Cynfas

Read, watch, listen.

Discover a range of articles and videos perfect for that 5-minute browse or take a deep dive into a variety of subjects connected to contemporary art. From in-focus articles and videos about artists and artworks, to exhibition highlights, creative responses and information about different projects, take a look at contributions from across Wales.

Cynfas is your space to find contributions, discussions, and points of view on contemporary art.

CHAMBERLAIN, Brenda, Shipwreck © Brenda Chamberlain/Amgueddfa Cymru - Museum Wales/Reuven Jasser
Ymson ar draeth
Iestyn Tyne
13 November 2024
WILLIAMS, Bedwyr, Tyrrau Mawr © Bedwyr Williams / Amgueddfa Cymru
Tyrrau Mawr in Llanbedrog
Gwyn Jones, Alex Boyd Jones, Zoe Lewthwaite, Plas Glyn-y-Weddw
6 November 2024
Working with an artist
Rhian Israel, Photography Officer, CELF
30 October 2024
Craft Festival Town Trail
Rachel Vater, Gallery Assistant, Oriel Myrddin
28 October 2024

More Articles

Learning Article
The Horizon Challenge - Bedwyr Williams
Bedwyr Williams
18 October 2024
McBEAN, Angus, Christmas Card © Harvard Theatre CollectionNational Library of Wales Collection
ROGERS, Tina, Panopticon © Tina Rogers
Panopticon
Tina Rogers
11 October 2024
KHAN, Ayesha, The Everyday © Ayesha Khan
The Everyday
Ayesha Khan
4 October 2024
Learning Article
Art Makes You Speak - Sketchy Welsh's Guide to discussing Art
Josh Morgan (Sketchy Welsh)
12 September 2024
VIOLET, Jasmine, The last place we shared, 2023 © Jasmine Violet
Maps, art and decolonisation
Ellie King, Assistant Maps Curator, National Library of Wales
6 September 2024
DONKOR, Joshua, Eric Ngalle Charles © Joshua DonkorNational Library of Wales Collection
Decolonising the National Art Collection
Morfudd Bevan, Art Curator, National Library of Wales
29 August 2024
ZOBOLE, Ernest, Some Trees and Snow ©Manual Zobole/Amgueddfa Cymru - Museum Wales
Experiencing the Valleys
Paul Cabuts
22 August 2024
PUGH, Tim, Cone Alert © Tim Pugh
Open Call: Plastic Pollution
Celf ar y Cyd
19 August 2024
HAINES, Elizabeth, The Other Land © Elizabeth Haines
Idyll and Industry: Curating the exhibition at the National Library of Wales
Mari Elin Jones, Interpretation Officer, National Library of Wales
16 August 2024
EVANS, Geraint Ross, Llif yr Ymwybod (Stream of Consciousness) © Geraint Ross Evans
Under Falling Water
Geraint Ross Evans
9 August 2024
EVANS, Geraint Ross, Uwchben y Dŵr (Above Water) © Geraint Ross Evans
An Elevated View
Geraint Ross Evans
9 August 2024
Emancipation Day
Laku Neg
1 August 2024
HURN, David, Heads of the Valley, Rhondda Valley. Wales © David Hurn / Magnum Photos / Amgueddfa Cymru - Museum Wales
'Arhoswch adre'
Gwynfor Dafydd
26 July 2024
GRIFFORD, Osian, Postcard Series © Osian Grifford
Protest Postcards
Osian Grifford
12 July 2024
GARNER, David, Billboard featuring 'Weeping' © David Garner / Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales
David Garner: Weeping
Nicholas Thornton and Ceri Jones, Amgueddfa Cymru - Museum Wales
5 July 2024
PRICE, Glyn, Dolbadarn Castle © Glyn Price
Learning Article
Our World: Painting Activity
Glyn Price
1 July 2024
HERMAN, Josef, Mother and Child © Josef Herman Foundation / National Library of Wales
Biography
Josef Herman (1911-2000)
Mari Griffith
17 June 2024
Studio Cybi, Lapiwch o a'i werthu yn ôl i fi © Studio Cybi / Storiel
Storiel: Artist Commissions
Esther Elin Roberts, Visual Arts Officer, Storiel
12 June 2024
Learning Article
Scrap Fabric Collage
Ella Louise Jones
