Marc Rees, an artist from Wales, whose previous work Adain Avion brought the London 2012 Festival to Wales last summer, this week announced that he has commissioned a group of Welsh and international artists to respond to the current crisis in the farming industry.

Rees' piece, Tir Sir Gâr, promises "to present an alternative contemporary rural vision and draw attention to the dilemmas faced by the farming and food producing community." Commissioned by the Welsh-language national theatre company Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru, Tir Sir Gâr will span across two sites in Carmarthen: St Peter’s Civic Hall and Carmarthenshire County Museum in Abergwili, which has a focus on agriculture.

The exhibition, which will run from 15 – 27 April, features a theatrical piece about a contemporary Welsh farming family, as well as six video installations by six different artists.

The play tells the story of a family forced to decide on the future of their farm following the sudden illness of their father. In it, the debates whether one of the children should step in to keep the family tradition alive; the play questions what would be lost if the family were to give up farming and leave the countryside. Initially inspired by the museum’s collection, the creative team behind the piece said it was developed following extensive discussions with Carmarthenshire farmers and their families about farming today and the challenges they will face in the future.

Along the performance route, video installations curated by Marc Rees, will also offer abstract responses to some of the fundamental areas of farming; livestock, labour, architecture, language and land.

Artists and Installation themes:

Rabab Ghazoul is a Cardiff based visual artist born and part raised in the Middle East. Her work explores themes of home, belonging, language and place. For Tir Sir Gâr she will explore the struggles and challenges that face the modern day farmer.

Acclaimed Welsh performer and choreographer Eddie Ladd grew up on a farm. Her work draws heavily on her rich Welsh cultural heritage and for Tir Sir Gâr she will respond to the theme of Land through enacting a traditional baptism within the landscape.

Interdisciplinary artist Marc Rees is known for his flamboyant, humorous and often extreme interpretations of history, culture and personal experience. His film will explore the theme of Architecture in agriculture via a series of rural vernacular portraits.

Movement artist Simon Whitehead creates work inspired by physical engagement with the land and the qualities of season, people and place. His film will respond to the theme of Livestock and will incorporate a ‘folk dance’ amongst White Park Cattle, a breed indigenous to Carmarthenshire.

Artist duo Melville Mitchell’s high impact performances explore themes of machismo and camaraderie. Their piece will respond to Labour and Machinery and is inspired by Borrowed Pastures, a 1960’s documentary narrated by Richard Burton about two exiled Polish soldiers struggling to survive on a derelict Carmarthenshire farm and their attempt to tame the stubborn land that surrounded them.

During their piece Melville Mitchell will build a Dutch style barn – traditional to this area of Wales. The barn will then be reconstructed inside St Peter’s Civic Hall where free lunchtime talks, ‘Seiat’ will be given by guest speakers on the themes of Tir Sir Gâr.