Gold Medal (National Eisteddfod of Wales)
The Gold Medal (Welsh: Medal Aur) of the National Eisteddfod of Wales is awarded annually in three categories for excellence in Fine Art, Architecture, or Craft and Design.[1]
Background
The National Eisteddfod of Wales is Wales' most important national cultural event, taking place annually. Its open exhibition of art and craft, Y Lle Celf (Welsh: 'The Art Space') is one of the highlights of the Welsh arts calendar.[2] Gold medals are awarded in the Visual Arts section for outstanding contributions in different media: a Gold Medal for Fine Art has been awarded since 1951;[3] a medal for Architecture has been offered since 1954 (though withheld and not awarded between 1954 and 1959);[4] and a Gold Medal for Craft and Design has been awarded since 1985.[5]
Other awards are the Tony Goble Award, given to a first time exhibitor, and the Josef Herman Award, chosen by the public[6] (Josef Herman, a Polish emigree, won the Fine Art medal in 1962).[7]
The Architecture award was endowed by Thomas Alwyn Lloyd and is given in conjunction with the Design Commission for Wales and the Royal Society of Architects in Wales, who advise the Eisteddfod judges.[1]
The award is given to practitioners working in Wales, and a language rule has been in force since 1950 that any original words in art works must be in the Welsh language.[8] In 2013 there was controversy when a video entirely in English by England-born University of Wales Newport student Josephine Sowden was awarded the Fine Art medal.[9][10]
In January 2014 the Wales Millennium Centre (WMC) and Craft in the Bay, Cardiff held an exhibition showcasing the work of previous winners of the Fine Art and the Craft awards.[2]
The 2014 Open Exhibition exhibited the work of 44 artists, selected from 300 entries.[6]
Winners
Fine Art
Source: The National Eisteddfod of Wales
- 2014 – Sean Edwards, for his video Maelfa of a shopping centre in Llanedeyrn, Cardiff [6]
- 2013 – Josephine Sowden, for her video The Lilies of the Field [9]
- 2012 – Carwyn Evans, for his installations based on agricultural machinery [1]
- 2011 – Bedwyr Williams, for his mixed media work including carved wellington boots stuffed with straw [11]
- 2010 – Simon Fenoulhet
- 2009 – Elfyn Lewis
- 2008 – David Hastie
- 2007 – Emrys Williams, for his paintings of imaginary landscapes.[12]
- 2006 – Aled Rhys Hughes
- 2005 – Peter Finnemore
- 2004 – Stuart Lee
- 2003 – Tim Davies
- 2002 – Ifor Davies
- 2001 – Phil Nicol
- 2000 – Sue Williams
- 1999 – Lois Williams
- 1998 – Brendan Burns
- 1997 – Iwan Bala
- 1996 – No winner
- 1995 – Paul Brewer
- 1994 – Mary Griffiths
- 1993 – Brendan Burns
- 1992 – Shani Rhys James
- 1991 – No winner
- 1990 – Gareth Hugh Davies
- 1989 – No winner
- 1988 – Keith Roberts
- 1987 – Keith Bowen
- 1986 – Simon Callery
- 1985 – Alistair Crawford
- 1968–1984 – Medal not offered
- 1967 – No winner
- 1966 – Merlyn Evans
- 1965 – No winner
- 1964 – David Jones
- 1963 – Medal not offered
- 1962 – Josef Herman [7]
- 1961 – Ceri Richards
- 1959–1960 – Medal not offered
- 1958 – Denys Short
- 1957 – George Chapman
- 1956 – John Elwyn
- 1955 – D. C. Roberts
- 1954 – Charles Burton
- 1953 – Brenda Chamberlain
- 1952 – Medal not offered
- 1951 – Brenda Chamberlain
Architecture
- 2014 – Loyn & Co for 'Stormy Castle', a sustainable home on the Gower Peninsula [13]
- 2013 – John Pardey Architects for 'Trewarren', a house in Pembrokeshire [13]
- 2012 – HLM Architects for Archbishop McGrath Catholic High School, Bridgend [13]
- 2011 – Ellis Williams Architects for Oriel Mostyn, Llandudno [13]
- 2010 – Medal not awarded [13]
- 2009 – Ray Hole Architects, for Hafod Eryri visitor centre, Snowdon [13]