10 June 2024
Teulu (Family)
Ffion Rhys, Curator, Aberystwyth Arts Centre
5 June 2024
Teulu (Family) Exhibition, Aberystwyth Arts Centre
Ffion Rhys, Curator and Elin Vaughan Crowley, Artist - Aberystwyth Arts Centre
3 June 2024
POULSON, Abby, Flying a Kite at Rhossili 1 © Abby Poulson
Flying a Kite at Rhossili
Abby Poulson
28 May 2024
Oriel Myrddin: Artist Commissions
Rachel Vater, Oriel Myrddin
24 May 2024
BARNARD, Lisa, Still Life IV © Lisa Barnard/Amgueddfa Cymru - Museum Wales
Arnofio
Arddun Rhiannon
15 May 2024
XUE, Geng, The Other Side © Geng Xue/Amgueddfa Cymru
Biography
Geng Xue (b.1983)
Mari Griffith
10 May 2024
KANDINSKY, Vasilii, Acid Green Crescent © Amgueddfa Cymru
Learning Article
New poems by pupils across Wales
Sean Kenny, Senior Learning Officer, Amgueddfa Cymru - Museum Wales
7 May 2024
MISTRY, Dhruva, Reguarding Guardians of Art © Dhruva Mistry, CBE RA/Amgueddfa Cymru - Museum Wales
Dhruva Mistry: From study to sculpture
Carys Tudor, Digital Curator: Art, Amgueddfa Cymru - Museum Wales
24 April 2024
Learning Article
Behind the Scenes: Conservation
Sarah Bayliss and Kitty Caiden, Amgueddfa Cymru - Museum Wales
15 April 2024
Oval sculpture (Delos), HEPWORTH, Barbara © Bowness/Barbara Hepworth/Amgueddfa Cymru - Museum Wales
Biography
Barbara Hepworth (1903-1975)
Mari Griffith
11 April 2024
Celebrate, Flatboy © Flatboy
Con Brio Centrepiece, NGUYEN, Theresa © Theresa Theper/Penelope and Oliver Makower(1974)Trust/Amgueddfa Cymru - Museum Wales
Con Brio Centrepiece: A P&O Makower Trust commission
Andrew Renton, Head of Design Collections, Amgueddfa Cymru - Museum Wales
21 March 2024
Ponterwyd / Gaia, JONES, Mary Lloyd © Mary Lloyd Jones
Cyfoes Exhibition: National Library of Wales
Morfudd Bevan and Nia Dafydd, National Library of Wales
19 March 2024
The Super Furry Animals, backstage at the Coal Exchange, Cardiff (20th November 2009), KEYWORTH, Sophie © Sophie Keyworth/Amgueddfa Cymru - Museum Wales
Learning Article
In The House of My Father, RODNEY, Donald © RODNEY, Donald / Amgueddfa Cymru - Museum Wales
Biography
Donald Rodney (1961-1998)
Mari Griffith
8 March 2024
JONES, Thomas, The Bard © Amgueddfa Cymru - Museum Wales
Gareth Griffith: Artist's Room Exhibition, Storiel © Gareth Griffith / Storiel
Gareth Griffith: Artist's Room
Neil Lebeter
21 February 2024
Mounira Al Solh, In Love in Blood © Mounira Al Solh / Amgueddfa Cymru - Museum Wales
Artes Mundi 10: A new work for the Derek Williams Trust and Amgueddfa Cymru
Carys Tudor, Digital Curator: Art, Amgueddfa Cymru - Museum Wales
9 February 2024
Sketchbook, HEY, Cicely © Cicely Hey
Biography
Cicely Hey (1896–1980)
Mari Griffith
2 February 2024
REGO, Paula, Lullaby ©Ostrich Arts Ltd/Amgueddfa Cymru - Museum Wales
Yr Eda
Llio Maddocks
26 January 2024
George Poole: Better late than never?
Charles Obiri-Yeboah
24 January 2024
Comparing two artists: John Selway and Denys Short
Nicholas Thornton, Head of Fine and Contemporary Art, Amgueddfa Cymru - Museum Wales
18 January 2024
Oxfam Books and Music, Castle Street, Swansea © Oxfam Castle Street, Swansea
A new acquisition: David Shrigley's Pulped Fiction
Carys Tudor, Digital Curator: Art, Amgueddfa Cymru - Museum Wales
21 December 2023
FLANAGAN, Barry, Small Nijinsky Hare © Artist Estate / Bridgeman 
New British Sculpture of the 1980s
Jennifer Dudley, Art Collections Management and Access Curator, Amgueddfa Cymru - Museum Wales
20 November 2023
Broken Yet Beautiful
Apekshit Sharma, Curatorial Intern, Amgueddfa Cymru - Museum Wales
