As the snow melts and the warm returns to the sun, why not take a trip to Carmarthen in March to see an exhibition of images that are moving in more ways than one.
In the summer of 2008 Oriel Myrddin Gallery issued a call for films submissions from artists and filmmakers connected to Wales, responding to the theme of ‘My Place’. We invited an expert panel to help select the best films from those submitted; Peter Finnermore, Karen MacKinnnon, and Anthony Shapland.

Cardiff based artist Rabab Ghazoul is just one of the artists who has been chosen to show her work amongst a shortlist of 8 artists. Her work features along side works by Maia Conran, Linda John, David Marchant, Jenni Steele, Hannah Marie Thomas, Miranda Whall and Jacob Whittaker.

Rabab’s video work, Breeze for love’s sake, take me home takes its title from the lyrics of a song Nassam Alayna El Hawa (The breeze gently blew on us) sung by legendary Lebanese artist, Fiaruz and shows her dancing in the mirror in her bedroom in Wales in a ‘dishdasha’ traditional garment. Growing up in Mosul in Iraq until she was ten years old the piece reflects a sense of ‘hireath’ for her homeland, but at the same time an understanding that Iraq no longer exists in the sense it does from her memories and experiences and may, indeed, no longer recognise her. She says:

“…Whilst none of this past seems to remain in the present, the memories and the images of these experiences and places do. So if there is a ‘my place’, it feels as if it is all of these places, all of these images, all of these dances, all of these movements of the hand. And none of these too. It’s everything that’s melted away. And it’s all that’s left”.

The eight selected films, offer an original and intriguing interpretation on the subject of ‘my place’. Each film offers a unique angle, and there is huge variety and depth in the selection: some offer a strong sense of personal insight and reflection; some a sense of journey; some reflect on a locality; some question identity, some define a relationship or disseminate on a role. The films are many things; expressively sentimental; sensitive; beautiful; poignant and funny – ‘my place’ in its variety of life affirming, troubling and touching forms.

The films will be shown in the main gallery from the 1st to 28th March 2009