Reg Arthur (AKA Hunk Williams) is a Queer, Welsh absurdist, artist, and clown whose work explores themes of pop culture and chaos. With a focus on accessibility and connection, his style has been carefully crafted to fit the particular workings of his god-given pair of hands – painful and shaky on a good day. Owing to his complex experience of growing up Queer and neurodivergent in the Welsh valleys, his work harks back to kitschy icons of the past and uses satire as it invites the observer to consider “But, why, like?” His work frequently incorporates a range of tactile or interactive elements, with a focus on colour and shape, to pay homage to things that enthral him (for better or worse).
His most recent project, created with Creative Cardiff in partnership with the Arts Council of Wales, is a series of full scale mock-union banners and accompanying short film entitled ‘Lord Build Me A Cabin’. ‘Lord Build Me A Cabin’ is a phsychogeographical absurdist love letter to Wales that explores identity, culture and connection during the current pandemic. This short film employs elements of performance, textile, and traditional hand-painted 16mm film to evoke a sense of familiarity and belonging. ‘Lord Build Me A Cabin’ explores the ephemeral links between contemporary Welsh Queers, and their geographical, cultural, and familial roots. Examining themes of solidarity; the film utilises sound clips from informal conversations with the artists’ grandfather to further hark back to the past, and reinforce the importance of unity, communication, and bricolage.
Absẃrdydd, artist, a chlown Queer o Gymru yw Reg Arthur (neu Hunk Williams) ac mae ei waith yn archwilio themâu diwylliant pop ac anhrefn. Mae ei arddull, sy’n canolbwyntio ar hygyrchedd a chysylltiad, wedi’i chrefftio’n ofalus i gyd-fynd â gallu penodol y dwylo a roddwyd iddo gan dduw – poenus a sigledig ar ddiwrnod da. Ar sail ei brofiad cymhleth o’i blentyndod Queer ac niwroamrywiol yn y cymoedd, mae ei waith yn dychwelyd at eiconau sothachlyd o’r gorffennol ac yn defnyddio dychan wrth iddo wahodd yr arsyllwr i ystyried “Ond, pam, fel?”. Mae ei waith yn aml yn ymgorffori ystod o elfennau cyffyrddol neu ryngweithiol, ac yn canolbwyntio ar liw a siâp, er mwyn talu teyrnged i bethau sy’n ei swyno (er gwell neu er gwaeth).
Cyfres o faneri maint llawn ar gyfer undeb ffug yw ei brosiect diweddaraf, a grëwyd gyda Chaerdydd Creadigol mewn partneriaeth â Chyngor y Celfyddydau, ac mae’n cyd-fynd â ffilm fer o’r enw ‘Lord Build Me A Cabin’. Llythyr serch absẃrd seicoddaearyddol i Gymru yw ‘Lord Build Me A Cabin’ sy’n archwilio hunaniaeth, diwylliant a chysylltiad yn ystod y pandemig. Mae’r ffilm fer yma’n defnyddio elfennau o berfformio, tecstilau a ffilm 16mm draddodiadol sydd wedi’i phaentio â llaw i ysgogi ymdeimlad o gynefindra a pherthyn. Mae ‘Lord Build Me A Cabin’ yn archwilio’r cysylltiadau darfodedig rhwng Cymry Queer cyfoes, a’u gwreiddiau daearyddol, diwylliannol a theuluol. Mae’r ffilm, sy’n canolbwyntio ar themâu o gydsefyll, yn defnyddio clipiau sain o sgyrsiau anffurfiol gyda thad-cu’r arlunydd i edrych yn ôl ymhellach i’r gorffennol, ac i atgyfnerthu pwysigrwydd undod, cyfathrebu a chreu pethau eich hunain.
