Llanrwst
WHAT DOES IT SAY?
Rhowch eich ffydd yn y trigolion!
Ffair gytuno
Ffair i ffeirio
Ffair ddadeni
Ffair gyflogi
Ffair bleser
Trust the locals!
Fair to agree
Fair to barter
Fair renaissance
Fair Employment
Blessing fair/fair pleasure
WHAT'S THAT ABOUT?
Learn more about the inspiration behind the piece
Playfully combining English and Welsh, a style which Rhys Trimble is infamous for, our central phrase ‘Trwst y Trigilion’ has a double meaning. Trwst itself is actually an old welsh word that's fallen into disuse, roughly meaning "to make noise” or to "bustle", so this piece would hold the meaning of "the noise/ hustle and bustle of the residents, referring to the coming together of the community at the markets/ local events/ working hard. Rhys also here combines the English “Trust” and “rwst”, the towns ending syllable, seen also in other naming devices associated with Llanrwst such as St Grwst and Bardd Crwst (more on him shortly!).
The poetry, inspired by gathered memories from locals, many of which centred around fond recollections of community events/ markets/ festivals and fairs within the town square and surrounding area encapsulates a central ethos - ‘Trust the Residents’ to maintain the spirit of the historic working town through community events, celebrations and independent trade during and after times of difficulty (such as Covid and Cost of Living crisis). The rhythmic nature, as well as the spirit of the piece is inspired by Bardd Crwst, regarded as one of the last great travelling balladeers, nicknamed after his hometown of Llanrwst, who sang of working class pride and was particularly popular with the farming community across Wales.
The design style reflects this celebration/ carnival-esque spirit. Once inside the augmented reality world, we can see a traditional Llanrwst market stall, turned into a carnival game, which showcasing a number of gathered memories, inspired by food and drink from residents’ pasts!