Recently I’ve been influenced by the graffiti and street art movement. I experiment with graffiti lettering within my paintings as I find it fascinating to see these controversial artworks being placed in different environments. I typically choose to paint vans, bins and traffic cones as they are often targeted by graffiti writers to place these bold signature-like markings. It’s fascinating to see that these objects are used by graffiti writers whilst I portray these works through different mediums such as canvas, wood and paper. Within my work I use the same materials as graffiti writers, but in a fine art approach. It allows graffiti to enter the gallery space which can be seen as unusual as it’s usually placed in an outside environment and often labelled as an act of vandalism. It’s interesting to consider these paintings as a form of documentation of the graffiti and street art around us that may often go unseen and unappreciated. However, bringing graffiti and street art to the gallery space can show this unique style of work in a more positive light.
n ddiweddar rwyf wedi cael fy nylanwadu gan y mudiad graffiti a chelf stryd. Rwy’n arbrofi gyda llythrennau graffiti o fewn fy mhaentiadau gan ei fod yn fy nghyfareddu i weld y gweithiau celf dadleuol hyn yn cael eu gosod mewn amgylcheddau gwahanol. Yn gyffredinol rwy’n dewis paentio faniau, biniau a chonau traffig gan eu bod yn cael eu targedu’n aml gan ysgrifenwyr graffiti i osod y marciau eofn sydd fel llofnod. Mae’n gyfareddol gweld y gwrthrychau hyn yn cael eu defnyddio gan ysgrifenwyr graffiti er fy mod i’n portreadu’r gweithiau hyn trwy gyfryngau gwahanol megis cynfas, pren a phapur. O fewn fy ngwaith rwy’n defnyddio’r un deunyddiau ag ysgrifenwyr graffiti, ond gyda dull celfyddyd gain. Mae’n galluogi graffiti i gyrchu’r oriel, rhywbeth a all gael ei ystyried yn anarferol gan ei fod yn aml yn cael ei osod mewn amgylchedd awyr agored a’i labelu’n aml fel gweithred o fandaliaeth. Mae’n ddiddorol ystyried bod y paentiadau hyn yn ffurf ar ddogfennaeth o’r graffiti a chelf stryd o’n cwmpas a all yn fod yn anweladwy a heb ei gwerthfawrogi’n aml. Fodd bynnag, gall dod â graffiti a chelf stryd at yr oriel ddangos y dull gweithio unigryw hwn mewn golau mwy positif.
