Introduction - Desktop Murder by Molly Caenwyn (English and Welsh Versions)

Desktop Murder

Molly Caenwyn

During lockdown, I spent my days working through separation, through loss and through collective dread, with a jigsaw puzzle. This particular puzzle came with no image of what the final outcome was to achieve, but instead, a booklet. This set the scene of a murder mystery; the outline of a story and a line-up of suspects with small biographies, where you, the sleuth, find the murderer. The first task was to piece together the puzzle, finding colours and fragments that might look like they belong together. Once the missing image of the crime scene is revealed, it must be investigated and examined for clues. This visual analysis paired with theoretical research in the form of the accompanying booklet were the creative tools provided to help you figure out ‘whodunnit’. At a point of total distraction and absorption in the murder case, the realisation that a piece was missing brought reality crushing down. This missing piece reflected the loss of control that I felt during lockdown and everything else I was missing from my life. I missed my friends, my family, and, as a creative practitioner I missed the communities and networks I had made in the few years I had lived in Wales. Whilst I used the tactile pastime of a jigsaw to fill the absence of physical connections with others, many people replaced these interactions with social media and zoom parties. And slowly, as digital spaces began to improve, so did our online communities.

As artists, we saw the industry struggle and our peers flounder without creative spaces. But collectives were created, online exhibitions curated, and lectures, talks and conferences were organised that no longer required travel, hotels and time off work to attend. Artists sought to support their community through the Artist’s Support Pledge, a sales campaign to help their peers through monetary and algorithmic means. These new digital ways of working not only brought individuals together, but information started to become more accessible and with this, the sources of information became increasingly flexible and grew. Niche online communities began to emerge with the flourishing popularity of the moving image platform, Tiktok. Want to learn about cyanotypes? Here’s a video. Want to learn how to pose models? Here’s another. Want to learn about 80s and 90s cult movies and cinematography? Here is a whole series!

At first, it felt as though these content creators were sharing these pockets of knowledge out of a simple love of their interests and info dumping. This was half right. These content creators were in fact volunteer educators, intentional or not, circulating knowledge missing from the standard white, middle class, male, heteronormative school teachings. Those who had not previously been able to access these types of knowledge freely were now introduced to minority histories, cultures and complex theoretical knowledge - broken down into manageable 15, 30 or 60 second clips. This phenomenon not only highlighted missing information in compulsory education but the missing physical spaces of learning. This was evident when Arts Institutions followed these grass roots educators onto the platform, as a way of reaching new audiences as visitors were absent from gallery halls and museum grounds. What started as an app filled with dancing videos, has turned into a cavern of knowledge and stewardship.

Image by Kerry Woolman

The vastly growing digital spaces were exciting and provocative yet also caused deep anxiety, not least with having to fill them. This expansion of space was also paired with a sudden increase in ‘spare time’. Instead of using this time for much needed rest from doom scrolling news sources, we were encouraged to fill it with self-improvement and were berated if we squandered it. This led to a mass creation of work brought on by this toxic productivity rhetoric. Galleries commissioned artists to make work in response to the pandemic. Photographers shared work via Instagram, creating online archives of the historical event we were all living through. Archives themselves began collecting work centred around the pandemic. They began serious reflection on their own collecting practices and set about decolonising and queering their archives. The activists, teachers and historians on Tiktok challenged power structures and the gatekeepers of knowledge were forced to examine their own missing pieces. Many trends, phenomena and discourses that emerged from our time inside have continued to grow and flourish. Many of which are reflected in this year’s cohort.

The students in this publication have been in the unique position to experience the before, the during and the aftermath of Lockdown across the three years attending the BA Photography course. Beginning year one in the pre-pandemic, adjusting to university life and study, then adjusting to lockdown and working apart from the physical community of their peers. Some were having to live alone for the first time and pushed into solitude. Some had to move back into homes that had been grown out of, or into intense household units, be that with friends, strangers or family. For many, lockdown was uncomfortable. Our worlds were shaken upside down and the fragments and pieces that made up our daily lives lost. Many of us spent a lot of this time trying to find these missing pieces whilst in a fog. The image of what we once knew to be ‘the norm’ became blurred and for many, unrecognisable or lost. Forcing us to intensely reflect not only on ourselves, but our social groups, our upbringings, our political beliefs, cultural values and our own identities. Just like my mystery jigsaw, there was no image to help put the pieces back together. But luckily, this is a student body of creatives. Their final year saw a return to face-to-face teaching, post lockdown and the ‘new normal’ where they have spent their time making their own images in the form of their final pieces.

