Hello all,
This is our first post on the Three Towns Forum and we are looking forward to getting involved and hearing from you.
We are currently working on an exhibition at MOSTYN in Vaughan Street, Llandudno (we're next to the post office). We believe that the MOSTYN building was used as a drill hall during WW1 and our exhibition which opens in mid July will give a nod to that heritage. It's the second in a series of exhibitions that draw upon the gallery building's heritage. Last year we held an exhibition that took as its starting point the fact that the gallery was the first gallery in the world built, and commissioned by Lady Augusta Mostyn, purely to house the work of female artists denied membership of local art societies of the time.
Gallery staff are hoping that local people will be keen to share their family stories and offer loans of photographs, documents, memorabilia and other personal artefacts that may illustrate those stories and the impact of war on the area. Currently working with organisations including Blind Veterans UK, Royal Welch Fusiliers Museum in Caernarfon and Llandudno’s Home Front Museum the team are also calling out to individuals, and groups who may be interested, to get in touch.
Of course the building's use as a drill hall during the First World War is particularly relevant in this centenary year. We hope that local people will help us to find evidence of this use and also want to share their family memories of WWI with us to form part of this exciting exhibition.
MOSTYN, which is the largest publicly funded contemporary art gallery in Wales, aims to raise discussion about contemporary life through its exhibition and engagement programme. As with other exhibitions in the series which is supported by the Arts Council of Wales, ‘WAR’ will bring together locally relevant historical material and works by contemporary artists, thereby making links between the history and heritage of Llandudno and modern day representations of related themes.
If you have anything at all related to WWI and the local area, MOSTYN would be keen to hear from you as soon as possible. Any stories you might have about this time would also greatly be appreciated by the gallery. Email post@mostyn.org or telephone 01492 879201.
