Seeing Red Souls: Visual Valleys -- Artist Anthony Stokes Opens at Oriel y Bont

Have you ever seen the modern artists with 'souls that bleed' at Oriel y Bont, tucked beneath the ancient boughs of greeny, green Treforest?

Enter the grand steps into a rich phantasmagorical pastiche of presented works, under the watchful eyes of spirits and lingering familiars.

Ty Crawshay is the haunted stone mansion in leafy Treforest, former home of the Ironmaster Francis Crawshay.

Crawshay's English family ruled the Valleys economies for a century, but Francis was different, a self-taught Welsh speaker, who dabbled in Druidism and Neo-Paganism, consorting with Welsh mystics at midnight gorsedd ceremonies.

Oriel y Bont is an unusual space for exhibiting art, rumoured to be visited each night by a host of ghosts and fairer spirits whose memories refuse to lose their grip on these stony craigs with their hidden hopes.

It's said that once the fashionable modern women with their heels, men and strings of pearls leave the gallery, a spector descends the oaken steps and well-worn cobbles drop and drag across the old wood floors of Oriel y Bont.

And here we have a startling vision of the Valleys: The subject is limited to the 'industrial' valleys from Neath to east of Ebbw Vale - via The Heads of the Valleys road - back to the 'boundary' of the M4.

Don't miss this event!

Press Release – Exhibition Opening
The Valleys - Anthony Stokes
Oriel y Bont
25 June-7 September 2007
Private view and book launch Tuesday 26 June 7.00-9.00pm

The Valleys is an exhibition of one hundred colour photographs, selected from more than a thousand images, made during the last five years by Anthony Stokes. The subject is limited to the 'industrial' valleys from Neath to east of Ebbw Vale - via The Heads of the Valleys road - back to the 'boundary' of the M4.

Stokes writes 'Only notions of conventional good taste, or coastal prejudice, are capable of obscuring the wonder of The Valleys. Could you trust a painting or a verbal description to tell the truth?'

The Valleys have often been depicted in shades of grey; Stokes's pictures reveal a unique and richly-coloured vernacular where the history of The Valleys' townscapes is overlaid with decades of modifications.

Iain Sinclair writes 'Look closer. You find an enchantment, an abdication of metropolitan fret and status-struggle in favour of a leisurely logging of elements; a landscape that is out of time, unresolved.

In transition. Memorials of discontinued industries. New money spent on new things. Hillsides learning to disguise their wounds.'

Anthony Stokes's mother is from Baglan and Abercanaid and his father was from Bridgend. His childhood was spent in Gloucester, though he has been a regular visitor to Merthyr and Bridgend, particularly in his early years.

Now 61, he has spent most of his working life in London as an exhibitions curator, with a specialist interest in contemporary art. For the last five years he has lived in Ogmore Vale.

The exhibition was initiated by the Cynon Valley Museum, Aberdare with support from The Arts Council of Wales, and will also be presented at Salem Chapel, Nantyglo late in September and the National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth, in January 2008.

To coincide with the exhibition, a 168- page hardback book, The Valleys, is published by the Bridgend-based publisher, Seren.

With a substantial text by Iain Sinclair and with more than a hundred colour images, the book is a companion to the exhibition. Iain Sinclair spent his childhood in Maesteg but has lived and worked in London as a writer and poet for many years.

Oriel y Bont, Ty Crawshay Building, University of Glamorgan, Llantwit Road
Pontypridd CF37 1DL
Gallery open to the public Monday - Friday 10.00-5.00

Cardiff School of Creative & Cultural Industries

mwoods[at]glam[dot]ac[dot]uk

Click here to go directly to my personal blog page called Welsh-American Family Genealogy, on the World Wide Web.

Click here to go directly to my personal blog page called Welsh Music, Film, and Books Symposium, on the World Wide Web.

Click here to go directly to my personal blog page called Celtic Cult Cinema on the World Wide Web.

Visit the UK Film Studies and World Cinema and Music Import Showcase

© 2007 Mark Leslie Woods

Smart & Sexy? Your Queer Advantage is waiting!

