SURREAL SELF PORTRAITS | Lucy Jane Purrington

NATUR PONTY

Photographs from the NATURponty project that culminated in an exhibition at Calon Taf Centre in the glass house earlier this year.
It was a great privilege to photograph the Biodiversity Carnival masks and costumes co-produced by Catrin Doyle and young emerging artist Lucie Powell and modelled by members of the NATURponty Youth Forum and young people of Pontypridd.

The participatory art project involved and connected many fantastic local artists and young people from the NATURponty youth forum. It aimed to create conversations around biodiversity and climate change by asking the question, what if Pontypridd was a nature reserve?

Models: Lucy Powell, Kai Easter, Griffin, Alice & Ewan, Right Keys Only, Anniben

This is a colour landscape photograph of a model floating in the air with long lengths of fabric floating around them in shades of white and red. The scene is the top of rocky outcrop on a mountainside.

This is a photograph of a young person stood on large rocks on a mountain top. Their arms are outstretched to the sky and red long lengths of fabric float from their body. The model is wearing long flowing white fabric.

This is a landscape photograph of a model wearing a crocheted white mask and white dress. The model is bent down to the ground which is black coal spoil. The floor is littered with autumnal brown leaves.

This is a landscape photo of a model wearing a strange white crocheted mask and a long white dress. The model’s face is concealed and they are holding two large tree branches and is standing on a black coal tip.

This is a portrait photo of a model wearing a white crocheted mask and a white long dress. They are stood in a forest of autumn brown trees.

This is a close up portrait photo of a model wearing a mask made of twigs and leaves to resemble a birds nest. The model is stood confidently in a lush us green Forrest.

This is a portrait photo of a model wearing a mask made of twigs and leaves to resemble a birds nest. The model is stood confidently in a lush green forrest of tall pine trees and against such a large background, the model appears to be small in size.

This is a photo of a dancer wearing a colourful dress and orange tights posing with five large hula hoops. The dancer is wearing a green and orange mask made of wool that covers their face.

This is a photo of a dancer wearing a colourful dress and orange tights posing with a large hula hoop. The dancer is wearing a green and orange mask made of wool that covers their face. The photograph captures the dancer in a movent of movement as they perfrom with the hoop.

This is a close up photo of a silhouette of a person wearing a large mask in the shape of a beak. The model is posed like a bird about to take flight with their arms raised. A lush green scene at the behind creates a contrasted look against this silhouette.

This is a photo of a silhouette of a person wearing a large mask in the shape of a beak in a dark tunnel. Graffiti adore the tunnel walls and a lush green oval scene at the end of the tunnel creates a contrasted look against the silhouette.

This is a photograph of a person wrapped in a white sheet stood behind an old mossy stone wall. A set of hands reach up and hold a mask covered in green spouts and moss to conceal the models face. Behind is a forest with two large trunks seemingly growing from the models head as though they were animal-like horns.

This is a landscape photograph of a derelict large building with tall walls and crisscross metal pattern of roofing above. There are two individuals stood facing the camera. Both figures are wearing wearing masks that cover their face, the one resembles a rabbit or hare and the other an insect with long antennae.

This is a portrait photograph of a young model wearing a mask made of wire and willow twigs that are weaved to look like insect horns. The model is stood in an urban setting of red bricks and grey breeze blocks with layers of green ivy that are creeping over the bricked wall.

This is a photo of a young person in a green dress and black leather jacket kneeling among brambles against a red brick wall. The mode is wearing a mask made to look like rabbit or hare ears. The model is stood in an urban setting of red bricks with brambles protruding and growing in this derelict space.

This is a photograph of a young person stood in front of a quarry rock side holding a protest sign. In green writing it reads ‘Chwyldro dros natur’. Translated from Welsh to English, this means ‘A revolution for nature’.

This is a photograph of a young person seemingly floating in the air in front of a large rock face whilst holding a protest placed. The individual has their one hand on a rock and their body is contorted above in a breakdance movement. The placard reads ‘Imagine the world differently.’

You can find out more about the project in the video below.