Folk Lands.
The StoryMy project ‘Folk Lands’ focuses on capturing the ever-evolving relationship between landscape and folklore, particularly in the UK and Ireland. I research and am inspired by ancient tales of the people; from the Druids in Wales to the Faeries in Ireland. I take direct inspiration from particular folk tales, like the story of Gelert the dog in the Welsh town of Beddgelert, and incorporate poetry or writings to my photo books.
I have explored sites of incredible beauty and otherworldly atmosphere to create my images; frames that invite the viewer to be involved in the story, to understand its power and significance, and to feel the magic and mystery that comes with it.
County Meath, Ireland
In this part of the project I looked at how we inherit folklore. The research i had done allowed me to realise that there exists a symbiotic relationship between a person and their home landscape, which reveals itself in stories and folk. This couldn’t be more true within my own project and i find connecting with folklore in the areas of my homeland connect me more to my heritage too!
“Folklore is an aspect of culture that is often forgotten, yet it permeates every community and individual.” - ‘Lore of the Land’
Beddgelert, Wales
Llên Gwerin
[The Lore of the People]
This small section of ‘Folk Lands’ is a photographic retelling of a folktale based in the Welsh town of Beddgelert. The poetry involved is a famous telling of the story, which follows a farmer called Llewellyn and his dog, Gelert.
After coming home to find Gelert with bloody fangs and his small child nowhere to be seen, he kills the dog in a fury. Not only to then discover the small boy hiding away, and a large wolf close by… murdered by the faithful dog Gelert in order to save the young child. Lewellyn is overcome by grief and buries the dog in the foothills of Snowdon.
Somerset, England
In this portion of the project i really dive deep into the relationship between landscape and folklore, and how incredibly important it is to protect these places of history.
In my research i have found during the first origins of folklore, it gave an explanation to natural curiosities in the landscape, or ancients sites where the history was unknown. It was significant to the community, impacted the environment of the tales and were passed down for generations to teach lessons of truth and life.