City Wreaths

‘Did’/ ‘Didn’t was a collaborative project by S2.

Cardiff’s ‘old library ’on the Hayes (now hosting The Cardiff Story) once existed for a very short stint as the CVA – otherwise (hardly ever) known as the Centre for Visual Arts. This nine million pound lottery funded project lasted for one year only. The wreaths ‘Did’ and ‘Didn’t’ were a simple and humorous signifier of how one minute (in the scale of time) the old library ‘Did’ exist as the CVA and then one minute it ‘Didn’t’. The interaction in this project was during the assembly of the wreaths. Viewers would be walking by and would voice their curiosity about the significance of the wreaths. Interestingly most participators were unaware that the CVA was ever going to exist – let alone existed – which probably explains its lack of attendance figures in that only year of opening – 50,000! The centres trustees lay blame with the Art’s Council of Wales for lack of support in promoting public awareness and chronic underfunding – or was it just bad management on the part of the CVA trustees?

‘Pride’ and ‘Prejudice’ was made in the same vein as ‘Did’/’Didn’t’ by S2.

2001 was the last time that gay ‘pride’ in Cardiff would be called by this name – since this time it has been known as ‘Mardi Gras’.

2001 also hosted the FA cup final between Arsenal and Liverpool at the millennium stadium on the same Saturday as gay ‘pride’. The juxtaposition between these two events and the demographic of people attending inspired the wreaths ‘Pride’ and ‘Prejudice’.

‘Pride’ was placed on the inside of the castle wall (one of the entries and exits to gay pride) and ‘Prejudice’ was placed on the outside of the wall.

There was much interaction from people leaving the castle grounds – many of them taking photographs underneath the wreath ‘Pride’.

The wreaths were constructed to signify the deaths of both ‘Pride’ and ‘Prejudice’.