ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Students Engage in Cultural Reflection of Swansea for Upcoming 'CityX – Me, Swansea' Exhibition
Students from ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø’s Foundation, Design Crafts, and Fine Art programmes gathered in the university’s Reading Room in Alexandra Road to embark on an inspiring collaboration for the international art project CityX – Me, Swansea.
Led by renowned German artist Doris Graf, this project invites participants to creatively capture their impressions of Swansea through drawing, capturing the essence of the city as seen through its diverse population. Students’ reflections on Swansea, including images of the sea, Kilvey Hill, seagulls, cityscapes, and greenery, will soon be transformed by Graf into a series of digital graphic drawings to be exhibited next Summer at Elysium Gallery in Swansea.
Doris Graf’s CityX initiative has travelled across 16 cities globally, promoting a unique and interactive form of artistic urban reflection. Known for merging residents’ impressions into iconic pictograms that form a new, shared cityscape, Graf’s work is celebrated for enhancing social cohesion and sparking community dialogue. The CityX – Me, Swansea ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø, with support from the Ministry of Science, Research, and the Arts in Baden-Württemberg, Elysium Gallery, the City of Mannheim, and ABTART Gallery, seeks to strengthen cultural connections between Germany and the United Kingdom.
Katherine Clewett, Programme Director, said: “Thank you very much to Elysium Gallery for this opportunity. It is wonderful to see resources shared across our programs and students working together. Doris was engaging in her delivery and excited to meet our students. This experience is invaluable as they embark on their creative journey.â€
The CityX project not only celebrates the distinct culture of each participating city but also provides a framework for intercultural exchange. By creating a final exhibit based on Swansea’s local contributions, the project reflects the importance of continued international cooperation and the enrichment of cultural diversity. This meaningful initiative will debut at Elysium Gallery in Swansea before traveling to Mannheim and Stuttgart in 2025.
Doris Graf’s exhibitions offer insights into the shared and individual values of urban communities, promoting art as a tool for understanding and connection across cultural and language divides. Her previous exhibitions, including CityX – Yo, Habana, showcased at the Havana Biennial in 2019, have drawn international acclaim for their ability to evoke a shared city identity and foster a sense of unity among residents.
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