Lowri Gwen

My body of work is centered on portraying the tale of Llyn Y Fan Fach from a feminist perspective by shining light on the danger of glamourising these stories which are found in Welsh children's books. The work does not change the story, it merely tells the tale from a perspective which celebrates Nel's courage to leave her husband after experiencing physical abuse. The use of different models in the image attempts to highlight the fact that anyone can become a victim like Nel; and to reaffirm that she can and is an inspiration to all.

I believe that the modernization of such works is vital for mythology to survive and be relevant and of interest to young people today; my work invites the audience to question their preconceived ideas about gender and powerful women in the context of mythology. The way women are represented and perceived in mythology is 'old fashioned' and we cannot allow for future generations to be influenced by ancient misogynistic beliefs and behaviour. My images attempt to connect the past with the present, reinterpreting mythology with a modern twist.

Growing up in Wales, the Welsh culture was never seen as ‘cool.’ The intention behind my project is to ensure my work is targeted to interest a younger modern generation. My project challenges stereotypical deceptions of women in mythology and creates contemporary, relatable material about Welsh culture for young adults.

My love of fashion and colour is evident in my photographs, this is important to me as it is common ground that makes this work relatable to my target audience.

This body of work includes a variety of photographic genres. My work is not merely a photograph, but immersive installation pieces as well. This includes zines, TikToks and T-shirts; designed to engage with young people and bring a fun, interactive element to my work.