REVIEW OF EPONA EXHIBITION
Gary Raymond discusses the recent emphasis on “digital” projects in Welsh art, and looks at the recent innovative partnership between 4Pi Productions and the National Eisteddfod, bringing an exhibition, Epona, alive during lockdown.
‘The one company in recent years that has stood out has been 4Pi. This is a company of creatives who come from a tech background, rather than a bunch of artists trying to figure out exactly what “digital” means to the funding bodies. 4Pi, on evidence of their previous creations, are focussed on the platform, the delivery, the ways in which art can be experienced differently. Their multimedia dome, which provided an immersive dance extravaganza from the comfort of your own recliner, was an engrossing and elating thing. Neither “art” nor “tech” felt latched on. The symbiosis was vital to its success, and 4Pi are building an international reputation for innovation. So, it’s ironic, is it not, that the cultural body in Wales most often affectionately ridiculed for its archaic (and arcane) parades of robes and medals has positioned itself as the most daring and innovative when the pandemic upturned all our plans. Yes, it is the National Eisteddfod, (once perceived to be fenced in not only by its peculiar ceremonies and its exclusive rules on language, but by an actual fence), that has opened up in these times of forced isolationism. In pairing with 4Pi to create a virtual exhibition, where anybody with internet access in the world can navigate their way around a digital gallery, the National Eisteddfod has blown the doors wide open on any discussions about accessibility.’
You can read the full review HERE