The installation The Road to New York was exhibited at g39, Cardiff and Oriel y Parc, St Davids. Work consists of a flying kayak constructed from found cigarette lighters embedded in clear epoxy resin
The Road to New York is the name of a muddy cart track leading to the abandoned village of Pennsylvania near St. Davids, Pembrokeshire. Idyllic countryside and wild seas are the backdrop for this hamlet of four or five terraced cottages which have lain empty since the early 20th century. The Quakers left by this path to find Y Baradwys Bell (The Far Paradise) where they sought a society of equals (y gymdeithas gyfartal), free from persecution and impoverishment. Today this coastal region of South West Wales is an unspoiled corner of the country strewn with remnants of its past. It has also become a panacea for city dwellers seeking outdoor pursuits and a means of escape to a simpler, more grounded life. The modern holidaymakers, searching for a wild and real experience, arrive en convoy with their plastic vessels. The relics left by the Quakers of Pennsylvania, and the tourists who come to the area seeking sanctuary today could be read as signs of a common search for ‘the far paradise’.
This project was supported by the Arts Council of Wales.
Ben Llwyd 