Image Not Available
'Straeon' Playing Cards
Collection:CSM Museum & Study Collection
Date: May 2021
Designer: Lleucu Anwyl Williams
Dimensions:
120 × 70 mm (12 × 7 cm) - cards
Medium: Digital illustrations printed on laminated card
Object number: C.2021.64.CC
DescriptionPack of cards and ceramic card holder.
Description by the designer:
The ‘Straeon’ Playing Cards was a fragment of a constellation of work produced in the pursuit of celebrating Welsh folk stories, and the act of storytelling. The cards themselves could be used in a game reminiscent of the children’s game ‘snaps’, therefore could be used as a tool to introduce children to these forgotten stories and the characters within them.
The illustrations strived to celebrate Welsh identity, many of the characters depicted took inspiration from historical photographs taken within Snowdonia, found either on the walls of my local pub or the local town archives in the village library. The characters depicted, which range from the ‘The Old Lovers’ to the ‘Local Witch’, introduce the characters, but allow the participant playing the game the freedom to elaborate further on the character within their imagination and storytelling.
The playing cards are very tangible, with the dimensions of the cards similar to tarot cards this adds an element of magical practice. The illustration style reflected the scratch ceramic method found on the glazing of the ceramic elements of the work produced for the project.
I hope the cards could be utilised in the pursuit of celebrating and re-igniting interest in stories which are on the precipice of becoming extinct. These stories are no longer often shared between generation in todays modern world, the cards are a synergy between ancient storytelling and a everyday method of play.
Description by the designer:
The ‘Straeon’ Playing Cards was a fragment of a constellation of work produced in the pursuit of celebrating Welsh folk stories, and the act of storytelling. The cards themselves could be used in a game reminiscent of the children’s game ‘snaps’, therefore could be used as a tool to introduce children to these forgotten stories and the characters within them.
The illustrations strived to celebrate Welsh identity, many of the characters depicted took inspiration from historical photographs taken within Snowdonia, found either on the walls of my local pub or the local town archives in the village library. The characters depicted, which range from the ‘The Old Lovers’ to the ‘Local Witch’, introduce the characters, but allow the participant playing the game the freedom to elaborate further on the character within their imagination and storytelling.
The playing cards are very tangible, with the dimensions of the cards similar to tarot cards this adds an element of magical practice. The illustration style reflected the scratch ceramic method found on the glazing of the ceramic elements of the work produced for the project.
I hope the cards could be utilised in the pursuit of celebrating and re-igniting interest in stories which are on the precipice of becoming extinct. These stories are no longer often shared between generation in todays modern world, the cards are a synergy between ancient storytelling and a everyday method of play.