[lg policy] Wales: Eisteddfod winner deterred by festival's language policy

[Harold Schiffman]

 Eisteddfod winner deterred by festival's language policy  8 Jan 2014 06:46
<http://www.walesonline.co.uk/by-date/08-01-2014>

An award-winning artist crowned at last year’s National Eisteddfod says she
“would hold back” from competing at the festival again after drawing
criticism for her use of the English language.

<http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/eisteddfod-winner-deterred-festivals-language-6477961#>
<http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/eisteddfod-winner-deterred-festivals-language-6477961#>
  [image: Josephine Sowden received £5,000 for her performance video
entitled The Lilies of the Field and described the honour at the time as
“the most exciting thing to have happened to me.”] Josephine Sowden
received £5,000 for her performance video entitled The Lilies of the Field
and described the honour at the time as “the most exciting thing to have
happened to me.”

University of Wales Newport graduate Josephine Sowden was awarded the
prestigious Gold Medal for Fine Art at the Denbighshire and District 2013
National Eisteddfod of Wales.

The young Cardiff-based artist received £5,000 for her performance video
entitled The Lilies of the Field and described the honour at the time as
“the most exciting thing to have happened to me.”

But the National Eisteddfod’s decision to award its fine art prize to a
video filmed in English was later called a “dangerous precedent” by Welsh
language campaign group Dyfodol i’r Iaith (A Future for the Language).

As a result application forms for the 2014 art competition now draw
attention to an existing rule which states that “any original words
incorporated in the artwork (including sound and video) must be in Welsh.”

It adds that words in other languages “may be included” if they are part of
an object used in the work, or are quotations.

Josephine Sowden’s work, filmed in winter on Severn Beach and Portishead,
addressed the babble of superficial worries and concerns that often pass
through, and sometimes dominate, the mind.

The film shows the artist on the beach, covered in mud, and muttering short
bursts of English dialogue.

Speaking on BBC Radio Wales Miss Sowden said she “would hold back” from
entering the competition after the Welsh language rule’s impact on the
exhibition was clarified.

She said: “I understand why [the Welsh rule] has been made clearer because
there has been some upset from it, and I know it’s a Welsh language
festival.

“I think it’s a shame in terms of the competition because it is such a
prestigious competition. It’s such an honour to win, and to be a part of.

“I think it’s a shame if it does deter people from entering, just because
people might be worried if their piece has got something other than Welsh
in it, it might not be accepted. I think it’s a shame but I understand.”

Defending her use of English in her video, she added: “Even though I know I
am speaking English, it’s more about the ideas behind it, the way I’m
speaking, how incessant it is.”

Robyn Tomos, the eisteddfod’s visual arts officer, said he hoped artists
would not be deterred from entering the competition.

He said: “If there is any question, I would advise artists to get in touch.
Let’s discuss what the possibilities are.”

Mr Tomos said the use of spoken or printed words in art works was
relatively recent.

He added: “When the language rule was established in 1950 at Caerphilly, we
had paintings in frames and sculptures on plinths so it didn’t arise then.

“It’s only a recent thing, with recent practice.”

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/eisteddfod-winner-deterred-festivals-language-6477961

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