GWRACH | WITCH Clive Hicks-Jenkins: A Fairy Tale Retold invites you into the enchanted vision of one of Wales' most esteemed artists, whose work brings a new depth to the beloved fairy tale of Hansel & Gretel. This immersive exhibition conjures a spellbinding retelling, blending Welsh folklore with handcrafted artistry to guide visitors through a landscape of mystery and magic.
HICKS-Jenkins, Clive, SLACK, David, Gwrach Witch © Clive Hicks-Jenkins / David Slack
Through a series of evocative artworks, intricate designs, and installations imbued with craft, GWRACH | WITCH explores Clive Hicks-Jenkins’ rich interpretations of Hansel & Gretel, showcasing his creative collaborations with Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, the celebrated publisher Design for Today, Benjamin Pollock’s Toyshop, and Goldfield Productions. With each piece, visitors are invited to experience the layered tapestry of folklore, myth, and memory that defines Hicks-Jenkins’ unique storytelling style.
Joining us in bringing this tale to life are Carmarthenshire native and Exhibition Designer Meriel Hunt, alongside Simon Costin, Curatorial Consultant and director of the Museum of Witchcraft & Magic, each adding their own creative magic to this unique retelling.
Clive Hick-Jenkins
Clive Hicks-Jenkins is a Welsh artist celebrated for his narrative paintings and profound connection to folklore and fairytales. Known for his evocative illustrations for Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, Clive Hicks-Jenkins has produced several acclaimed works with Faber & Faber, including Hansel & Gretel: A Nightmare in Eight Scenes, which he later designed and directed as a stage production, premiering at the Cheltenham Festival of Music. This production, along with the illustrated edition published by Design for Today, earned him the V&A Illustrated Book Award in 2020. Through his expressive, myth-infused style, Clive Hicks-Jenkins invites viewers to journey into imaginative worlds where folklore becomes a shared and vivid experience.
Meriel Hunt
Meriel Hunt is a set designer and art director from Wales, whose work ranges from community folk exhibitions to luxury fashion events, shaping a design philosophy that’s both distinct and widely admired. Her clients and collaborators span the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic in Cornwall, Covent Garden Flower Market, Selfridges, and Paris Fashion Week.
Fascinated by the use of movement, sound, and immersive builds, Meriel creates environments that change, grow, and respond to their surroundings. Her background in social architecture, combined with a passion for local traditions, crafts, and sustainability, lends her designs a sense of place and purpose—intended as living extensions of their environment rather than isolated installations.
Simon Costin
Simon Costin is an art director and curator renowned for his conceptually ambitious designs, marked by collaborations with the late fashion designer Alexander McQueen and photographer Tim Walker.
Costin’s work has been exhibited in diverse settings, from a forest in Argyll to the ICA in London and The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. His lifelong passion for British folklore led him to establish the Museum of British Folklore, a project dedicated to creating the UK’s first centre to celebrate and study the nation’s rich folkloric heritage.
