A celebration of emotion, memory, and place—rooted in Welsh identity and reimagined through two distinct artistic voices.
The Albany Gallery is proud to present a dynamic new exhibition featuring the work of Welsh artists Eloise Govier and Colin J. Davies. This exhibition invites visitors to reflect on the idea of cynefin—a Welsh term capturing the sense of place, belonging, and the emotional resonance of ‘home’.
Through expressive abstraction and emotionally charged landscapes, Govier and Davies offer strikingly different yet thematically connected interpretations of what it means to belong. From the warmth of a hearth to the roar of the sea, their works journey deep into the personal and cultural memory of Wales.
Eloise Govier, known for her vibrant, energetic compositions, explores domestic life through her “Towns and Other Stories” series. Comprising around 200 houses across 20 pieces, the collection captures fleeting moments—a light in a window, smoke rising from a chimney—while leaving space for the viewer’s own narrative. “These are not fixed stories,” says Govier. “They’re invitations to feel and remember. To me, the movement of the palette knife or brush across the canvas is where the emotion lives.”
Her approach draws inspiration from Fauvism, with its raw, immediate brushwork and exposed surfaces. “Fauvist painting celebrates spontaneity,” she notes. “I want viewers to feel the pulse of human experience in the paint itself.”
Colin J. Davies, by contrast, offers large-scale, elemental responses to the Welsh landscape. His seascapes and mountain vistas are infused with energy and scale, evoking the majestic drama of the Gower coast and the moody beauty of Bannau Brycheiniog.
“Whether I’m sketching by the sea in Mumbles or walking across moorland, I try to capture both the serenity and the intensity of nature,” Davies explains. “Each brushstroke is a dialogue between me and the land.”
Davies’ bold, textured canvases transport viewers into the raw beauty of Wales’ coastal and rural environments—alive with movement, light, and colour.
Also check out other Exhibitions in Cardiff, Arts events in Cardiff, Performances in Cardiff.
