The carnival, a social celebration that had been part of our culture for over sixty years in the Gwendraeth Valley, was once the highlight of the summer, bringing together every corner of every community, year after year. And although it had become part of its way of life in the village of Tumble, by the nineteen-nineties the carnival had started to decline, and in the summer of 1998 the village was to see its last parade. Until 2017, where after a hiatus of almost twenty years, it once again welcomed the carnival back to its streets.  

Having documented Tumble for over a decade, it had been my intention for a number of years to collect an archive of images that recorded its festivals, fairs and jamborees, but when I heard there was going to be another carnival in Tumble, I recognised an opportunity to celebrate our community in a way it had never before been seen. On the verge of Britain’s exit from the European Union, in a time where neoliberalism pervades our lives and our communities, I invited some of the valley’s most recognised photographers to join me in creating a modern document that captures our community's character and its solidarity. And as a result, Carnival is a record which truly captures the spirit of a small Welsh community and what can be achieved when its people come together. 

Huw Alden Davies

__________

​

Designed by award winning artist/curator Abby Poulson, Carnifal begins through the words of Dr. Paul Cabuts, renowned for his contribution to the Valleys Project, who sets the tone as we embark on a journey through a visual history of the Tumble carnival. Featuring the work of ten photographers, including that of Peter Finnemore, renowned award winning Welsh artist, who represented Wales at Venice Biennale (2005); Mohamed Hassan, selected and exhibited as part of the Taylor Wessing Award, and Many Voices One Nation 2; and Dan Staveley, Photographic Artist and Co-founder of Elysium Gallery, and iPigeon; containing images from personal archives,  Carnifal is a document which celebrates community and collaboration in a time of division and political polarisation. Challenging our notions of identity, culture, and social condition, this is a reminder of what we can achieve together. It is also a reminder of what photography can be, and how it can be used as a creative medium, and more importantly, a voice.

Carnifal will be available to pre-order this March

through iPigeon

​

​

​

​