MOVEMENTS

animation

 

A film commission by Bodelwyddan Castle Trust for "1914 Christmas Truce and Beyond" Exhibition, funded by CyMAL

 

Having worked on a previous commission in the WW1 practice trenches at Bodelwyddan I already felt an emotional connection to the location. I think it's impossible not to spend time up there and not feel moved in some way, I certainly feel a conscious awareness of my own movement, thoughts and feelings.

 

A very peaceful spot, it was hard to comprehend at first the short training the men undertook before heading off out to the Front Line. Whilst working on this film I discovered another side to the War through exploring the archival resources in this exhibition. The diaries and letters and they gave me an insight into the everyday lives of the men and women. Life seemed overwhelming ‘normal’ despite the circumstances, they thanked one another for simple gifts of food and clothing, shared details of their day to day life, spoke about the countries they visited and the people they met, all with great pride.

 

The photographs became of great interest to me, I noticed how young so many of the men were, how proud they looked and how immaculately dressed, and clean shaved they were, I started to see this ‘normality’ in each and every face. Ordinary people living extraordinary lives with such humility and grace. 

 

 

‘Movements’ has been created entirely from pinhole photography stills and archive images.