In recent years, photography in Wales has experienced something of a renaissance. Not just in terms of the number of talented photographic artists active and regularly exhibiting their work, at home and abroad, but also due to fruitful and inventive cross-pollination of ideas and approaches. Gone are the traditional divides between documentary and fine art, fashion and photojournalism. Today, the photographic medium is more often than not combined with text and the spoken word, moving image, music and even an element of performance. The artwork typically presented in both print and electronic form, existing simultaneously in the gallery, on the page and across various web and social media platforms.

The most exciting contemporary photographic work emerging in Wales eschews the tendency towards nostalgia and whimsy that has dominated British photography over the last thirty years. It chooses not to look back at the idiosyncrasies of class and culture through a rose-tinted lens, but to address the most pressing issues of the day, around representation, social and economic disparities, health and wellbeing, environmental responsibility, diversity and inclusion. Above all, it is work that critically examines the relationship between identity and nationhood, revealing not only what divides us, but also the ties that bind us together as a nation.

The backgrounds and practices of the twenty Wales-based photographic artists featured in this book are as multivarious as their subjects, which range from albinism to digital nativism, meteorology to toxicology, empathy towards migrants and refugees, respect for elders and the aspirations of people in Wales as we look towards a post-Brexit, post-pandemic future. What all twenty artists have in common, however, is a desire to uncover new insights, to document the social and cultural processes at work and to share their individual perspectives with a wider audience, physical and virtual, stimulating debate and dialogue about the issues facing Wales.

Many Voices, One Nation started with a 2019 collaboration between Ffotogallery and the Senedd which marked 20 years of devolution in Wales. Six of the artist photographers included here were commissioned from an open call to make new work for a touring exhibition which sought to capture the richness and diversity of Wales’ geography, culture and society, and encourage public participation and audience engagement.  It was important that the voices and stories represented in the first exhibition came from across Wales, reflecting both urban and rural experience, intergenerational perspectives and ultimately an optimistic view of the nation’s prospects.

As the momentous events of 2020 played out, Many Voices, One Nation gained a new significance as dealing with the challenges of the global pandemic conflated with the anger and frustration of those campaigning for social justice, human rights and equalities around the world. It was clear to us that we need to listen and give voice to those who feel marginalised and excluded. We needed to do more to build trust amongst those who may feel the door is closed on them in terms of opportunity. Many Voices, One Nation seemed to offer the right platform for this.

During Lockdown in 2020, Ffotogallery invited photography professionals from around Wales to nominate photographers, students and artists whose work offers insights into contemporary life and represents the breadth of Welsh talent that deserves wider exposure. Twelve artists were selected for inclusion in the second Many Voices, One Nation exhibition and their work is also included here, alongside two other ground-breaking projects by Wales-based photographers.

Photography and lens-based media are popular and accessible artforms, providing a compelling vehicle by which we understand and represent our own experience and that of society evolving around us. The ubiquity of photographic images, the sheer volume of them and the speed at which they are digitally transmitted and shared around the globe, can at times be overwhelming.

The many images we encounter on a daily basis emerge at a given time and are experienced in a particular socio-cultural context. However, some images possess an iconic quality, an extraordinary presence and qualities which transcend the specifics of time and place.

With the boundless potential of images to reveal the nuances and textures of contemporary life, and the new creative possibilities afforded by digital technologies, photography has become the world’s most democratic and visible medium.  Everyone is a photographer now, but that does not mean that everyone is a good photographer – that takes creative flair, practice and dedication. The twenty photographic artists featured here have those qualities in abundance.

Through their work they enable us to see the world differently, to change the way we think and feel, and to better understand what our lives mean to us.

David Drake

June 2021