New photography exhibition by Clémentine Schneidermann and Charlotte James celebrates a decade of creativity in the south Wales valleys.
Arddangosfa ffotograffiaeth newydd gan Clémentine Schneidermann a Charlotte James yn dathlu degawd o greadigrwydd yng nghymoedd de Cymru.
Ffasiwn presents photographs by French photographer Clémentine Schneidermann and Merthyr-born creative director Charlotte James. The exhibition celebrates ten years of It’s Called Ffasiwn, a project forged from a shared love of photography, fashion and creativity that is rooted in community.
Working under the studio name Bleak Fabulous, Schneidermann and James create work that is socially-engaged and participatory. This exhibition presents more than just a photography project; it’s a long-term creative collaboration with young people from Blaenau Gwent and Merthyr Tydfil. Since 2015 they have been working with the same collaborators to co-create photographs that sit at the edges of documentary photography, portraiture, fashion and performance. The resulting pictures seek to reimagine perceptions of the region through photography, by focussing on the imagination and creativity of its future generations.
Clémentine Schneidermann, photographer said:
"It is very special for us to have our project celebrated at the National Museum Cardiff, which started a grassroot project and developed as an epic collaboration. As the project reaches this milestone anniversary, we are thrilled to exhibit it in Wales for the first time in its entirety, featuring nearly sixty prints, films, and publications."
The exhibition traces the evolution of It’s Called Ffasiwn over the last decade, from early works photographed as part of Schneidermann’s initial artist residency in Abertillery, to more recent collaborations. It features two films made with the young people, one of which includes behind-the-scenes footage from the project. The films are presented in a reimagined working women’s club that has been created by Schneidermann and James and offers a surreal glimpse into some of the vernacular landscapes that have inspired the pictures.
Before each photoshoot Schneidermann and James hosted creative workshops, giving the young collaborators opportunities to customise their clothing and learn skills such as sewing, photography, styling and set design.
Working with the communities in the valleys was especially important for Charlotte James whose upbringing in Merthyr Tydfil informs her work. Many of her projects involve family, friends and local people as she explores different ways of collaborating through fashion, film and creative workshops.
This is not the first time Bleak Fabulous’ work has been featured at the Museum, with the photographs featuring in exhibitions including, The Valleys (2024); The Rules of Art? (2021) and Women in Focus (2019).
Following the success of the The Valleys exhibition in 2024, Ffasiwn continues Amgueddfa Cymru’s commitment to highlight community-focused stories and contemporary Welsh photography.
Curator Bronwen Colquhoun said:
“We are thrilled to be presenting Ffasiwn in the photography gallery at National Museum Cardiff. Photographs from the project have featured in exhibitions we have staged in the past but this presents an opportunity to trace the evolution of the work over ten years, to show never-before-seen photographs, and to celebrate all that Clémentine, Charlotte and the young people have achieved through this collaboration.”
Amgueddfa Cymru’s exhibitions and public engagements programme is made possible thanks to players of Postcode Lottery.
Ffasiwn opens on 23 May and runs until April 2027. For more information and to book tickets, visit www.museum.wales.
ENDS
Notes to editors
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Note on the project name
It’s Called Ffasiwn comes from a conversation between some of the participants and some passers-by during one of the photoshoots:
“Ha! You lot look like you’re off to a funeral!”
“It’s called fashion! Look it up.”
About Bleak Fabulous – Bleak Fabulous is a photography-based creative studio, set up by Schneidermann and James with the intention to work across different disciplines with an emphasis on communities and collaboration. Their work combines youth engagement, photography, fashion and community collaboration, often created in partnership with young people.
About the Project – It’s Called Ffasiwn has grown through years of workshops and collaborations with young people across Blaenau Gwent. Their activities have included sewing, styling, clothing customisation and photography, with the outputs contributing directly to the images featured in the exhibition.
About the Exhibition – Ffasiwn opens at National Museum Cardiff on 23 May 2026 and runs until 4 April 2027. The exhibition will operate on a Pay What You Can basis to welcome as many visitors as possible to the exhibition.