Wales has a rich history of activism on behalf of community life against those abusing their positions of power, and also a rich history of campaigning for both justice and peace.
These postcard illustrations were created for two separate projects, linked thematically.
GRIFFORD, Osian, Postcard Series © Osian Grifford
Peace march from Penygroes 1926. 2,000 women joined the march.
GRIFFORD, Osian, Postcard Series © Osian Grifford
Peace march from Penygroes 1926. 2,000 women joined the march.
GRIFFORD, Osian, Postcard Series © Osian Grifford
Saunders Lewis, Lewis Valentine, DJ Williams in 1936, after setting the bombing school alight and surrendering, discussing poetry with the sergeant on duty.
GRIFFORD, Osian, Postcard Series © Osian Grifford
Penyberth, Saunders Lewis, Lewis Valentine, DJ Williams in 1936, setting the RAF bombing school alight.
GRIFFORD, Osian, Postcard Series © Osian Grifford
Women from Wales collected 400,000 signatures for a Peace Petition began in 1923 before taking it to New York.
GRIFFORD, Osian, Postcard Series © Osian Grifford
Annie-Jane Griffiths with Gladys Thomas, Mary Ellis and Elined Prys presenting the Peace Petition in Washington in 1924. Women from Wales collected 400,000 signatures for a Peace Petition began in 1923 before taking it to New York.
GRIFFORD, Osian, Postcard Series © Osian Grifford
Owain Williams, Emyr Llywelyn and John Albert Jones formed M.A.C (Mudiad Amddiffyn Cymru [Movement for the Protection of Wales]). They bombed the converter for the Tryweryn Reservoir, built by Liverpool Council, in place of Capel Celyn.
The women’s Peace Petition images are taken from an online resource I was commissioned to Illustrate for Darllen.Co; ‘A Oes Heddwch?” written by Catrin Stevens. Telling the story of the incredibly ambitious Womens Peace Petition of 1924, which gathered 400,000 signatures by hand, in support for an international institution that would seek peaceful resolve to the threat of War.
Then for the Eisteddfod 2023 in Boduan, I worked with theatre Arts Company AndNow, hosting our arts space and encouraging people to think about the meaning of Peace and on whether modern Wales is a contributor to peace or to war. Throughout the week we discussed the rich history of local activists, including the 1926 procession from Pen y Groes, the 1936 events at Pen y Berth known as Tân yn Llŷn, the 1963 reactions to the flooding of the Welsh language village of Capel Celyn.
Postcards including some of the images here were handed out to encourage conversation, and people were invited to contribute their definitions of peace, and this was incorporated into the show by And Now / A Rwan for the closing ceremony of the Eisteddfod.
GRIFFORD, Osian, Postcard Series © Osian Grifford
GRIFFORD, Osian, Postcard Series © Osian Grifford
