Vessel is a curated art trail in remote rural churches near the Black Mountains between Usk and Hay-on-Wye. Seven artworks by seven artists will be shown in seven churches, six of which are maintained by the Friends of Friendless Churches who keep them open all year round. The theme of ‘vessel’ references bodies, boats, secretions and receptacles; each of the artworks will be sited in a particular relationship to the church and its materials.

The exhibition is open now until late October, ensuring the optimum season for visitors to the churches. It creates a memorable and unique placement of art within a conjunction of landscape and architecture that is often overlooked and brings artists of international reputation to an area of outstanding natural beauty.

Artists and Venues:
Lou Baker (please note Lou Baker’s installation will not open until 21 August) at Dore Abbey, Abbey Dore open daily 9am – 5pm
Barbara Beyer at St Cadoc, Llangattock Vibon Avel open daily
Andrew Bick at St David, Llangeview*, open daily
Lucy Glendinning at St Jerome, Llangwm Uchaf open daily
Robert George at Castle Chapel, Urishay open daily
Jane Sheppard at St Michael and All Angels, Gwernesney open daily
Steinnun Thorarinsdottir at St Mary the Virgin, Llanfair Kilgeddin artwork in churchyard

A weekend event based in Abergavenny will include a guided tour to all of the churches. Visit our Events page to find out more.

Read our press release here; and press images available here.

An essay by Jacquiline Creswell about the exhibition is available to download here as well as meditations written by Julia Porter Pryce for Art and Christianity available to download here.

Download a printer-friendly map and leaflet here.

Top image: Jane Sheppard, Grace Vessel, 2023 at St Michel, Gwernesney.
All photos by Mud and Thunder.

Welsh translation:

Vessel: llwybr celf mewn eglwysi gwledig anghysbell

Wedi’i guradu gan Jacquiline Creswell ar gyfer Art and Christianity. 

Mae 'Vessel' yn llwybr celf wedi'i guradu mewn eglwysi gwledig anghysbell ger y Mynyddoedd Du rhwng Brynbuga a'r Gelli Gandryll. Bydd saith gwaith celf gan saith artist yn cael eu dangos mewn saith eglwys, chwech ohonynt yn cael eu cynnal gan Friends of Friendless Churches sy'n eu cadw ar agor trwy'r flwyddyn. Mae thema 'Vessel' yn cyfeirio at gyrff, cychod, secretiadau a derbynyddion; bydd pob un o'r gweithiau celf wedi'i leoli mewn perthynas benodol â'r eglwys a'i diwylliant materol.

Bydd 'Vessel' yn creu gosodiad cofiadwy ac unigryw o gelf o fewn cyd-destun o dirwedd a phensaernïaeth sy'n aml yn cael ei hanwybyddu ac yn dod ag artistiaid o fri rhyngwladol i ardal o harddwch naturiol eithriadol.

Yr artistiaid sy'n cymryd rhan yw: Lou Baker, Barbara Beyer, Andrew Bick, Robert George, Lucy Glendinning, Jane Sheppard, Steinunn Thórarinsdóttir.

Mae traethawd gan Jacquiline Creswell, curadur 'Vessel', ar gael ar ein gwefan yn artandchristianity.org/vessel.

Mae ‘Vessel’ yn cael ei gefnogi'n garedig gan Friends of Friendless Churches, y Gibbs Trust, a'r Morel Trust.

Vessel is curated by Jacquiline Creswell for A+C.
Since  2009-2022 Jacquiline has been central to the development of visual arts programmes at Salisbury and Chichester among other Cathedrals. Now she is a freelance Visual Art Advisor and is engaged as the Consultant Curator for the Association of English Cathedrals. She is also a Trustee and Project Curator of  A+C and Director and Curator for WAC. 

Over the past 16 years Jacquiline has delivered over 58 exhibitions, working with a diverse group of artists, galleries, foundations and estates. These include Antony Gormley, Lemn Sissay, Mark Wallinger, David Mach and Ana Maria Pacheco, galleries such as The Lisson, Osborne Samuel,  Hauser&Wirth and the estates of Henry Moore, Lynn Chadwick, Barbara Hepworth and others. She has developed lasting relationships with many of the leading figures in the contemporary art world whose dedication and support has been crucial to the success of the many projects delivered. www.visualartsadvisor.org

Our Community Coordinator for Vessel is Julia Porter Pryce.
Julia a freelance curator based in Hay-on-Wye with 25 years’ experience of working with art in sacred spaces. After 15 years in museum management, she worked as an Anglican priest in Hackney where she ran a programme of residencies and community arts projects. For 10 years she co-ordinated creative arts engagement in the Diocese of London. She has been a member of the St Paul’s Cathedral Visual Arts Committee and an Advisor to Art and Christianity. Julia has been based in the Black Mountains for three years.

Julia is passionate about connecting artists with places of worship as a means of interpreting faith traditions and at the same time making art accessible to new audiences.

Vessel is kindly supported by the Friends of Friendless Churches, the Gibbs Trust and the Morel Trust.

* NB St David’s Llangeview is situated very close to and just east of the A449. Some satnavs may direct you onto the A449 southbound but this is incorrect. Access is from the B4235 and the turn off at Maerdy.

Accessibility information

At Urishay, the floor is unevenly paved stone. There are several steps entering into the church. The path up to the chapel is unevenly paved and on a slope.

St Mary the Virgin's, Llanfair Kilgeddin – the artwork for this is in the churchyard, with an uneven grass covered ground, not the church itself.

St Jerome's, Llangwm Uchaf – there are some steps inside St Jerome’s. The path to the church is paved but on a slight slope.

St David's, Llangeview – the paving slabs inside the church are stone and slightly uneven. There are also some small steps inside the church and some of the entrances to the box pews are narrow. The church is down a single track country lane and the path to the church entrance is grassy and uneven.

St Michael and All Angels', Gwernesney – there are some steps inside the church and the paving slabs are uneven. The path to the church across the graveyard is paved.

St Cadoc's, Llangattock-Vibon-Avel – part of the path to the church are paved, but some parts are uneven dirt/grass path. Inside the church are some steps. The path to the lychgate at Llangattock-Vibon-Avel is quite steeply sloped.

At Dore Abbey, the path is steep in places but there is a route around the back of the Abbey which is better.

Disabled Facilities

Only at Dore Abbey.