Detail from Alison Lochhead's sculpture

Follow Alison Lochhead in this new video by Planet as she returns artworks to where they originally stood.

Alison Lochhead uses the rocks and spoil of the mines, such as bits of metal, earth, charcoal, clays. By putting these back into the fire – in a kiln – they are transformed. Through the way these materials explode, disintegrate, join together, push apart, melt, they can reveal some of the stories of the area, the traumatic impact the mines had on the landscape as well as on those who worked in them. The areas I have concentrated on are Plynlimon Mine, Cwmystwyth Mine and the drovers' road behind the Teifi Pools leading to small mines, and the land where miners walked to Ffair Rhos and Rhayader.

The World Turned Inside Out

Browse through our items on mining worldwide, with different perspectives on its impact and written in many forms.