For Immediate Release: The New Welsh Blog Awards 2007 Organizers Announce Internet Competition Launch Today

Pictured above, Red Dragon Logo for the Welsh Blogs Awards and an image capture of the Welsh blog 'Blamerbell Briefs', recent winner of the prestigious "The Centre de Formation des Journalistes (CFJ) and CNN" -- "CFJ/CNN European award for the best student news blog"

For Immediate Release: Welsh Blog Award Organizers Announce Competition Launch

Wales, United Kingdom. His name is Sanddef (pronounced San-they) and he's fluent in at least four languages and lists Quantum Physics among his hobbies, as well as being a student in Bangor.

But online his blogosphere mates know him as the affable 'Ordovicius', and these days, with a blog by the same Latin name, he's dedicating a discrete amount of his energy to creating and launching the first Welsh Blog Awards 2007, or as it's called in Welsh, Yr Academi (the event and group are bilingual, Welsh/English).

Ordovicius

It's still not clear whose brainchild the Welsh Blog Awards is, but the online rumour mills also point to another Welsh wunderkind, Dr. Daniel Cunliffe at the University of Glamorgan. Cunliffe has a blog called Datblogu.com.

Datblogu.com

Other Welsh bloggers have already joined the group and are putting their energies and ideas into the launching the event.

Chris Cope is an American who taught himself to speak Welsh, and is now doing a degree in Wales, after relocating with his wife to South Wales.

Chris Cope

Another Welsh blogger involved in the awards is Cardiff University journalism student Ciaran Jenkins, aka "Blamerbell Briefs.com."

Blamerbell Briefs is the Welsh blog mentioned above, which is exemplary of the fine blogospheric world being generated by the tiny Celtic nation of Wales.

CFJ/CNN writes: "Ciaran's blog has become one of the most popular blog in the region of Cardiff. Politicians intervene on it, Medias respect it and the author is pretty amazed by his success which he would not have envisaged a few months back."

Blamerbell Briefs

Alan is a Welsh ex-pat in Brazil, fluent in Welsh and Portuguese, with a blog called Y Ddraig Goch, or Welsh for "The Red Dragon", the iconic symbol of the Welsh nation, going back to Roman times.

Y Ddraig Goch

Mark Woods lives in Miami Beach but has spent the past four years in Wales completing a Ph.D. in Film.

Woods says, "My film students forced me to become a 'New Media expert' since now we regularly digitally format and load our short films onto sites like YouTube and Yahoo Video. In today's world, Blogging and Film Studies go hand-in-hand."

Woods has a Welsh American Genealogy blog. Woods is using his background as a former owner of a public relations service in Miami, to help promote the fledgling group online.

Welsh American Genealogy

Woods says, "When I got to Wales I looked around and it reminded me of Microsoft in Seattle. The high quality of life, the mountains, the mild, wet weather and the obsession wth coffee bars and computer geeks is just like the Pacific Northwest, only it's in Western Europe!"

Woods says' "The group is in their early days and is looking for corporate sponsors and new members. Anyone can volunteer. We'd like to see local merchants and tourism companies from across Wales, all being encouraged to donate prizes and cash to assist the group."

Various social events and networking parties are being discussed, along with a showcase 'Awards Night'.

Many other Welsh bloggers, not mentioned here, have already helped to launch the awards project. Categories reflect the national bilingualism of Welsh and English, and include comic, political and cultural topics.

Group members tell how this is a reaction to other British blog awards centered mostly in London, which leave out the Welsh aspect, or miss the local talent.

Woods points to a similar situation with the film industry in Wales:

"There are the British BAFTA Awards and there are the BAFTA Cymru (Wales) Awards, and both are important to the worldwide valuation of films in Europe and abroad."

"The Welsh Blog Awards could easily grow to a similar global prominence as BAFTA Cymru," Woods predicts.

To join the Academy you will have to open a FaceBook account and then visit
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2393167778

Welsh Blog Awards 2007

NOTE: YOU WILL HAVE TO JOIN THE 'WALES' NETWORK

Bloggers who for any reason are unable to join this group but who wish to join the Academy should email Sanddef aka Ordovicius(at)gmail(dot)com

The Welsh Blog Awards 2007 have decided their set of categories and announced how you can become part of the "Academy" which enables you to nominate and vote.

