JOHN ABELL

Ganwyd John Abell [g.1986] yng Nghaerdydd ac astudiodd yng Ngholeg Celf Camberwell, Llundain ac mae'n byw ac yn gweithio yng Nghymoedd De Cymru. Mae llên gwerin a mytholeg yn themâu annatod sy'n cael eu plethu drwy waith John, a hynny wedi'u seilio yn gadarn ar ei gariad at ddiwylliant a thirwedd Cymru. Mae ei waith, sy’n cynnwys peintio a printiau, yn ffantastig ac yn apocalyptaidd, wedi'i gweithio’n ddwys ac wedi'i drwytho yn ei ddiddordebau mewn llenyddiaeth, hanes a barddoniaeth. Mae John yn arbennig o adnabyddus am ei brintiau bloc pren monocrom ar raddfa fawr a'i baentio haniaethol ystumiol lliwgar. Mae ei arddull a'i ddull o wneud marciau - greddfol, geometrig a myfyriol - yn trosgwlyddo’n gyfartal o un cyfrwng i’r llall
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Cardiff-born John Abell [b.1986] studied at Camberwell College of Art, London and currently lives and works in the South Wales Valleys. Folklore and mythology are integral themes woven through John’s work, underlined by his love of Welsh culture and the landscape of Cymru. His work, across painting and printmaking, is fantastical and apocalyptic, densely packed and seeped in his interests in literature, history and poetry. John is particularly known for his large-scale monochrome wood block prints and intensely colourful gestural abstract painting. His style and method of mark-making - intuitive, geometric and meditative - translate equally to both mediums

  • Ganwyd John Abell [g.1986] yng Nghaerdydd ac astudiodd yng Ngholeg Celf Camberwell, Llundain ac mae'n byw ac yn gweithio yng Nghymoedd De Cymru

    Cardiff-born John Abell [b.1986] studied at Camberwell College of Art, London and currently lives and works in the South Wales Valleys.

    Prints and publications are held in private and public collections worldwide including the V&A, the National Museum of Wales, the British Museum, the National Library of Australia in Canberra, the National Library of Canada in Ottawa and Columbia University Library in New York.

    SOLO EXHIBITIONS

    2025 Cariadon Y Mynydd, Arusha Gallery, London

    2022 The Foretold Sun, Arusha Gallery, Edinburgh

    2021 Through Great Waters, Arusha Gallery, Edinburgh

    2020 Rebecca and Her Children, Newton House, Dinefwr

    2019 Don Quixote Goes West, Arusha Gallery, Edinburgh

    2018 The Garden Enclosed, TEN, Cardiff

    2017 Lost Conquistadors and Other Works, Oriel Myrddin, Carmarthen

    2016 Three Act Play, Gallery Ten, Cardiff

    2015 Printmaker In Focus, Oriel Wrecsam, Wrexham

    The Horse With The Human Heart, Oriel Mwldan, Cardigan

    2014 Vena Cava, Arcade Cardiff, Cardiff, Wales

    2013 Exile All The Longer, Looking Glass, Bristol

    2011 Permission To See Freely, The Emporium, Bristol

    2009 White Lies and Crocodile Tears, Elysium Gallery, Swansea

  • ‘Mae fy ngwaith yn ymwneud â phaentio trwy dirwedd Cymru a'm mherthynas â hi, a'r hyn y gallaf ei ddweud am draddodiad peintio tirwedd Cymru.

    Pwt o farddoniaeth sydd yn hoff iawn i mi yw:

    ‘Mae’r Byd yn fwy na Chymru

    Rwy’n gwybod hynny nawr

    Ond diolch byth fod Cymru fach 

    Yn rhan o fyd mor fawr’ - Niclas Y Glais

    My work is about painting through the Welsh landscape and my relationship with it, and what I can say about the Welsh landscape painting tradition.

    A piece of poetry that I really like is:

    [translated]

    'The world is more than Cymru

    I understand this now

    But thanks that little old Wales

    Is part of a world so vast' - Niclas Y Glais ‘

    - John Abell

GWEITHIAU CELF • ARTWORKS

  • KIOSK is a dedicated space for editions, objects and publications from both gallery and invited artists.

The Garden Enclosed | TEN. | home gallery | Cardiff