Many reflect on the discourses that emerged throughout lockdown by way of investigation into collective emotions, histories and marginalised experiences. Some questioned that which was before - our pace of living, sustainability and belief systems. Others reflected on the self and what was missing on a micro level rather than macro, exploring inner relationships through unapologetic self-expression and the outer relationships, with people and with nature. The final images paired with summarised theoretical research in the form of the accompanying short texts, are the tools provided to help the viewer see the bigger picture. What has been chosen to be included, recorded, questioned and captured within this publication will help audiences understand that which was missing and has now been found by the artists.

Image by Karolina Birger

Llofruddiaeth wrth y Bwrdd Gwaith

Yn ystod y cyfnod clo, treuliais fy nyddiau’n gweithio drwy arwahanrwydd, drwy golled a thrwy ofn oedd yn gyffredin i bawb, gyda phos jig-so. Doedd gan y jig-so arbennig hwn ddim delwedd o sut y dylai edrych yn y diwedd. Yn hytrach, roedd llyfryn yn cyd-fynd ag ef. Roedd y llyfryn yn cynnwys hanes llofruddiaeth; amlinelliad o’r stori a nifer o bobl a allai fod wedi bod yn gyfrifol am y llofruddiaeth, ynghyd â bywgraffiadau byr. Chi fyddai’r ditectif, yn datrys dirgelwch y lladd. Y dasg gyntaf oedd rhoi darnau’r jig-so gyda’i gilydd, dod o hyd i liwiau a darnau oedd yn edrych fel rhai a allai berthyn i’w gilydd. Wedi i ddelwedd goll y safle troseddu gael ei datgelu, rhaid ymchwilio iddi a chwilio am gliwiau ynddi. Y dadansoddiad gweledol hwn ynghyd ag ymchwil ddamcaniaethol ar sail y llyfryn oedd yr offer creadigol a ddarparwyd i’ch helpu i ddarganfod ‘pwy a’i gwnaeth hi’. Pan oeddwn dros fy mhen a ’nghlustiau ym myd y llofruddiaeth, daeth y sylweddoliad bod darn ar goll â realiti yn ei ôl yn glep. Roedd y darn coll hwn yn adlewyrchu’r teimlad oedd gen i fy mod wedi colli rheolaeth dros bopeth yn ystod y cyfnod clo, a phopeth arall oedd ar goll o fy mywyd. Roeddwn i’n gweld eisiau fy ffrindiau, fy nheulu, ac, fel ymarferydd creadigol, roeddwn i’n gweld eisiau’r cymunedau a’r rhwydweithiau roeddwn i wedi’u ffurfio yn ystod fy ychydig flynyddoedd yn byw yng Nghymru. Treulio amser gyda darnau diriaethol jig-so wnes i i geisio gwneud iawn am golli cysylltiadau ffisegol. Trodd llawer o bobl at y cyfryngau cymdeithasol a phartïon Zoom i lenwi’r bwlch. Ac o dipyn i beth, wrth i fannau digidol ddechrau gwella, gwella hefyd wnaeth ein cymunedau ar-lein.

Fel artistiaid, gwelsom yr anawsterau oedd yn wynebu’r diwydiant a gwelsom ein cyfoedion yn gorfod gweithio heb ofod creadigol. Ond cafodd cydweithfeydd eu creu, cafodd arddangosfeydd eu curadu ar-lein, a threfnwyd darlithoedd, sgyrsiau a chynadleddau nad oedd angen teithio i’w cyrraedd, na gwestai i aros ynddyn nhw nac amser o’r gwaith i’w mynychu. Ceisiodd artistiaid gefnogi eu cymuned drwy’r Addewid Cymorth Artistiaid, ymgyrch werthu i helpu eu cyfoedion drwy ddulliau ariannol ac algorithmig. Roedd y ffyrdd digidol newydd hyn o weithio yn dod ag unigolion at ei gilydd, ond yn ei sgil hefyd, fe ddechreuodd gwybodaeth ddod yn fwy hygyrch a daeth y ffynonellau gwybodaeth yn fwyfwy hyblyg, ac fe dyfon nhw. Dechreuodd cymunedau ar-lein ddod i’r amlwg gyda phoblogrwydd mawr y platfform delweddau symudol, Tiktok. Eisiau dysgu am seianodeipiau? Dyma fideo. Eisiau dysgu sut i gyflwyno modelau? Dyma fideo arall. Eisiau dysgu am ffilmiau cwlt a sinematograffeg yr 80au a 90au? Dyma gyfres gyfan o fideos!