Group Info: Yr Academi: The Welsh Blog Academy

Type: Internet & Technology - Cyberculture

Description: Bydd aelodau'r academi yn gallu enwebu blogiau ar gyfer y Gwobrau Blogio ac wedyn yn gallu bwrw eu pleidlais.

Members of the Welsh Blog Academy will be able to nominate blogs for the Welsh Blog Awards and later will be the ones who vote for the finalists.

Contact Info:
Email: Ordovicius(at)gmail(dot)com
Website: http://welshblogawards2007.blogspot.com/

Yr Academi: The Welsh Blog Academy

Press Contact:
Mark Woods, Cardiff School of Creative & Cultural Industries, University of Glamorgan

Cardiff School of Creative & Cultural Industries

mwoods[at]glam[dot]ac[dot]uk

Click here to go directly to my personal blog page called Welsh-American Family Genealogy, on the World Wide Web.

Click here to go directly to my personal blog page called Welsh Music, Film, and Books Symposium, on the World Wide Web.

Click here to go directly to my personal blog page called Celtic Cult Cinema on the World Wide Web.

Visit the UK Film Studies and World Cinema and Music Import Showcase

© 2007 Mark Leslie Woods

Smart & Sexy? Your Queer Advantage is waiting!

Sexy Welsh God Again Tops America's Summer Weekend Hollywood Boxoffice

Pictured above: Welsh actor Ioan Gruffudd, star of the Fantastic Four (2007)

Welsh actors dominate as Hollywood's Libido Lifeblood for four decades . . .

Is there ever a time when the 'Land of Song' doesn't dominate and control the starring roles of Hollywood?

Ifor Novello, Richard Burton, Anthony Hopkins, Jonathan Pryce, Christian Bale, Siân Phillips, Emlyn Williams, Catherine Zeta Jones -- I'm running out of breath!

And now Ioan Gruffudd's sexy comic book character is 'stretching' across America!

According to the Hollywood Reporter

'Fantastic Four' scores with $57.4 million debut weekend
By Gregg Kilday
June 18, 2007

"20th Century Fox's "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer" rode a commanding wave to the top of the North American boxoffice during the weekend, finding a broad-based audience with the help of a family-friendly PG rating."

"The original "Fantastic Four," with a PG-13 rating, opened to $56.1 million in 2005, and its sequel didn't lose any momentum and outgrossed its predecessor with an estimated bow of $57.4 million."

Didn't anyone see Ioan Gruffudd speaking Welsh on the Graham Norton Show a couple months ago?

More on the sexy Welshman later . . .

Here's one for your summer reading list: Professor Peter Stead's "Acting Wales, Stars of Stage & Screen" (2002) University of Wales Press.



Gyda bob hwyl i bawb, Mark

Click here to go directly to my personal blog page called Welsh-American Family Genealogy, on the World Wide Web.

Click here to go directly to my personal blog page called Welsh Music, Film, and Books Symposium, on the World Wide Web.

Click here to go directly to my personal blog page called Celtic Cult Cinema on the World Wide Web.

Visit the UK Film Studies and World Cinema and Music Import Showcase

© 2007 Mark Leslie Woods

Smart & Sexy? Your Queer Advantage is waiting!

The Foreign Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe called Wales -- Welsh Blogosphere: Part I

Pictured above, image capture of the Welsh blog 'Blamerbell Briefs', recent winner of the prestigious "The Centre de Formation des Journalistes (CFJ) and CNN" -- "CFJ/CNN European award for the best student news blog"

Llongyfarchiadau / Congratulations to Ciaran!

Blamerbell Briefs aka Ciaran Jenkins -- Cardiff School of Journalism, Media & Cultural Studies

CFJ/CNN writes: "Ciaran's blog has become one of the most popular blog in the region of Cardiff. Politicians intervene on it, Medias respect it and the author is pretty amazed by his success which he would not have envisaged a few months back."

