Gwelen
Gwelen is a site-specific artwork for Mount’s Bay by award winning artist Emma Smith and residents of West Penwith. The work consists of 85 sculptures installed along the Penzance-Marazion coastal path in Cornwall.
Emma Smith developed and imagined Gwelen to draw public attention the mysterious submerged forest that lies along this stretch of Cornwall. She sought to ignite a curiosity about this fairly unknown archaeological gem and created this piece of art to help the general public reimagine 'the forest'. The totality of the art work consists of wooden sculptures positioned along the sea front, a series of podcasts made in collaboration with Storylines, foraging and craft workshops, and an activity pack made in collaboration with artists Nina Royle, Kitty Hillier, Maya Ronchetti and Verity Birt.
To find out more about Gwelen and gain access to the podcasts, click here:
https://newlynartgallery.co.uk/gwelen/
Below is the guided activity I developed as part of the creative activity booklet that was available to download or pick up from tourist information centres in the Marazion and Penzance area.
I focused the activity on the exploration of the archaeological term 'Palimpsests' to echo the wider themes of Gwelen. The activity focuses on evoking a sense of the spirits in the imagined forest at Mounts Bay. The activity prompts people to sketch their own mythical creatures conjured from their imagination. The activity booklet was a way of meditating on the magic of the ancient forest, while people walk the coast path that was once cover by it.
Link to full activity guide: Rituals-and-Practices-for-Conjuring-the-Forest.pdf