Ar y dechrau, roedd yn teimlo bod y sawl oedd yn creu’r cynnwys hwn yn rhannu’u gwybodaeth am eu bod yn caru eu maes ac am ledaenu gwybodaeth. Dyma oedd hanner y gwir. Roedd y crewyr cynnwys hyn mewn gwirionedd yn addysgwyr gwirfoddol, bwriadol ai peidio, yn cylchredeg gwybodaeth nad yw’n rhan o ddysgu gwyn, dosbarth canol, gwrywaidd, heteronormaidd safonol ysgolion. Roedd y sawl nad oedd gynt wedi gallu cael gafael ar y mathau hyn o wybodaeth yn rhwydd bellach yn cael eu cyflwyno i hanesion a diwylliannau lleiafrifol a gwybodaeth ddamcaniaethol gymhleth - wedi’u rhannu’n glipiau 15, 30 neu 60 eiliad hawdd eu treulio. Gwnaeth hyn dynnu sylw at y wybodaeth sydd ar goll mewn addysg orfodol ac at y mannau dysgu ffisegol oedd ar goll. Daeth hyn yn amlwg pan ddilynodd Sefydliadau Celf yr addysgwyr llawr gwlad hyn i’r llwyfan digidol, fel ffordd o gyrraedd cynulleidfaoedd newydd gan fod ymwelwyr yn absennol o neuaddau, orielau ac amgueddfeydd. Mae’r hyn a ddechreuodd fel ap llawn fideos dawnsio wedi troi’n ystorfa faith o wybodaeth a stiwardiaeth.

Roedd y mannau digidol yn tyfu’n aruthrol, yn gyffrous ac yn bryfoclyd, ond eto’n achosi pryder mawr, am orfod eu llenwi’n gymaint â dim. Roedd y cynnydd hwn yn y gofod hefyd yn cyd-daro â chynnydd sydyn mewn ‘amser sbâr’. Yn hytrach na defnyddio’r amser hwn i orffwys a dianc rhag sgrolio arlein diddiwedd drwy newyddion drwg, fe’n hanogwyd i’w lenwi â hunanwella a byddem yn cael ein dwrdio pe baem yn ei wastraffu. Arweiniodd hyn at greu llwyth o waith, wedi’i yrru gan y rhethreg wenwynig hon am gynhyrchedd. Comisiynodd orielau artistiaid i wneud gwaith mewn ymateb i’r pandemig. Rhannodd ffotograffwyr waith drwy Instagram, a chreu archifau ar-lein o’r digwyddiad hanesyddol yr oeddem i gyd yn byw drwyddo. Dechreuodd yr archifau eu hunain gasglu gwaith yn ffocysu ar y pandemig. Dechreuon nhw fyfyrio o ddifrif ar eu harferion casglu eu hunain a mynd ati i ddad-drefedigaethu a hoyweiddio eu harchifau. Heriodd actifyddion, athrawon a haneswyr Tiktok strwythurau pŵer a gorfodwyd y sawl oedd yn dal yr allweddi i wybodaeth i archwilio eu darnau coll eu hunain. Mae llawer o’r tueddiadau, ffenomenau a sgyrsiau a ddaeth i’r amlwg yn ystod ein cyfnod dan glo wedi parhau i dyfu a ffynnu. Mae llawer ohonynt yn cael eu hadlewyrchu yng ngwaith carfan eleni.