Blamerbell Briefs is the Welsh blog mentioned above, which is exemplary of the fine blogo-glossolalia being generated by the tiny Celtic nation of Wales.

Most of our readers are Welsh, but increasingly we get emails from folks in America and Australia or Canada.

If you've wandered into virtual Wales from Canada or Australia or the U.S. and you're trying to make sense of this quirky territory in the Internet, perhaps we can be of some help:

Rather than begin our introduction to the Welsh blogosphere by listing and criticizing specific blogs, let's instead establish some general ideas.

1) Wales is a European 'Small Nation' , which is bilingual English/Welsh. Welsh is a minority language with a few special protections in Wales and Europe (more are needed).

As you might think, it's easy to be a BIG FISH in a small pond with anything related to the culture of so-called 'Small Nations'. Relatively few folks in Wales have discovered the blogging world, if you compare Wales to India or China or North America.

Consequently, if you start a blog in Wales, you can more quickly distinguish yourself, than if you start a blog in New York City or in Bombay.

Here's an analogy: If you open an Thai Cuisine take-away (fast-food restaurant) in a remote Welsh village which has never had a restaurant that wasn't also a mews (horse stable) converted to a pub (beer garden or tavern), then you're going to be instantly famous in that village, and in that Welsh region.

[And the Welsh villagers are probably going to be amazed about Thai food (found on every street in Toronto, L.A., Miami or New York) since they are nuts about Indian and Pakistani food in the UK!]

So it goes with Wales. Start a Sci-Fi blog in California and everyone yawns. But start a Sci-Fi Blog in Wales, and you're one of the first!

2) Also, Wales is a country which has been deeply divided by language -- everyone speaks English, and about 20% of the folks also speak Welsh 'Cymraeg' as their first language.

People who speak Welsh are constantly on guard against the encroachment of English on their language. The Welsh have good reason to feel this way, since England as a country has had at times, what some might call 'arrogant' ways of forcing their English language on others, especially during their Imperial military / colonial history.

So if you wander into a Welsh-speaking blog and speak English, you might get blanked or ignored, since these folks built their blogs intentionally to support their minority language.

Some Welsh-speakers might even be rude and nasty to you, because they have a lot of pent up anger about English encroaching on their native language. Try to ignore the nasties.

3) The Internet is generally a tolerant, generous and welcoming place. This is mostly true for the Blogosphere of Wales, as well, but not always.

Some of the reasons you might experience intolerance in Wales, are that Wales has had this highly politicized issue of nationhood with England/Britain, and internal controversies about language.

There are also areas of Wales, where folks suffered great economic deprivation, and this has effected their knowledge, atttudes and reaction to outsiders.

There are also divisions within Wales of race, religion, economic status and educational status, just as there are in pockets of hatred and paranoia in the Middle East, Asia, Africa and North America.

Traditionally, folks in Britain (including Wales) tended to be more obsessed with 'class consciousness', a concept foreign to many in North America.

Quick Class Tanslator:

American "Middle Class" = British "Working Class"
American "Upper Middle Class" = British "Middle Class"
American "Pain-in-the-ass-rich-jerks" = British "Peerage"
American "a soft, privileged rich-boy whiner like George Bush" = British "Royals" (no offense to the Royals)

Attitudes, which folks from metropolitan areas of North America might associate with the parochial and exclusionary attitudes of 'Small Town mentality' and 'social incest', can sometimes prevail in Welsh circles, and even lap up onto the sophisticated shores of Cymru's blogosphere.

How does this effect the curious foreigner who is cruising the net, and fancies learning something about Wales, maybe even considering moving to Wales, doing business in Wales, or taking a vacation in Wales?

Assume you know nothing about the politics of Wales, and assume you will get it wrong if you try. Wales appears about as bizarre as the rest of Britain when it comes to parties and alliances, (at least in the minds of most Americans, used to the monolithic simplicity of two-party politics).

On the other hand, Wales and most of Britain is child's play compared to the fluidity of political groupings in the labyrinthine jungle called French or Italian politics.

