David Nash receives Glyndwr Award
31st August 2010
The Gwobr Glyndwr Award is presented each year to someone who has made an outstanding contribution to the arts in Wales. The medal has been struck in Machynlleth by jeweller Kelvin Jenkins. On the silver is etched an aerial view of Cardigan Bay and the Dyfi Valley, with a spot of Welsh Gold pinpointing Machynlleth.
The Award is rotated between music, the visual arts and literature. Since its inception in 1994 there have been 16 illustrious recipients, among them –
Sir Kyffin Williams, Jan Morris, Alun Hoddinott, Iwan Bala, Gillian Clarke, Gerallt Lloyd Owen, Elinor Bennett, Pete Prendergast, Shani Rhys James, among others….
Last year the award was given to the pianist Llyr Williams and this year the 17th Glyndwr Award for an Outstanding Contribution to the Arts in Wales, I am very pleased to announce, goes to David Nash from Blaenau Ffestiniog.
David Nash was elected a Royal Academician in 1999, the same year in which he was appointed a Research Fellow at the University of Northumbria in Newcastle and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Art & Design by Kingston University.
In 2004 David was awarded an OBE and in 2009 the National Eisteddfod’s special exhibition in the visual arts pavilion in Bala was a showcase of David’s work. I know that David was very pleased to show at the Eisteddfod while it was in Meirionnydd as the county, its landscape and its people, have had such a strong influence on his work.
David Nash is a major name in the art world – not just in Wales, not just in the UK but internationally, the ‘Art World’ in as literal a sense as possible. He has work in all the major collections globally – all of the world’s cultural capitals have art in their galleries by David Nash from Blaenau Ffestiniog.
And when David travels the globe, making and showing his art, he takes Blaenau and Wales with him. From the slate works that shape and surround the town to the mountains, the Manod, Cnicht and Moelwyns that cast their shadows across this rugged landscape.
David doesn’t hide these sources of inspiration from audiences and visitors to exhibitions, he is always quick to acknowledge the importance of where he’s chosen to live on the sculptures he creates. In fact I’ve attended a number of illustrated lectures that David has given in the United States and across Europe and the very first slide in the projector carousel is always a photograph of Blaenau Ffestiniog.
And so, it is very appropriate that Wales recognises, through this Glyndwr award, the contribution that David Nash has made, bringing an awareness of Wales as a creative and cultural nation to peoples across the planet through his art.
This is also a very appropriate year to be giving David this award as there is an absolutely massive exhibition taking place all of this year at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park showing around 400 works.
The edited text above is taken from the opening to the introduction given by Pete Telfer at the event. Culture Colony's Pete Telfer presented David Nash with the medal on behalf of MOMA Cymru.
Also See -
David Nash profile
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