The Blaenavon World Heritage Site has welcomed a resident photographer, who will be working with the local community over the next few months to produce work representing the socio-economic issues facing the area.

Alicia Bruce, commissioned by Ffotogallery, is a Scottish photographer whose award-winning photographs have been presented on an international platform. She has won several artists’ residencies and bursaries. Her images have featured in national press including The Times, The Scotsman, and STV News, and are represented in several public and private collections including the National Galleries of Scotland photography collection. Her commercial portfolio features an impressive list of high profile clients including the National Galleries of Scotland and Cashback for Creativity.

Before re-locating to South Wales from Scotland Alicia worked on a photographic collaboration with the residents of Menie in Aberdeenshire. The residents' homes are currently under threat as Donald Trump International begin a hotel, housing and golf development. The resulting photographs present a humane story of conflicted territory and those who inhabit it.

Over the next two months, Alicia proposes to create a series of photographs including large-scale photographic portraits which reference the oil painting ‘Welsh Landscape with Two Women Knitting’ by William Dyce (1806-1864) held in National Museum Wales collection. The painting is described as a celebration of Welsh rural life and depicts two women in folk costume on a Snowdonia hillside. Through the project, Alicia aims to question the romanticised view of this painting and hold a mirror up to The Valleys in 2011 and re-stage this painting on several locations with different people to create a series of staged photographs depicting modern day life in the region. The portraits will be created within the local landscape in collaboration with members of the community.

Alicia is hoping to work with people from all walks of life so if you would like to take part in this project please contact Alicia on 07835 110486 or email aliciabruce@hotmail.co.uk

Further information about the project can be found at www.aliciabruce.tumblr.com|