Don't make the silly mistake of assuming that Wales is a 'part of England.' This will get you a lot of angry responses, since the question of nationhood for Wales is wrapped up in this ancient identity thing, summarized by some local historians this way:

"We're Welsh, which means first of, that we're NOT English."

To the outsider this can be confusing, since the geographical distance from Essex (East England) to Cardiff (capital city of Wales) is shorter than the geographical distance from Long Island to New Jersey, but humor the British, they can get very emotional about this national identity issue, at times.

There's even a party which advocates that England separate from the Union of Great Britain, which might seem physically impossible to the outsider!

I suggest that you do a little research and discover from say, Wikipedia, some of the quick, basic ideas about Wales and her long and complicated history and culture.

What you will discover is that, for a small nation, Wales is anything but 'small!' This tiny country is just bursting with vitality and near-geniuses! Most of the Welsh are extremely well-educated and well-read, and travel a lot.

As a people they are bright and warm and friendly, and they can be very entertaining, as well.

Be prepared to meet some of the most bizarre and eccentric people, and some of the most ordinary and lovely folks on the planet, in Wales.

About Welsh language and cliches: Welsh is an ancient and beautiful (some would even say 'magical') modern European language; If you don't understand something, or if someone says something, feel free to ask them to translate. You'll be glad you did!

For general stuff about Wales and other Celtic Nations (Ireland, Scotland, Cornwall, Manx, Breton) visit the Celtic Cafe.

Two places to begin finding Welsh blogs are here:

Blog Cymru.com

Brit Blog.com

Gyda bob hwyl i bawb, Mark

Click here to go directly to my personal blog page called Welsh-American Family Genealogy, on the World Wide Web.

Click here to go directly to my personal blog page called Welsh Music, Film, and Books Symposium, on the World Wide Web.

Click here to go directly to my personal blog page called Celtic Cult Cinema on the World Wide Web.

Visit the UK Film Studies and World Cinema and Music Import Showcase

© 2007 Mark Leslie Woods

Smart & Sexy? Your Queer Advantage is waiting!

The Future of Welsh Rugby Part I: Nude Ohio 'Babes' and Naked Frenchmen

Pictured above: Agustin Pichot from 'Gods of the Stadium' French Rugby calendar 2004; The semi-nude women's rugby calendar that led to upset in the Maori community; Ohio Oberlin naked 'babes' crouched in a scrum.

[Welsh Rugby, Coal Miners and Male Choirs -- all sacred symbols of national identity? This is Part I of an article which examines the mythos of iconic athletic maleness in Wales.]

Much has been written about the importance of rugby in Welsh society, as part of the construction of masculinity for a post-industrial society.

Now the icon of the rough, scruffy, muddy-faced rugby male is being exploited and challenged.

David Beckham has turned the male footballer into a male object of desire, first plastered on walls in Paris and Milan, and soon to be exploited by Hollywood.

Is this the future of rugby in Wales?

And what does the apparent morphing of Welsh Male Rugby Icon into a male sex object have to say about modern Welsh nationalism?

For example, a French male rugby team's members have been producing a calendar for several years, which was first a run-away best seller with the worldwide female 'Play Girl' audiences.

The calendar is called the 'Gods of the Stadium' or 'Dieux de Stade' in French.

Seduced by their success the French rugby players have intentionally enlarged their appeal by filming two years of DVD documentaries called the 'Making of Gods of the Stadium'.

This has catapulted the French male rugby players to international stardom, mostly because of their popularity with gay men in North America.

Not to be out-done, women at Oberlin College in Ohio have been making their own rugby calendar for several years.

(Oberlin College is famous as being the small, liberal arts college in the U.S. which graduates the highest percentage of students who go on to finish Ph.D.s)

Rugby is important to the construction of the Welsh male identity, and has reached iconic statue, mostly carried by the unexpected commercial success of a film by BBC director John Hefin called 'Grand Slam (1978)'.

'Grand Slam (1978)'.

