Acclaimed artist’s Wales-inspired works to go on display

Nation.Cymru Staff

An exhibition of works by pioneering artist Helen Chadwick will bring art inspired by the Welsh coast back to the landscape that shaped it for the very first time.

Helen Chadwick: Body and Landscape will run from 11 July 2026 to 10 January 2027 at Oriel y Parc, National Park Discovery Centre, St Davids, bringing internationally recognised contemporary art to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.

The exhibition is organised as part of ARTIST ROOMS, which presents the work of international artists in solo exhibitions drawn from a national touring collection jointly owned by Tate and the National Galleries of Scotland.

Bryony White, Senior Curator at Amgueddfa Cymru, said: “Helen Chadwick was a true original. Through her radical and singular approach to art and ideas, she produced a body of work which retains its relevance and power, even today.

“We’re delighted to partner with Oriel y Parc to present this exhibition in Pembrokeshire where, for the first time, visitors will be able to experience and enjoy some of Chadwick’s Viral Landscapes in the landscape which inspired them.”

Described as one of the most radical and inventive artists of her generation, Chadwick worked across sculpture, photography and installation, using materials in unexpected ways to explore ideas of self, gender, the body and the natural world.

The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park inspired Chadwick’s Viral Landscapes series, created between 1988 and 1989, after being awarded an Artists in National Parks commission by the Victoria and Albert Museum.

She walked the Coast Path between Fishguard and Castlemartin, photographing the meeting point of land and sea, and experiencing the powerful effect on her senses and sense of self.

This will be the first time her Pembrokeshire works have been shown in the landscape that inspired them.

The exhibition will also include major works such as Piss Flowers, reflecting the breadth, force and originality of Chadwick’s practice.

Although she died suddenly in 1996 at the age of 42, her prolific body of work and her commitment to teaching made her a vital influence on the next generation of British artists and beyond.

James Parkin, Director of Nature and Tourism at Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, said: “Helen Chadwick’s work has a powerful connection with Pembrokeshire, and it is very special to be able to bring pieces from her Viral Landscapes series back to the landscape that helped shape them.

“This exhibition reflects the strength of Oriel y Parc as a nationally significant gallery space and the importance of our partnership with Amgueddfa Cymru, Tate, and National Galleries of Scotland. It gives visitors a rare opportunity to experience major contemporary art in one of the most remarkable protected landscapes in the UK.”

Helen Chadwick: Body and Landscape will be on display at Oriel y Parc from 11 July 2026 to 10 January 2027. Admission is free.