28 September 2024 – 12 January 2025

The Wooden Boulder is one of David Nash’s most celebrated series of works. It began in 1978 when he was asked to remove a 
damaged oak near his home in Blaenau Ffestiniog. From the felled tree he carved a spherical shape and decided to take it to his studio using the nearby stream. There began an ongoing relationship, plotting and drawing its journey and disappearances in the river Dwyryd for over 40 years. The exhibition includes works on paper and a film of the boulder and its journey which has brought many surprises over the years, the first being that the tannin in the oak reacted with the iron in the water, making it black in contrast with the foaming water. Over the years, it has been moved by the force of the water, sometimes stranded for a while and at other times disappearing for years.

David Nash is one of Wales’s most respected artists. He was elected a Royal Academician over 20 years ago and has received an OBE for services to the arts. He has exhibited internationally, including major solo exhibitions at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Kew Gardens and National Museum Wales. His work is held in over 80 public collections all over the world. Coinciding with this exhibition at Ruthin, he will be showing work at Galerie Lelong in Paris and Annely Juda in London.

Curated by Ann Jones

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28 Medi 2024 – 12 Ionawr 2025

Y Clogfaen Pren yw un o weithiau enwocaf David Nash. Y flwyddyn 1978 oedd man cychwyn y gwaith pan ofynnwyd iddo symud derwen oedd wedi’i ddifrodi ger ei gartref ym Mlaenau Ffestiniog. Cerfiodd siâp sfferig o’r golfen oedd wedi ei dymchwel a phenderfynu ei symud i’w stiwdio gan ddefnyddio nant gyfagos i’w thywys. Yno cychwynnodd berthynas barhaus dros ddeugain mlynedd a mwy yn dilyn a darlunio ei siwrnai a’i ddiflaniadau yn yr afon Dwyryd. Mae’r arddangosfa’n cynnwys lluniau â film o’r clogfaen a’i siwrnai sydd wedi dwyn troeon annisgwyl a niferus dros y blynyddoedd. Y cyntaf oedd y modd adweithiodd y tanin yn y dderwen gyda’r haearn yn y dŵr, gan ei droi’n ddu mewn cyferbyniad â’r dyfroedd ewynnog. Dros y blynyddoedd mae wedi cael ei symud gan rym y dŵr, weithiau’n sefyll yn yr unfan am gyfnod, ac yna, ar adegau eraill, yn diflannu am flynyddoedd.

Un o artistiaid uchaf eu parch yng Nghymru yw David Nash. Etholwyd ef i’r Academi Frenhinol dros ugain mlynedd yn ôl a derbyniodd OBE am ei wasanaeth i’r celfyddydau. Mae wedi arddangos yn rhyngwladol gan gynnwys arddangosfeydd unigol pwysig ym Mharc Cerflunwaith Swydd Efrog, Gerddi Kew ac Amgueddfa Cymru. Ceir ei waith mewn dros 80 casgliad cyhoeddus ledled y byd. Mae’r arddangosfa hon yn Rhuthun yn cyd-daro ag arddangosfeydd yn Galerie Lelong ym Mharis ac oriel Annely Juda yn Llundain.

Curadwyd gan Ann Jones

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