14 November 2023
HOWARD-Jones, Ray, "The Moon in St Brides" Skomer © Nicola Howard-Jones/Amgueddfa Cymru - Museum Wales 
Biography
Ray Howard-Jones (1903–1996)
Mari Griffith
9 November 2023
John Parry the Blind Harpist with an Assistant. PARRY, William © Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales
Audio Description
The Blind Harpists: Audio Descriptions
Steph Roberts
1 November 2023
The Blind Harpists: Another Look
Steph Roberts
1 November 2023
Swyn I, LLOYD JONES, Mary, © Mary Lloyd Jones/Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales
Swyn I
Efa Lois
9 October 2023
The Wound is a Portal, GESIYE, © Gesiye / Amgueddfa Cymru
Biography
Gesiye (b. 1992)
Mari Griffith
6 October 2023
Mappa Mundi, DAVIES, Paul, © DAVIES, Paul/Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales
Learning Article
The World Map According to You
Michal Iwanowski
27 September 2023
Unidentified Landscape, Banks, Evie, © Evie Banks
Unidentified Landscape
Evie Banks
20 September 2023
The Rainbow, TURNER, J.M.W., © Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales
Art in Hospitals: Working with Aneurin Bevan University Health Board
Sara Treble-Parry and Steph Roberts
15 September 2023
The Sea Horizon, No. 18, 1976–77, FABIAN MILLER, Garry © Garry Fabian Miller
Môrwelion: The Sea Horizon
John Freeman
4 September 2023
Studio (0X5A4983) SEPUYA, Paul Mpagi © SEPUYA, Paul Mpagi/Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales
Darkroom (disambiguation)
Dylan Huw
18 August 2023
Welsh Emergency Blankets, TRIVEDY, Daniel, © Daniel Trivedy/Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales 
Learning Article
Pendant, NIZIBLIAN, Lydia, © Lydia Niziblian 
Pendant
Lydia Niziblian
11 August 2023
Smatters of the Heart, CHIGANZE, Tanyaradzwa, © Tanyaradzwa Chiganze 
Smatters of the Heart
Tanyaradzwa Chiganze
9 August 2023
Peter Prendergast, HURN, David, © David Hurn/Magnum/Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales
Biography
Peter Prendergast (1946–2007)
Mari Griffith
28 July 2023
Y nefoedd yn toddi i'r tir, GWYN, Rhiannon, © Rhiannon Gwyn 
Hope Inn, PIPER, John, © The Piper Estate/DACS 2023./Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales
Who was Derek Williams?
Melissa Munro, Senior Curator: Derek Williams Collection
19 May 2023
Learning Article
Learning Article
What Can you Do in a Gallery?
Sean Kenny, Senior Learning Officer, Amgueddfa Cymru - Museum Wales
5 April 2023
Learning Article
Apron Workshop with Adéọlá
Adéọlá
5 April 2023
Hands on Heritage: Demystifying Acquisitions
Neil Lebeter and Umulkhayr Mohamed
12 February 2023
Escape, REGO, Paula, © Ostrich Arts Ltd/Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales
Brutally Honest: The Female Genital Mutilation Series by Paula Rego
Melissa Munro, Senior Curator: Derek Williams Collection
12 February 2023
The Rules of Art? A discussion with artist Caroline Walker
Carys Tudor, Digital Curator: Art, Amgueddfa Cymru - Museum Wales
12 February 2023
Learning Article
Talking to Children about Art
Sian Lile Pastore
11 February 2023
Cardiff v Everton football match. 1977, HURN, David, © David Hurn/Magnum/Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales
Learning Article
Welsh Football and Art
Sean Kenny, Senior Learning Officer, Amgueddfa Cymru - Museum Wales
25 January 2023
Vertigo Sea, AKOMFRAH, John, © Smoking Dogs Films. All rights reserved, DACS 2023/Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales
The Rules of Art?
Neil Lebeter
25 October 2022

