Press Releases

The life of Archie Rhys Griffiths (1902 - 1971) - a miner who became an artist - will be discussed in a free public lecture at Big Pit: National Coal Museum on Saturday 31 March 2007.

In the 1920s and 1930s the work of miner painters such as Archie Rhys Griffiths interested intellectuals, and at 2:30pm this Saturday, Welsh Art historian Peter Lord will explain why Griffiths' masterpieces in particular were so appealing.

The talk will feature Griffiths' career - the miner who was born in Aberdare and started his working life underground at the Mountain Colliery in Gorseinon. He went from the pit to Swansea School of Art and on to the Royal College of Art where he was promoted by liberal-minded establishment figures such as Sir William Rothenstein.  

"Archie Rhys Griffiths left the coal face during the Depression and became an artist," said Peter Lord. "His paintings document much more than the life of a miner during that era. Griffiths' works also portray a combination of the Marxist and Christian response to the period's working class trauma."

Once a prominent artist, sadly the end of Archie Rhys Griffiths' career was tragic rather than inspiring and only a few of his mining pictures have survived.

Big Pit, winner of the 2005 Gulbenkian Prize for UK Museum of the Year, hosted its inaugural Annual Lecture in 2004. This year's event is promised to be as popular as ever and for further details, please phone 01495 790311. Tickets are free but must be booked in advance by phoning 029 2057 3466. 

Thanks to the support of the Welsh Assembly Government, you can visit Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales sites including Big Pit: National Coal Museum for free.

Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales operates seven national museums across Wales. These are National Museum Cardiff, St Fagans: National History Museum, National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon, Big Pit: National Coal Museum, Blaenafon, National Wool Museum, Dre-fach Felindre, National Slate Museum, Llanberis and the National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales celebrates its centenary in 2007. For more details go to the 07 pages on our website.

- Ends -

For more information, please contact Catrin Mears, Communications Officer, Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales on 029 2057 3486 / 07920 027067 or e-mail: catrin.mears@museumwales.ac.uk.