Mae’r myfyrwyr yn y cyhoeddiad hwn wedi bod yn y sefyllfa unigryw o fod wedi profi’r cyfnod cyn, yn ystod ac ar ôl y Clo Mawr yn ystod tair blynedd eu cwrs BA Ffotograffiaeth. Gan ddechrau blwyddyn un cyn y pandemig, yn addasu i fywyd ac astudiaethau prifysgol, yna addasu i’r cyfnod clo a gweithio ar wahân i gymuned ffisegol eu cyfoedion. Roedd rhai yn gorfod byw ar eu pennau eu hunain am y tro cyntaf erioed a’u gwthio i fywyd ynysig. Bu’n rhaid i rai symud yn ôl i gartrefi roedden nhw wedi meddwl eu bod wedi eu hen adael. Symudodd rhai i unedau cartrefi dwys, boed hynny gyda ffrindiau, dieithriaid neu’r teulu. I lawer, roedd y cyfnod clo yn anghyfforddus. Cafodd ein bydoedd eu troi wyneb i waered a chollwyd y darnau hynny fu’n gymaint rhan o’n bywydau bob dydd. Treuliodd llawer ohonom lawer o’n hamser yn chwilio am y darnau coll mewn niwl digon trwchus. Aeth y ddelwedd oedd gan lawer ohonom o’r hyn a fu’n ‘norm’ yn aneglur. I lawer roedd yn amhosib ei hadnabod a’i dwyn yn ôl i gof. Gwnaeth hyn ein gorfodi i adfyfyrio’n ddwys nid yn unig arnom ni ein hunain, ond ar ein grwpiau cymdeithasol, ein magwraeth, ein credoau gwleidyddol, ein gwerthoedd diwylliannol, ein hunaniaeth. Yn union fel fy jig-so heb ddelwedd, doedd dim i’n helpu i roi’r darnau’n ôl at ei gilydd. Ond yn ffodus, mae’r myfyrwyr hyn yn gorff o bobl greadigol. Yn eu blwyddyn olaf, dychwelwyd at addysgu wyneb yn wyneb, ar ôl y cyfnod clo a’r ‘normal newydd’, lle maent wedi treulio eu hamser yn creu eu delweddau eu hunain ar gyfer eu darnau terfynol.

Mae llawer yn adfyfyrio ar y disgwrs a ddaeth i’r amlwg yn ystod y cyfnod clo drwy ymchwilio i emosiynau, hanesion a phrofiadau o fod ar yr ymylon. Roedd rhai’n cwestiynu’r hyn a fodolai o’r blaen - cyflymder bywyd, cynaliadwyedd a systemau cred. Roedd eraill yn adfyfyrio ar yr hunan a’r hyn a oedd ar goll ar lefel micro yn hytrach na macro, gan archwilio cydberthnasau mewnol drwy hunanfynegiant onest, a chydberthynasau allanol gyda phobl a gyda natur. Y delweddau terfynol, wedi’u paru ag ymchwil ddamcaniaethol gryno yn y testunau byr cysylltiedig, yw’r offer a ddarperir i helpu’r gwyliwr i weld y darlun mwy. Bydd yr hyn a ddewiswyd i’w gynnwys, ei gofnodi, ei gwestiynu a’i gadw yn y cyhoeddiad hwn yn helpu cynulleidfaoedd i ddeall yr hyn a fu ar goll ac sydd bellach wedi’i ganfod gan yr artistiaid.

Molly Caenwyn is a photographer and photographic historian currently based in Stockholm, Sweden. Molly’s practice explores materiality and a phenomenological approach to photography, through analogue and alternative photographic processes. Their work predominantly focuses on Eroticism, Intersectional Feminism and the Abject and holds a BA (hons) in Photography from the Arts University Bournemouth. Molly has a keen interest in conceptual theory and photographic history which led them to undertake an MA in Photographic History at De Montfort University (2017-2018); the following year Molly was awarded the Avril Rolph Bursary by the Women’s Archive Wales for research into Mary Dillwyn. Molly’s historical research currently focuses on early Welsh and Swedish female photographers. They regularly share this research through blog updates and are currently navigating the world of Tiktok to make Photographic History more accessible.

Mae Molly Caenwyn yn ffotograffydd a hanesydd ffotograffeg sy’n byw yn Stockholm, Sweden ar hyn o bryd. Mae gwaith Molly yn archwilio materoliaeth ac ymagwedd ffenomenolegol at ffotograffiaeth, drwy brosesau ffotograffig analog ac amgen. Mae eu gwaith yn ffocysu’n bennaf ar Erotiaeth, Ffeministiaeth Drawstoriadol a’r Distadl ac enillodd radd BA (anrh) mewn Ffotograffiaeth o Brifysgol y Celfyddydau Bournemouth. Mae gan Molly ddiddordeb brwd mewn theori gysyniadol a hanes ffotograffig a arweiniodd at ymgymryd ag MA mewn Hanes Ffotograffig ym Mhrifysgol De Montfort (2017-2018); y flwyddyn ganlynol dyfarnwyd Bwrsariaeth Avril Rolph i Molly gan Archif Menywod Cymru am eu hymchwil i Mary Dillwyn. Ar hyn o bryd, mae ymchwil hanesyddol Molly yn ffocysu ar ffotograffwyr benywaidd cynnar o Gymru a Sweden. Mae Molly yn rhannu’r ymchwil hon yn rheolaidd drwy ddiweddariadau blog ac ar hyn o bryd maen nhw’n ymgyfarwyddo ymhellach â byd Tiktok er mwyn gwneud Hanes Ffotograffig yn fwy hygyrch.