According to a synopsis written by Reece Lloyd for IMDB:

"A group of Welsh rugby fans go over to see Wales play France in the final match of the Six Nations rugby tournament. Caradog Evans (Oscar-winner Hugh Griffith) goes there also to seek an old flame from his wartime combat in the 1940s."

"His son, finds a love in Paris too. Contains very frequent nudity, some bad language, and brief violence."

In Welsh academic circles, a discourse about the shattering of the traditionally male and iconic identity of the rugby player, has been developing over time.

This specifically Welsh, filmic and gendered discourse has only just started, with the Cyfrwng Welsh Media Journal’s examination of Welsh masculinity in Stanley Baker’s ‘Welsh Western’, Zulu (1964) (Cyfrwng Journal -- Shail 2002: 11-25), and in Peter Jachimiak’s examination the Welsh film Grand Slam (1978) (Cyfrwng Journal -- Jachimiak 2006: 91-106).

John Hefin produced for the BBC, Grand Slam (1978).

Grand Slam has been called the ultimate Welsh 'Lads' video, and is celebrating its 30th anniversary with brisk DVD sales continuing unabated.

Many Welsh female partners tell stories about their husbands 'stocking up the house for the weekend with cider and sarnies', and then inviting a crowd of men over to watch Grand Slam 'several times in one weekend' -- almost like some modern, Welsh male tribal bonding ceremony -- a Welsh male rite-of-passage that re-affirms Welsh heterosexual maleness, while it reinforces a Welsh national and individual sense of 'Welsh Identity'.

Grand Slam is among the best-known Welsh films with domestic audiences, and holds an iconic place in Welsh history and culture Grand Slam (directed by John Hefin, 1978) is not only a film of Welsh origin primarily aimed at a Welsh audience, but – in relation to the reproduction of Welshness and Welsh masculinity in particular – is often seen as a celebratory cultural event (Jachimiak 2006: 91).

Jachimiak’s analysis and conclusions about Grand Slam are built upon some the same generalizations about constructions of masculinity described by John Beynon in his recent book on 'Masculinities', upon some specifically British imperial / post-imperial constructions described by Canadian scholar Christopher Gittings, and upon some specifically Welsh constructions, as described by Welsh scholars Charlotte Aull Davies and Stephanie Jones:

"I believe that in Blaengwyn, masculine identity formerly associated with mining in the community has been transmuted into a masculinity expressed through playing and supporting rugby, the identification of the rugby sport of Wales" (Jones and Davies 2003: 27).

Cyfrwng Welsh Media Journal Online

We mentioned the possibility of seeing in these Welsh films, evidence of a trajectory, revealing an evolution in the ways in which sexuality and gender are treated.

This trajectory might parallel or inform another longer trajectory of Welsh masculinity, as it relates to and constructs a sense of Welsh nationalism.

For example, Davies and Jones noted above, their theory that the fiercely independent and proudly autonomous coal miner, (which was a long held construction of Welsh masculinity, which has come to symbolize Welsh nationalism and historic degrees Welsh political and economic independence), and has since morphed into the activities and male-centric mythos of rugby.

So we have Frenchmen appealing to their gay audience with videos and posters on E-Bay, and even women in New Zealand have stripped off their rugby jerseys for charity.

The New Zealand women went too far, and offended native national identity:

According to the BBC:

"An English women's rugby team caused upset in New Zealand's Maori community when their fund-raising calendar included a picture of a topless haka. The team said the image was based on the ceremonial war dance but they did not mean to offend, and apologised."

Read about the semi-nude Oberlin College women who play rugby here in the Oberlin Review

According to an article in the Oberlin Review, the mission of the female rugby players was to challenge the 'male myth' of what constitutes 'female beauty':

"Part of this statement (which is on the cover of the calendar) disassociates the rugby calendar from stereotypical Playboy calendars:

“In a society that brands female competitive sports athletes as masculine, this calendar parodies the standard beauty myth, by juxtaposing the concept of the seductive and submissive pinup with images of women who assert themselves not only as strong athletes, but also as empowered women.”

The Oberlin women are intentionally shattering the myths around male-dominated rugby, and perceptions of women in sports. But what does this do to the traditional Welsh icon of maleness, wrapped in male rugby jersey (or now, shirtless men in France)?

