Chronicle - Celebrating 40 years of Ffotogallery

The early 1970s saw a resurgence of interest in photography across the United Kingdom, and the establishment of a small number of independent galleries dedicated to photography including The Photographers Gallery and Camerawork in London, Stills in Edinburgh, Impressions in York, Open Eye in Liverpool and Side Gallery in Newcastle.

On 4 September 1978, the first gallery in Wales dedicated to photography opened in Charles Street, Cardiff, under the name Yr Oriel Ffotograffeg, Caerdydd (The Photographic Gallery, Cardiff).  Largely run by volunteers, from that September onwards a diverse and ambitious exhibition programme was initiated with a combination of originated and hired-in exhibitions. As well as showing the work of internationally respected photographers such as Diane Arbus, Bill Brandt, William Klein and Raymond Moore, the gallery mounted exhibitions by emergent young photographers such as Martin Parr, Tish Murtha and Brian Griffin.

The premises at 41 Charles Street were refurbished and as part of this makeover the name and image of the gallery was changed. The prefix ‘Ffoto’ was adopted to embrace the gallery’s core work and associated activities. Yr Oriel Ffotograffeg, Caerdydd became The Ffotogallery, Wales

I later became Director of Ffotogallery (2009 – 2022) and had the pleasure in 2018 of writing and editing the organisation’s 40 years’ commemorative publication, called Chronicle.

Chronicle drew on archival and contemporary material to tell the story of how Ffotogallery developed over those forty years, against the backdrop of seismic changes in the nature and role of photography in society and the rise of digital culture. From the beginning, Ffotogallery had given early exposure for photographers and artists such as Martin Parr, Paul Graham, Catherine Yass, Helen Sear and Bedwyr Williams who went on to enjoy international success. The organisation remained committed to nurturing emerging talent and providing mid-career opportunities for photographers and lens-based artists. Chronicle highlighted Ffotogallery’s longstanding focus on the South Wales Valleys and a series of commissions and exhibitions that documented the Valleys in various aspects during a period of rapid transition. Chronicle also celebrated Ffotogallery’s international engagement, realised through publications and exhibitions of work from five continents, and initiatives such as European Prospects, Wales in Venice 2015, the Dreamtigers India-Wales project, and five editions of the biennial Diffusion: Cardiff International Festival of Photography.

Chronicle showed how over four decades Ffotogallery had played a pivotal role in developing a vibrant and contemporary photographic culture in Wales and internationally through exhibitions and festivals, extensive print and online publishing activities, and pioneering education and outreach work that offered opportunities for creative engagement for a wide cross-section of society.