In July 2023, Altered Images held the ‘Our Heritage’ photography course in partnership with the SONIG and Youth Arts Programme. Based in Pontypridd Library, the three-day course invited young photographers to produce original, contemporary images of Pontypridd. Under the guidance of professional photographer Kristel Trow, the brief was to explore the area and to take photographs which would capture the essence of Pontypridd. During the course, the young people developed their technical and practical photography skills and used the Library’s archives to research the history of the town.
Situated at the meeting point of the Rhondda and Taff rivers, Pontypridd started out as a rural village that was used as a rest stop for people travelling between iron towns like Merthyr Tydfil and Cardiff Docks. However, the Industrial Revolution would change the face of Pontypridd forever. Its close ties to the coal and iron industries would help to shift Pontypridd from a rural locale to a bustling settlement – both an industrial and market town. People from across the surrounding industrialised valleys flocked to the town to visit its market stalls and hundreds of shops.
This exhibition includes a selection of the photographs taken by the young people which document Pontypridd as it is today. Their photographs focus on Pontypridd’s landscapes, shops and indoor market, and sit alongside comparative images which they have personally chosen from the Library Service’s Digital Archive. What you see is the story and evolution of Pontypridd – its history, legacy, and heritage in print. “A picture is worth a thousand words,” to quote Norwegian playwright Henrick Ibsen. This is the story of Pontypridd – its streets, landscapes, and people. If a picture is indeed worth a thousand words, Pontypridd has a lot to say.
Juliana Roach, Project Volunteer
PHOTOGRAPHERS:
Ben Corbett
Jago Edwards
Niamh Evans
Ahmed Haroon
Keeley Homer
Abi Jones
Kelsey Lewis
Erin Sims
Emily Wakeham
Ashley West
Preston West
Cameron Whale