Some men in Wales might be asking, "Is nothing sacred?"

Others might ask, "What could be next? Gay Welsh Rugby?" More in Part II . . .

Gyda bob hwyl i bawb, Mark

Click here to go directly to my personal blog page called Welsh-American Family Genealogy, on the World Wide Web.

Click here to go directly to my personal blog page called Welsh Music, Film, and Books Symposium, on the World Wide Web.

Click here to go directly to my personal blog page called Celtic Cult Cinema on the World Wide Web.

Visit the UK Film Studies and World Cinema and Music Import Showcase

© 2007 Mark Leslie Woods

Smart & Sexy? Your Queer Advantage is waiting!

Intentionally Outward Looking Welsh Blog Makes Headlines, Parades and Fireworks in Bangor, Llanelli and Cardiff to Follow

Wynne Jones has announced the launch of a new, intentionally outward-looking Welsh blog, boldly entitled "Wales Beyond Wales: Wales's Influence and Presence in other countries."

It's thought that this could be the first of it's kind among Welsh blogs, which are world famous for their ability to exist in an inpenetrable bubble of inward-looking obsessions.

Jones says in his introduction:

"Croeso i Wales Beyond Wales! - a blog that will look into Wales's presence and influence in other countries and also the perception of Wales and the Welsh. It's written by me, Wynne Jones, a self-proclaimed professional Welsh Flag spotter from North East Wales. Feel free to send in your own examples, comments and pictures. It'll be a serious blog but humour and light-hearted banter is most certainly welcome!"

Jone's is referring to a congenital condition afflicting Celtic males. In Scotland it's called 'Trainspotting Disease' and in Wales it's merely referred to as 'Flagspotting Syndrome.'

Jones is working to overcome the prejudice and stigma of this condition, which strikes highest among Celtic language speakers, non-Celtic language speakers, naturalized 2nd generation Pakistani-descended Cornish speakers and the divorced brother-in-laws of retired rugby coaches, especially if their deceased, semi-detached next-door neighbor died of Coal Dust 'Black Lung' Disease.

Jones's new blog couldn't have come at a better time:

In recent weeks, a political crisis related to the formation of new government for Wales has caused an existential shift, which most Welsh political hacks thought was permanent:

"I didn't think there was any living thing beyond the Senedd," says one Welsh political blogger who has stopped eating and speaking to his family since the last elections.

A special charitable fund has been created to cope with the large number of Welsh politicians, political bloggers, and journalists, who actually lost their minds, and subsequently has to be placed in asylums, as a result of events related to and following the last election.

The fund is called 'Cronfa Betsan' in memory of a brave, young BBC journalist who, in her attempt at fair and balanced reporting, was actually trampled in the political in-fighting.

For this reason, Jones's new outward-looking blog is seen as a particularly bright spot on the otherwise muddled Welsh political landscape.

Please visit Wynne and send him our best wishes!

Gyda bob hwyl i bawb, Mark

Click here to go directly to my personal blog page called Welsh-American Family Genealogy, on the World Wide Web.

Click here to go directly to my personal blog page called Welsh Music, Film, and Books Symposium, on the World Wide Web.

Click here to go directly to my personal blog page called Celtic Cult Cinema on the World Wide Web.

Visit the UK Film Studies and World Cinema and Music Import Showcase

© 2007 Mark Leslie Woods

Smart & Sexy? Your Queer Advantage is waiting!

Welsh Arts Students Benefit Again: Cardiff School of Creative & Cultural Industries Supports Menuhin Competition

Pictured above: Members of the celebrated South Wales Callenza String Quartet Rehearse together.

Barely a week goes by, without more good news coming from the University of Glamorgan . . .

Cardiff School of Creative & Cultural Industries Supports Menuhin Competition

June 15, 2007

The University of Glamorgan’s Cardiff School of Creative & Cultural Industries and its partner the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, is delighted to announce that it is to host and sponsor the biennial Yehudi Menuhin International Competition for Young Violinists in April 2008.

