International bonds built from Welsh Foundation

18 October 2023

Hannah Davies, a recent Alumnus of the Art and Design Foundation course at University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s (UWTSD) Swansea College of Art has had her photography work selected as part of a worldwide exhibition in India.

Two women look at cyanotypes (blue photographic prints) displayed on a white wall.

Representing UWTSD’s Foundation course, Hannah’s work is featured as part of the World Cyanotype Day exhibition which showcases in Chennai, India and is run by the Chennai Photo Biennale (CPB). Her work sits alongside that of artists from all around the world.

After completing her Foundation, Hannah opted to continue her studies at UWTSD and is now a first-year student of Documentary Photography at Swansea College of Art.

Katherine Clewett, Programme Manager for Art and Design Foundation at UWTSD said: “Last year’s Foundation students exhibited work as part of the International Photo Biennale in India, which included the Communities of Choice project.

“Communities of Choice is an India-Wales collaborative project between Chennai Photo Biennale Foundation and Ffotogallery in Wales, for which UWTSD sets the tasks for artists to respond to.

“Students from our Foundation course, including Hannah, and from a university in India, responded to the brief we set at Swansea College of Art, and what followed was a lovely cultural-creative exchange.”

A cyanotype showing a woman sitting in an area of lush vegetation; everything is in shades of blue tending towards white in the foreground.

Sagithya B, curator of the World Cyanotype Day, said: “Thanks [Hannah] for participating in the World Cyanotype Day Showcase and sending your beautiful prints. We are delighted to say that the prints have been installed alongside works from talented artists worldwide. The installation and the show have received an overwhelmingly positive response from visitors.”

Caroline Thraves Academic Director of Art and Media at UWTSD said: “We are thrilled that Hannah has been selected for this international exhibition. Our Cert HE Foundation Art and Design programme provides students with such wonderful learning experiences and the opportunity to make international connections such as these.

“Hannah has taken this knowledge and experience with her onto her degree programme within our Photography department at Swansea College of Art, which is ranked 1st in Wales by the Guardian University Guide 2024.”