Ffasiwn
A new photography exhibition by Clémentine Schneidermann and Charlotte James celebrates a decade of creativity in the south Wales valleys.
Ffasiwn presents photographs by French photographer Clémentine Schneidermann and Merthyr-born creative director Charlotte James. The
exhibition celebrates ten years of It’s Called Ffasiwn, a project forged from a shared love of photography, fashion and creativity that is rooted in
community.
by spectrum
Exhibition Details
Working under the studio name Bleak Fabulous, Schneidermann and James
create work that is socially-engaged and participatory. Ffasiwn
presents more than just a photography project; it’s a long-term creative
collaboration with young people from Blaenau Gwent and Merthyr Tydfil.
Since 2015 they have been working with the same collaborators to co-create
photographs that sit at the edges of documentary photography, portraiture,
fashion and performance. The resulting pictures seek to reimagine
perceptions of the region through photography, by focussing on the
imagination and creativity of its future generations.
Clémentine Schneidermann, photographer said:
“It is very special for us to have our project celebrated at the National
Museum Cardiff, which started as a grassroots project and developed into an
epic collaboration. As the project reaches this milestone anniversary, we are
thrilled to exhibit it in Wales for the first time in its entirety, featuring nearly
sixty prints, films, and publications.”
The exhibition traces the evolution of It’s Called Ffasiwn over the last
decade, from early works photographed as part of Schneidermann’s initial
artist residency in Abertillery, to more recent collaborations. It features two
films made with the young people, one of which includes behind-the-scenes
footage from the project. The films are presented in a reimagined working
women’s club that has been created by Schneidermann and James and
offers a surreal glimpse into some of the vernacular landscapes that have
inspired the pictures.
Before each photoshoot Schneidermann and James hosted creative
workshops, giving the young collaborators opportunities to customise their
clothing and learn skills such as sewing, photography, styling and set design.
Working with the communities in the valleys was especially important for
Charlotte James whose upbringing in Merthyr Tydfil informs her work. Many
of her projects involve family, friends and local people as she explores
different ways of collaborating through fashion, film and creative
workshops.
Ffasiwn runs until 4 April 2027 at the National Museum Cardiff. For more information
and to book tickets, visit www.museum.wales
Exhibition Printing for Ffasiwn
Spectrum produced Studio C-type Lustre prints mounted to KAPA foamboard for the exhibition.