Cynfas Issues

Issue 12: The Valleys Re-Told
Latest Issue
Editor's notes
The Valleys Re-Told
Klara Sroka
7 October 2024
Dowlais Visual Art Group
Dowlais Visual Art Group
7 October 2024
Dowlais Visual Art Group, Bed Sheet © Dowlais Visual Art Group
Monday: A Good Day for Washing
Dowlais Visual Art Group
7 October 2024
EVANS, Pauline, Merthyr Blues: Then and Now © Pauline Evans
Merthyr Blues: Inspiring new work
Dowlais Visual Art Group
7 October 2024
WILLCOCK, Jenny, Merthyr's Industrial Past 1 © Jenny Willcock
Changing Industries
Dowlais Visual Art Group
7 October 2024
Colliery Horses being selected for colliery work © Amgueddfa Cymru - Museum Wales
Our Past
Lee Gardens Pool, Penrhiwceiber
7 October 2024
Our Memories
Lee Gardens Pool, Penrhiwceiber
7 October 2024
Our Stories
Lee Gardens Pool, Penrhiwceiber
7 October 2024
Penrhiwceiber Art Trail © Eleanor Whiteman
Our Present
Lee Gardens Pool, Penrhiwceiber
7 October 2024
Issue 11: Coastal Communities
Editor's notes
Editorial
Llŷr Titus
5 December 2023
HOWARD-Jones, Ray, "The Moon in St Brides" Skomer © Nicola Howard-Jones/Amgueddfa Cymru - Museum Wales 
Wonderful Tide
Lowri Hedd
5 December 2023
MARKS, Margret (Grete), Beach scene with tents © Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales
Coastal Kaleidoscope
Onismo Muhlanga
5 December 2023
WILLIAMS, Penry, Bechgyn-bysgotwyr © Amgueddfa Cymru
To the Sea with Me
Lois Elenid
5 December 2023
HURN, David, Coach Party, Aberavon Bay © David Hurn/Magnum/Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales
Yn Ein Llanw Ni
Gwenno Robinson
5 December 2023
Issue 10: Fashion
Editor's notes
Fashion
Charlotte James
16 November 2022
All The Men Were Suffering From Dust
Ffian Jones and Siôn Marshall-Waters
17 November 2022
The earth remains yet flowers change
Laurie Broughton
22 November 2022
Boyos
Megan Winstone
22 November 2022
A Warm Embrace
Ophelia Dos Santos
28 November 2022
Issue 9: Sustainability
Editor's notes
Helo Dyfan Helo Esyllt
Dyfan and Esyllt Lewis
25 July 2022
Breaking into the Herbarium
Heledd C. Evans and Rosey Brown
25 July 2022
Dreaming in gardens
Grug Muse
25 July 2022
‘Walking with Light’ © Peter Finnemore
Issue 8: Making New Work – Artists Respond to the Now
Editor's notes
Making New Work: Artists Respond to the Now
Amgueddfa Cymru and Arts Council of Wales
20 December 2021
Reflections of Covid
Jo-Anna Duncalf
15 December 2021
She let me play the organ
Mia Roberts
15 December 2021
Texture Map
Philip Cheater
15 December 2021
A World View
Geraint Ross Evans
15 December 2021
All the Rage (The Princess and the Pea)
Emily Laurens
15 December 2021
Do you think they know we’re Gay?
Dafydd Williams
15 December 2021
The Betrayal Cycle
João Saramago
15 December 2021
Issue 7: Power, Money and Visual Culture
Editor's notes
Power, Money and Visual Culture
Beau W. Beakhouse and Sadia Pineda Hameed
24 November 2021
Paintings, Peasants & Philanthropy
Jon Doyle
24 November 2021
In Response to the Police Truncheon
She Elloise
24 November 2021
Art Work as Work: Contesting Labour
Stephen Heinson
24 November 2021
Issue 6: Art and Music
Editor's notes
Art and Music
Emma Daman Thomas
19 July 2021
When Warhol Came To Bangor
Kieran Owen
19 July 2021
O Fargam i Valletta
Francesca Dimech
19 July 2021
Ouroboros
Madame Ceski
19 July 2021
Martin Parr, Snowdonia, Wales, 1989 © Martin Parr, Magnum Photos, Rocket Gallery © Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales © Celf ar y Cyd
Snowdonia, Wales 1989
Sweet Baboo
19 July 2021
Issue 5: Cynefin/Habitat
Editor's notes
Cynefin/Habitat
Manon Awst
27 May 2021
Cynefin Conversation Cards
Celf ar y Cyd
27 May 2021
AGORA
Catrin Menai
27 May 2021
Twigs of Ash
David Mullin
27 May 2021
Tomorrow Stones
GWENBA
27 May 2021
No Change
Sioned Jones
27 May 2021
The Folk Song We All Know
The Angharad
27 May 2021
Issue 4: Queer Looking
Editor's notes
I Can Only Dream Of Reaching
Owain Train McGilvary
30 March 2021
David Hurn, Gay Ball at the Registry Resort. Phoenix, Arizona USA. © David Hurn / MAGNUM Photos / Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales
Issue 3: Art, Food and the Environment
Cardiff Carnival 1991 – Butetown Mas: Wales and the World © SWICA Carnival
Editor's notes
Birds in a Garden
Jon Gower
3 March 2021
A Table for Discussion
Rhian Davies
5 March 2021
Issue 2: Arts in Health
Editor's notes
Edition 2 - Arts in Health
Angela Maddock
28 October 2020
The Pause for Hospital Art
Zain Amir
28 October 2020
Where are the Disability Arts?
Amanda Wells
28 October 2020
H for Health and W, Well… Wellbeing
M C Davies
28 October 2020
Comfort in Small Things
Angela Maddock
28 October 2020
The Art of Wellbeing
Maria Hayes
28 October 2020
Learning Resource: Hexagon Patchwork
Becky Adams
10 November 2020
Issue 1: Black Lives Matter
Editor's notes
The Art of Afro
Cindy Liz-Ikie
13 October 2020
Celf ar y Cyd – The Brand
Rithika Pandey & Mark Gubb
13 October 2020
Learning Resources: For the Unknown Runner
Marvin Thompson
13 October 2020