Simon Hughes Lilly - Llym Awel (workings)

'Llym Awel' is the name given to the collection of the earliest of Welsh poetry. It comprises about thirty verses of three lines each, all variations of the same subject matter. The style is known as 'gnomic', that is, pithy, abbreviated, ambiguous. The verses largely conjure up winter landscapes in Early Medieval Wales, with and without human presence. Phrases and ideas are repeated, modified, played around with in subtle plays on sound and meaning.

The first thing I did was to re-translate the originals (as best I could using annotations and notes). Translators are not necessarily poets, and nuance is most important. For example, the 'llym awel' of the first phrase is generally translated as ' cold wind', which is a familiar idiomatic image. However, at least in modern Welsh, 'awel' means 'breeze'. To my poetic senses 'cold breeze' is much more potent than 'cold wind'. We expect a wind to be cooling whilst a breeze is more delightful and pleasing. That the slightest movement of air can cause a deep chill is more frightening, and more evocative of unremitting cold and lack of shelter, which is what the remainder of the verse goes on to describe.

This project, (still ongoing), has two aspects. I am developing and improvising the ideas within each verse as extended poetic explorations. To accompany these words, and the original texts (which are sonically magnificent), I began a set of digital drawings, shown herewith, I used my favourite iPad drawing app 'Zen Brush', and this naturally constrains me to work over existing images once I have saved them elsewhere. Nicely, this echoes the repetitive, developmental thematic imagery within Llym Awel itself.

These drawings are evocative, rather than descriptive accompaniments to the words. I have worked both texts and images into relief prints, though I am also going to experiment with more cursive, graphic presentations as well.