Anglesey landscape.
Breda Whyte’s work explores the culture, history and traditions that have helped form her. She comes from a town that was once a small fishing community, and the fishermen who made their livelihood from the sea had a great understanding, fear and respect of the natural world which led to many shared customs and superstitions. These included superstitions about cold irons (rats), red haired women, banshees, wild animals and birds, particularly black birds. These have been passed down, even though the reasons to observe them no longer exist.
Whyte’s work is also influenced by the legends and folklore of Ireland; the larger than life Tuatha De Danann, Fionn Mac Cumhaill, and Tir Na nÓg. “My Warriors are referencing these myths, but also acknowledge the influences of religion, politics, history, literature and the arts”.