Unlocking the Emotional Landscape of Independence through Photography
We take a look at an exhibition in Caernarfon exploring the emotional landscape of independence in Wales, Scotland and Catalonia.
Oriel CARN in Caernarfon, north Wales, is currently playing host to Head / Heart a ground-breaking photography exhibition this half-term that offers visitors a unique glimpse into the emotional landscape of Independence in Wales, Scotland, and Catalonia, along with an opportunity to contribute their responses to the photography and the issue of constitutional futures. Here, Carys Mair Thomas tells us why the exhibition is so important.
From Saturday 10 February to Saturday 17 February, the work of 35 photographers from three nations will be on display as part of Head / Heart: Framing the Future: Photography from Wales, Scotland and Catalonia.
Menna Thomas, CARN Co-ordinator, is “thrilled to be hosting such a thought-provoking exhibition, which actively invites the public to explore the collection of 40+ photographs with an inquisitive mind”. And with free family activities available throughout the week, the exhibition seeks to “engage and enlighten every member of the family” she says.
Curated by Dr Elin Royles and Dr Anwen Elias from the Centre for Welsh Politics and Society at Aberystwyth University, the exhibition is an integral part of their world-first research project into Independence.
Their non-partisan, academic study marks a departure from traditional academic methods, by drawing together photographers from various clubs and institutions to delve deeper into the feelings and emotions that shape individuals' views on Independence. These include Aberystwyth Camera Club; Workers Gallery in Ynyshir, y Rhondda; Foto-Cine Mataró d’UEC (Mataró Camera Club); and IEFC: Institut d’Estudis Fotogràfics de Catalunya (Catalonia Institute of Photographic Studies).
Dr Elin Royles says this methodology, which also included in-depth interviews, offers “a visual narrative that transcends traditional survey responses and demographic data (like age, gender and class) that is so ubiquitous when academics seek to make sense of the world around them”. In addition to the photographs that provide striking responses to the issue of Independence, she says ‘captions accompanying the photographs enable viewers to assess whether their reflections on the images correspond to what the photographers were trying to convey”.
Her colleague, Dr Anwen Elias, also a member of the Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales, lauds photography as a powerful tool to comprehend the complex interplay between emotion and political stance. She says: “this exhibition challenges the status quo in academic research, asserting the significant role of visual storytelling in discussions about constitutional futures.”
Visitors are asked to also share their own feelings and responses to the photographs based on the following themes.
We are Different
Photographers in the exhibition often depict their sense of distinctiveness from the rest of the state (the UK or Spain). But their sense of identity also varies significantly.
“Ultimately”, says Dr Elin Royles, “the awareness of being different does not lead to the same views on independence. For some, their identity is not an important consideration. For others, their identity leads them to think differently: either to support independence, or to oppose it.”
Our Past / Our Future
The photographer’s life experiences, and their views of politics and society, often shape how they think about independence.
Some photographers clearly think that independence will transform society and create a better, fairer and more sustainable future, seeing it as the only way of taking decisions that meet the country’s political, economic and cultural needs, free from outside interference. Others create photographs that see independence as a risky project: fearing what it could mean for the economy, the provision of key services such as healthcare, and for the country’s links with the rest of the world.
Dr Elin Royles comments: “For some, their country’s past also shapes how they think about its future. Perceptions of cultural suppression and economic exploitation often make them feel more sympathetic to independence.”
Debating Independence
Photographs in the exhibition also demonstrates that it is not always easy to have a discussion about independence. In Scotland and Catalonia, some photographers depict how difficult it is to talk about the topic with their families and friends. Dr Royles on this theme says: “many photographers express their frustration at not being able to have an open and balanced debate about independence, with some blaming politicians and the media – especially social media - for reducing it to simplistic binary debates”.
Head / Heart
In this exhibition, Dr Royles says “photographers from all three nations can be seen to carefully weigh up their feelings about independence”. While some photographs reflect firm views for or against independence, others illustrate how they are so much more torn about how they feel and what it could mean for their country she says – and that it “truly is a struggle between the head and the heart”.
Head / Heart: Framing the Future is on at Oriel CARN, Caernarfon from 10th-17th February 2024; 10am-3pm (except Sunday). Admission: Free (family activities on offer)