David W. J. Lloyd
Born in Cardiff in the early 1970s, I spent my formative years surrounded by arcade machines, comics, TV and cinema; passions that mix happily with my love of tales of folklore, mythology and strange customs. I’m inspired by figurative art, magical surrealism, theatrical lighting, mysterious narratives, and old wives’ tales. I incorporate pieces from my collection of antique and vintage vernacular photographs into the work, using traditional and digital techniques in its construction.
I infuse my work with a dark, dry humour, strange situations, and an eerie atmosphere and often set in the magical otherworld of Annwn, the fabled land of the Mabinogion. Here, anything can and will happen. Lately, I’ve been reclaiming familiar religious iconography and repurposing it in my work, to celebrate the ancient traditions and imagery of the old religions the new once subsumed. My art leans towards the gothic and the dark, but it is ultimately a celebration of the fantastical and interwoven memories of us all.
My art has been a part of Y Lle Celf (2019), The Royal Cambrian Academy’s Winter Open (2022), The Wales Contemporary (2022) and shown at locations such as Aberystwyth Arts Centre the gallery@Oxo on the south bank in London.