Foundations from Coal
The geology of coal involves a complicated creation that takes millions of years to form. It can be seen as a gift and a curse given to Wales in that it created wealth for the country but at a great human cost with much of it hidden deep underground and thinly layered making it particularly hard to extract. John Cory owned collieries and exported coal to over 120 ports around the world. He and his son Reginald used their riches to build the house and grounds at Dyffryn. Today the dilapidated parts of the house provoke a sense of loss, which is mirrored within the coal industry. With the decline of the welsh coal mining industry in the 21st century, the ‘floating’ coal is here to act as a reminder of the past. It has been lifted into the air to evoke the sense of coal being extracted from within the earth and to show a ghostly presence of an industry that became so significant to Wales.
The geology of coal involves a complicated creation that takes millions of years to form. It can be seen as a gift and a curse given to Wales in that it created wealth for the country but at a great human cost with much of it hidden deep underground and thinly layered making it particularly hard to extract. John Cory owned collieries and exported coal to over 120 ports around the world. He and his son Reginald used their riches to build the house and grounds at Dyffryn. Today the dilapidated parts of the house provoke a sense of loss, which is mirrored within the coal industry. With the decline of the welsh coal mining industry in the 21st century, the ‘floating’ coal is here to act as a reminder of the past. It has been lifted into the air to evoke the sense of coal being extracted from within the earth and to show a ghostly presence of an industry that became so significant to Wales.
'Foundations from Coal' exhibited at Dyffryn House.
2015
2015