- 2008 – Purcell Miller Tritton, for Blaenavon World Heritage Centre, Blaenavon [13]
- 2007 – Loyn & Co, for the Water Tower, Cyncoed, Cardiff, breaking the normal tradition of making the award for a public building.[12]
- 2006 – Richard Rogers, for the Senedd, Cardiff [13]
- 2005 – Capita Percy Thomas, Cardiff for the Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff [14]
Craft and design
Source: The National Eisteddfod of Wales
- 2014 – Susan Phillips for her ceramic sculptures [15]
- 2013 – Josephine Sowden for her video The Lilies of the Field.[16]
- 2012 – Anne Gibbs, for her ceramic and found media assemblages [1]
- 2011 – Peter Bodenham (Head of Ceramics at Coleg Sir Gâr) [11]
- 2010 – Natalia Dias
- 2009 – Lowri Davies
- 2008 – Suzie Horan
- 2007 – Medal not awarded, "although the submission included work of quality, there was not enough of it."[12]
- 2006 – Carol Gwizdak
- 2005 – Pamela Rawnsley
- 2004 – Walter Keeler
- 2003 – Mari Thomas
- 2002 – No winner
- 2001 – Claire Curneen
- 2000 – Christine Jones
- 1999 – David Binns
- 1998 – Catrin Howell
- 1997 – Marcelle Davies
- 1996 – Steve Howlett
- 1995 – Gavin Fraser Williams
- 1994 – Marcus Thomas
- 1993 – Ann Catrin Evans
- 1992 – Cefyn Burgess
- 1991 – Linda Roberts
- 1990 – Morgen Hall
- 1989 – No winner
- 1988 – Jaqueline Jones
- 1987 – Eleri Mills
- 1986 – Gina Raby
- 1985 – Martin Fraser (first winner)
References
- 1 2 3 4 Chamberlain, Laura (7 August 2012). "2012 Eisteddfod: Gold medal round-up". BBC Blogs. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
- 1 2 "Going for gold". Western Mail. 17 January 2014. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
- ↑ "Gold Medal for Fine Art". The National Eisteddfod of Wales. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
- ↑ "Gold Medal for Architecture". The National Eisteddfod of Wales. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
- ↑ "Gold Medal for Craft and Design". The National Eisteddfod of Wales. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
- 1 2 3 Morais, Joao (2014). "Eisteddfod 2014: National Open Exhibition". Wales Arts Review. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
- 1 2 Chamberlain, Laura (26 July 2011). "Archbishop of Canterbury to present Eisteddfod art award" (blog). BBC Wales. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
- ↑ Thomas, Huw (7 January 2014). "Eisteddfod's Welsh language rule could deter artist Josephine Sowden". BBC News. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
- 1 2 Morgan, Sion (7 January 2014). "Eisteddfod winner deterred by festival's language policy". Wales Online. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
- ↑ "Language row breaks out over Eisteddfod gold medal". ITV News. 9 August 2013. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
- 1 2 "Bedwyr's tribute to the farmer wins the Gold Medal for Art at the Eisteddfod". Wales Online. 1 August 2011. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
- 1 2 3 Clark, Rhodri (6 August 2007). "Judges decide not to award crafts gold medal". Wales Online. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Hopkirk, Elizabeth (4 August 2014). "Loyn & Co wins Welsh Gold Medal". Building Design. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
- ↑ Price, Karen (30 July 2005). "The awards pile up for Wales' delightful 'armadillo'". Western Mail. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
- ↑ "National Eisteddfod: Gold Medal awards in visual arts announced". a.n. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- ↑ "2013 News". The National Eisteddfod of Wales. Retrieved 29 January 2015.