What better way to mark the 10th anniversary of the It’s Called Ffasiwn project than with its first full exhibition in Wales, at the National Museum? It began in 2016 as the brainchild of one Valleys outsider and one Valleys insider: Clémentine Schneidermann, who came to Cardiff from France to study documentary photography at the University Of South Wales and subsequently fell in love with the area, and Charlotte James, a stylist and artist from Merthyr. But the stars are the photographs’ subjects – local children, several of whom have been enthusiastic participants from the very beginning.
Many a photographic series has sought to correct perceived misrepresentations of the Valleys, or to show them in a fresh light, and it’s in the latter respect that the Ffasiwn exhibition succeeds. The project blurs the boundaries between landscape and portrait photography, being as much focused on people as it is rooted in place.
The muted mundanity of the backdrops – housing estates, bus stations, social clubs – throws into vivid relief the bold and vibrant colours of the extravagant and out-of-place costumes, modelled by children who have no direct experience of the heavy industry that shaped the area but are living in the literal and metaphorical shadow of its spoilheaps. (Schneidermann and James clearly revel in this striking juxtaposition – their joint studio is named Bleak Fabulous.)
It’s always tempting to speculate over deeper resonance. Are the images (particularly the decision to feature children) a deliberate attempt to shift focus away from the Valleys’ past and towards their future? Do the kids’ adult outfits and makeup signify the loss of childhood innocence, a commentary on the fact that children grow up too fast? Could the photo that depicts a street party taking place between two rows of condemned, boarded-up terraced houses be an acknowledgement that the Brexit for which the Valleys voted has turned out to be the hollowest of victories? Perhaps.
But there remains a danger of imposing interpretations and reading too much into things – which is where the two short films, screened in a mock-up of a working men’s club, are invaluable. In them, the young participants reflect that the project has, primarily, been a lark: an opportunity to dress up, show off and have a laugh.
This isn’t to trivialise its impact, though. Schneidermann and James may have been the ultimate directors of operations, but the children were actively involved at every stage, including workshopping ideas and buying, creating and customising clothing ahead of shoots. They unanimously describe the experience as empowering: one that has helped to them to feel pride in both who they are and where they’re from.
As such, the films – and the exhibition as a whole – are testament to an exemplary case of long-term artistic commitment, close community engagement and genuinely collaborative practice, underlining that photographic projects can be a vehicle for creating positive social change on a local scale.
Ffasiwn, National Museum Cardiff, until Sun 4 Apr.
Admission: pay what you can (minimum £1). Info: here
words BEN WOOLHEAD