The world’s leading international competition for violinists under the age of 22 will be celebrating its 25th anniversary this year in Cardiff.

The competition attracts some of the most promising talent in violin playing from all over the world who will compete in two competitions: the Senior Section for competitors aged 16 to 21, with prize money of £5,000 and the Junior Section for competitors 15 and under, with prize money of £3,500.

Forty of the world’s leading young violinists will present a varied and exciting repertoire to the audience and all star jury.

Previous prize-winners are some of today’s most gifted violinists, they include: Lara St John, Julia Fischer, Nikolaj Znaider, Corina Belcea, Ilya Gringolts, Tasmin Little, Isabelle van Keulen and Daishin Kashimoto.

The competition is adjudicated by internationally renowned performers and esteemed violin professors.

The Menuhin competition is unique as it is the only violin competition which also asks its jury members to perform a concert and give public master classes.

Each Menuhin Competition comes with an exciting and entertaining programme of events, from violin concerts with star violinists and orchestras to chamber music and offers an outreach programme of school and community activities including master classes and exhibitions.

The Opening concert will be on Friday 11th April at St David’s Hall and will feature Maxim Vengerov, Jennifer Pike and Hrachua Avanesyan – the 2006 competition winner.

The competition rounds will be held between Saturday 12th April and Wednesday 16th April.

A gala concert at the Wales Millennium Centre on Sunday 20th April will close the competition and will feature Nikolaj Snaider and Rebecca Evans with the 2008 competition winners and the Welsh National Orchestra.

It promises to be a truly thrilling event; why not be amongst the first to receive concert, booking information and special offers by email by visiting the official competition website on

www.menuhincompetition.org

For more information on courses in the creative industries offered by our partner organisation, the University of Glamorgan, please visit

cci.glam.ac.uk

Gyda bob hwyl i bawb, Mark

Click here to go directly to my personal blog page called Welsh-American Family Genealogy, on the World Wide Web.

Click here to go directly to my personal blog page called Welsh Music, Film, and Books Symposium, on the World Wide Web.

Click here to go directly to my personal blog page called Celtic Cult Cinema on the World Wide Web.

Visit the UK Film Studies and World Cinema and Music Import Showcase

© 2007 Mark Leslie Woods

Smart & Sexy? Your Queer Advantage is waiting!

Who's Your favorite Welsh filmmaker?

Who's Your favorite Welsh filmmaker?

Is it Justin Kerrigan, director of Human Traffic (1999)?

[Summary: Bad boys in Cardiff get loaded and the kids have irreverent, outrageous fun. Sex is important to the plot.]

Is it Kevin Allen, director of Twin Town (1997)?

[Summary: Bad boys in Swansea get loaded and the kids have irreverent, outrageous fun. Sex is important to the plot.]

Do you like to get together 'dros y penwthynos' with your mates, tip a few pints, while you watch, for the 200th time, director John Hefin's film about Welsh Rubgy, Grand Slam (1978)?

[Summary: Bad boys from West Wales get loaded, go to Paris, and make some irreverent, outrageous fun. Sex is important to the plot.]

Or do you like the darker side of life? Perhaps you prefer Julian Richards horror film Darklands (1996)?

[Summary; Bad boys from Barry get Satanic-religious loaded, and have some bloody, good old time pagan fun. Rowena King makes sex important here, too.]

Or maybe you prefer a more 'historical film', which exploits the Welsh Valley's dysfunctional heritage of post-industrial malaise, casual incest, petty crime, pit violence, and putting your Welsh Mam in the nuthouse? Marc Evans's House of America (1997) ticks every box for the modern Cymreig cinephile.

[Summary: Bad boys from Merthyr get loaded, get beat up, ride motorcycles, and tell the world to bugger off. Sex is important here, especially sex with your sister.]

Tell our readers your favorite Welsh film of all time, or your favorite Welsh 'auteur' filmmaker, okay?

Gyda bob hwyl i bawb, Mark

Click here to go directly to my personal blog page called Welsh-American Family Genealogy, on the World Wide Web.

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© 2007 Mark Leslie Woods

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