Francesca Odell's Documentary Photographs of South Wales Resurface at Ffotogallery After 30 Years
"Francesca Odell: Coping With and Enjoying Life" will debut on 04 October at Ffotogallery as part of Ffoto Cymru. This marks Odell's first exhibition in thirty years and is presented posthumously. Curated by Sam McGuire and Chloe Davies, the exhibition highlights Odell's commissions for the Valleys Project, which McGuire uncovered during her PhD studies. Born in 1951 and passing away in 2022, Odell began her journey in photography with a Diploma in Documentary Photography from Newport College of Art in 1984, following her transition to single parenthood. The Valleys Project, initiated in 1984, captured the social and industrial transformations in South Wales, yielding approximately 450 photographs, primarily featuring women, created between 1984 and 1986.
Key facts
- "Francesca Odell: Coping With and Enjoying Life" opens 04 October at Ffotogallery as part of Ffoto Cymru
- The exhibition is the first on Odell's work in 30 years and is posthumous
- Curators are Sam McGuire and Chloe Davies
- Odell was born in 1951 and died in 2022
- She enrolled at Newport College of Art's Diploma in Documentary Photography in 1984
- The Valleys Project archive comprises some 450 images by ten photographers, starting in 1984
- The show runs from 4 October to 8 November 2026; Ffoto Cymru runs 02 October to 31 October 2026 across Wales under the theme There's More to Life
- All exhibited images were made between 1984 and 1986
Entities
Artists
- Francesca Odell
- Sam McGuire
- Chloe Davies
- David Hurn
- Martin Parr
- Josef Koudelka
- Lorelei Mariner
- Eleanor Thompson
- Naomi Fulford
- Daniel Meadows
- David Bailey
- Ron McCormick
- Paul Reas
Institutions
- Ffotogallery
- Ffoto Cymru
- Newport College of Art
- Magnum
- National Portrait Gallery
- 1854 Photography
Locations
- Wales
- South Wales
- Newport
- Sandy Lane
- Gower
- Gilfach Goch
- Merthyr Tydfil
- Gurnos Estate
- Porthcawl
- Pennard Primary School
- United Kingdom