March News

Gwedd Ar Nedd / Cast Into Neath

A collaboration with David Greenslade showcasing the work of prominant Welsh and Eastern European artists.

The show opens on Saturday March 7th at 2pm and runs until Saturday March 28th

Just as the River Neath officially begins at Pontneddfechan, where the Afon Mellte and Nedd Fechan meet, the exhibition Gwedd ar Nedd/Cast into Neath started with a confluence of aspirations – those of Bethan Ash in Wales and those of David Greenslade in Romania.

In 2022 David Greenslade met poet and translator Peter Sragher in the Romanian hamlet of Poiana de Schit. The occasion was an artistic retreat organized by poet Florin Dan Prodan and the literary salon Zidul de Hartie (lit. Wall of Paper). Peter recorded David reading his poetry in Welsh. This podcast later led to a documentary on Romanian national radio.

In September 2025 Peter Sragher arranged an exhibition of David’s digital photo-collages at the National Museum of Romanian Literature. The work displayed included elements from Wales, Japan, Oman, China, the Czech Republic and Romania. When Bethan Ash, Curator and Director of Queen Street Gallery saw the material she promptly decided that there should be an international exhibition in Neath. The ‘Cast’ of characters would include artists from eastern and central Europe alongside artists and performers from Wales. Hence the title ‘Cast into Neath’: a cast of characters. In Welsh, ‘Gwedd ar Nedd’; ‘gwedd’ in the sense of ‘trem’ – an overview, also with its additional interpretations of ‘gathered’ or ‘thrown’. One casts a shadow, even a halo, seeds may be cast into a field. ‘Cast’ as in Martin Heidegger's concept of Geworfenheit.

Just like the River Neath, this exhibition has many creative tributaries. Alongside Anatoly Shmatok (Ukraine). Premysl Martinec and Dagmar Stepakova (Czech Republic), George Ostafi (Romania), and Andrzej Markiewicz (Poland), Bethan and David invited Welsh colleagues they have known and worked with – some younger such as Daniel Stevenson and Marega Palser and others, respected elders, such as Mary Lloyd Jones.

In 2001 David was invited to join Keith Bayliss, Iwan Bala and Roger Moss for the Swansea-Czech exhibition series ‘Dreaming Awake’. It was thanks to Ivor Davies that David first collaborated with William McClure Brown for the 1998 National Eisteddfod in Bridgend.

Bethan, from her experience with textiles conceived a radical, international quilt in the heart of south Wales. It would be a magical garment stitching new patterns. Cast into Neath/Gwedd ar Nedd models a supple cloth of creative talent.

Participants in this exhibition contribute to the fact that Neath has become a nexus of artistic energy. Artists are listed in alphabetical order, and most have an online presence. Some are ‘internet shy’, yet to cast a cyber shadow on an overcrowded world-wide web. Such amiable outlaws are to be applauded.

Neath Art & Design Fair

We are excited to announce that we are hosting another Art and Design fair at Neath Town Hall after the sucess of the first one back in November.

It will be on Saturday 18th April from 11am to 4pm.

If you'd be interested in havin a table at the fair for £25 please get in touch.

Email us at queenstreetgalleryneath@outlook.com