Vanishing Wings Exhibition

Vanishing Wings: Art of the Endangered -  Museum of Modern Art, Machynlleth, Powys.

A powerful new exhibition, ‘Vanishing Wings: Art of the Endangered’, organised by campaign group Protect Glaslyn & Hafren (PG&H) will be on show at MOMA  from 13^th September to 15^th November. It brings together the work of 20 local artists, each inspired by the extraordinary yet vulnerable bird species that call the Cambrian Mountains home.

Melinda Fansa from PG&H explains the purpose of the exhibition:“This exhibition aims to draw attention to the 22 Welsh Red Listed birds found in the Cambrian Mountains between Dylife and Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust’s (MWT) Glaslyn Nature Reserve.  John Bimson, reserve volunteer warden and avid birder, has meticulously recorded the bird life of this area over the past 13 years.  He has documented 95 different bird species, 22 of which are currently in decline and need our help. These species -including hen harriers, curlew, and cuckoo - highlight the ecological importance of the area. However, this vital habitat is under threat.  Bute Energy is proposing a wind farm development in the area between Glaslyn Nature Reserve and the Hafren Forest. Concerned about the potential impact, the Wildlife Trust has urged its members to oppose the development.”

This art exhibition is both a celebration and a call to action. Each of the 20 participating artists - Amanda Caldwell, Ann-Marie Stuart, Beth Knight, Delia Taylor-Brook, Diane Rose, Elin Crowley, Erin Hughes, Gini Wade, Hilary Reed, Jenny Fell, Jeremy Andrews, Juliet Wooldridge, Megan Elinor, Peter Lloyd, Samantha Boulanger, Sandy Craig, Sue Powell, Sue Terrey, and Veronica Calarco - brings their unique artistic vision to the subject, expressing a deep love and respect for these remarkable birds through a variety of styles and media.

Protect Glaslyn & Hafren is committed to fighting climate change—but not at the expense of critical habitat loss.  They point out that even the Welsh Government’s own Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee stated in January 2025: ‘The urgency of tackling nature loss cannot be overstated. It is as critical as addressing climate change, yet it has struggled to secure the same level of prominence both publicly and politically.’

Melinda Fansa says: “We urge the Welsh Government to recognize that we are facing both a nature emergency and a climate emergency and to refuse Bute’s planning application."

The artworks are available for purchase and a percentage of the profits go towards supporting the Protect Glaslyn & Hafren campaign.