Seren Eva

Artist Statement

As a fluent Welsh speaker born and raised in Pontypridd, South Wales, I am very passionate about my heritage. My identity as a Welsh person is central to my artistic practice, and through my work, I seek to celebrate and preserve the Welsh language and culture. Much of my work is influenced by political activism, I am especially passionate about feminism, environmental issues, and my cultural identity. These concerns are especially evident in my printmaking artwork, drawing on artists such as Paul Peter Piech, who used his art to combat racism, war, and social injustices, and John Meirion Morris, who is famous for his political artwork surrounding Tryweryn. Like them, I believe art should be a platform for awareness, activism, and change, and I use it to give voice to issues I believe are important.

The flooding of the small town of Capel Celyn in Tryweryn is extremely prevalent in my artwork. It’s a topic I’m exceptionally outraged by, and this fuels my art. It symbolises the silencing and erasure of identity, language and autonomy that Welsh people faced historically (and still to this day). My artwork surrounding Tryweryn always holds many layers and symbolic meanings; it’s the most considered and emotionally driven art I produce. These works are deeply personal and are rooted in grief and anger, they remain the most significant and meaningful part of my practice.

Printmaking is my primary medium, specifically screen printing, lithography, and linocut (although I do enjoy working with other mediums such as Photography as well). These techniques allow me to create bold prints full of texture that are visually striking and direct. The physical and hands-on nature of the medium allows me to express urgency and purpose. I carefully contemplate colour and composition to communicate my artistic vision in a way that expresses anger, grief, and protest. Through these deliberate decisions, I aim to evoke an emotional response in my artwork, highlighting that art is a powerful medium for social change. Fundamentally, my practice is a commitment to resistance and remembrance, to remind people not to repeat the past and to focus on bettering our future.