Public Preview:
Tuesday 6th October
6 - 8pm
Land carries memory. It holds the stories of the people who’ve lived, worked, gathered, and grieved upon it. In the UK, these landscapes, whether rolling green fields or disused industrial sites, have long shaped our sense of identity and belonging. Yet today, these spaces are increasingly caught in the crosshairs of change, as competing demands for housing, infrastructure, and economic growth threaten to redraw the map of our towns, cities, and countryside.
An Incremental Demise examines the choices we face about land use today through personal stories, scientific evidence, community protest and a hopeful warning for the future.
First, we look at the quiet erosion of precious green spaces, exploring what’s lost when these places disappear and why they matter. It reveals how access to nature remains a social and environmental justice issue, with consequences for public health, biodiversity, and community wellbeing.
We then shift focus to the growing importance of brownfield regeneration. It tells the story of how disused industrial land, once seen as a contaminated liability, is being reimagined as vital spaces for homes, public parks, and ecological renewal. Here, pioneering work of the National Brownfield Institute, who are proving that sustainable, people-centred development is not only possible, but essential.
What connects these narratives is a central belief: land is never just space. It’s a living, layered archive of memory, meaning, and potential. Looking beyond planning applications and property values, what is the deeper, human cost of losing the places that shape our lives? What kind of future we want to build, one that quietly erases these landscapes?, or one that protects, reclaims, and reimagines them for the generations to come.
About the Artist
-
Mark Griffiths is an accomplished freelance photographer based in Cardiff, U.K. He earned a degree in photojournalism from the University of Wales/Trinity St David in 2013 and completed an MA in documentary photography at USW in 2022.
With a diverse portfolio, his work has garnered international recognition, featuring prominently in prestigious exhibitions such as London's Mall Galleries and the DNG Gallery in Los Angeles. Notable accolades include winning selections at the Antiparos Photo Festival for his acclaimed series 'A Swim into the Wild' and a professional photo essay award at the Moscow International Photography Awards, where he documented children affected by the Chernobyl disaster.
Mark is a sought-after talent for commissions from esteemed outlets such as Channel 4, The Telegraph Magazine, The Smith Journal, The Guardian, The Financial Times, VICE, and the BBC. He has also lent his creative vision to commercial campaigns for the National Lottery and Disney. Mark's personal projects explore a diverse array of subjects, encompassing social, environmental, historical, and political narratives.
https://www.markgriffithsphotography.com/
The Welfare
Brecon Road
Ystradgynlais
Swansea
SA9 1JJ
Opening Hours:
Monday - Friday
10am - 2pm
Open until 29th October 2026