The Valleys
Anthony Stokes
24th March – 12th May 2007

Anthony Stokes has taken as his inspiration the 'industrial' valleys of South Wales, from Neath in the west to east of Ebbw Vale - via The Heads of the Valleys road - back to the modern artificial southern boundary created by M4. The work exhibited was selected from more than a thousand images, taken over several years by the artist.

Of his subject matter Anthony Stokes writes: - 'Only notions of conventional good taste, or coastal prejudice, are capable of obscuring the wonder of The Valleys. Could you trust a painting or a verbal description to tell the truth?'

The Valleys have often been depicted in shades of grey; Anthony Stokes's pictures reveal a unique and richly coloured vernacular where the history of The Valleys' townscapes is overlaid with decades of modifications.

‘The Valleys’ is a photographic touring exhibition initiated by the Cynon Valley Museum & Gallery, with support from The Arts Council of Wales.