Mythic Bestiary

'Mythic Bestiary' is based on the map shape of Wales..ie Wales as head of a pig (which the English text underneath by social theorist Raymond Williams talks about in an extract from his novel 'Border Country'). There is also a poem by Menna Elfyn (in Welsh) talking about the same thing, of a student of hers who had seen the profile of a pig’s head in the map of Wales. In the Mabinogi there is a tale about hunting the Twrch Trwyth (a gigantic boar) across Wales (an early Arthurian story) that links Wales to the beast. Also allusions to other Welsh beasts like the Mari Lwyd, the goat (mascot of the Welsch sic Guard) and the Queen's corgi's!.
The drawing is made on two different types of paper Khadi handmade paper from India and Amate paper from Mexico, made from tree bark, and unbleached, hence the patterns in the paper. The original drawing made in 2001 was only of the 'mari-gafr-corgi' mutant creature, made to attempt obstacle course 'jumps' and hoops. The 'Pig-headed' Wales was added to it in 2011 when the texts on Khadi paper were also added, and it became part of the Field-notes series exhibited at Oriel Myrddin and touring to Wexford Arts Centre and National Library of Wales as well as other venues until 2013. I had read the Raymond Williams novel and Menna had written the poem at about the same time, but Wales as pig's head is something I had been aware of for a long time.
I will leave the significance of this symbolism open to interpretation.