If you're visiting Criccieth you will discover the striking sculpture piece on the Maes, 'The Welsh Incident', commissioned by Artist Howard Bowcott. The sculpture is based on the poem of the same name by Robert Graves, which creates a vision of the mysterious creatures that emerge from the sea caves of Criccieth.
The sculpture features a window that allows the viewer to observe an interpretation of the "things" described in the poem. It is a powerful and evocative piece that captures the sense of wonder and mystery that the poem evokes.
The poem paints a vivid and intriguing picture of the creatures that emerge from the sea caves of Criccieth. The speaker of the poem is unable to describe them, but notes that they are "very strange, un-Welsh, utterly peculiar things." They are solid enough to touch, but their shapes, sizes, and colors are beyond description. The poem leaves the reader wondering what these creatures could possibly be, adding to the sense of mystery and intrigue.
The sculpture, which is situated in the middle of Town, on the green sloping 'Maes' was created by Howard Bowcott and is a fitting tribute to the poem. Bowcott is a renowned public artist who has developed a substantial reputation in the field of public art, as both designer and hands-on sculptor. His work on this sculpture perfectly captures the sense of wonder and mystery that the poem evokes.
Criccieth is a beautiful town with a rich history and culture, and the 'The Welsh Incident' sculpture is a testament to that. It's not only a great representation of the town's connection to the sea and its surrounding nature, but it also adds a layer of mystery and intrigue to the town. The sculpture, along with the poem, encourages visitors to use their imagination and to wonder about the unknown. It's a must-see for anyone visiting Criccieth and for anyone interested in public art and poetry.
Here is 'Welsh Incident' by Robert Graves, published in 1929
'But that was nothing to what things came out
From the sea-caves of Criccieth yonder.'
'What were they? Mermaids? Dragons? Ghosts?'
'Nothing at all of any things like that.'
'What were they, then?'
'All sorts of queer things,
Things never seen or heard or written about,
Very strange, un-Welsh, utterly peculiar
Things. Oh, solid enough they seemed to touch,
Had anyone dared it. Marvellous creation,
All various shapes and sizes, and no sizes,
All new, each perfectly unlike his neighbour,
Though all came moving slowly out together.'
'Describe just one of them.'
'I am unable.'
'What were their colours?'
'Mostly nameless colours,
Colours you'd like to see; but one was puce
Or perhaps more like crimson, but not purplish.
Some had no colour.'
'Tell me, had they legs?'
'Not a leg or foot among them that I saw.'
'But did these things come out in any order?'
What o'clock was it? What was the day of the week?
Who else was present? How was the weather?'
'I was coming to that. It was half-past three
On Easter Tuesday last. The sun was shining.
The Harlech Silver Band played Marchog Jesu
On thirty-seven shimmering instruments
Collecting for Caernarvon's (Fever) Hospital Fund.
The populations of Pwllheli, Criccieth,
Portmadoc, Borth, Tremadoc, Penrhyndeudraeth,
Were all assembled. Criccieth's mayor addressed them
First in good Welsh and then in fluent English,
Twisting his fingers in his chain of office,
Welcoming the things. They came out on the sand,
Not keeping time to the band, moving seaward
Silently at a snail's pace. But at last
The most odd, indescribable thing of all
Which hardly one man there could see for wonder
Did something recognizably a something.'
'Well, what?'
'It made a noise.'
'A frightening noise?'
'No, no.'
'A musical noise? A noise of scuffling?'
'No, but a very loud, respectable noise —-
Like groaning to oneself on Sunday morning
In Chapel, close before the second psalm.'
'What did the mayor do?'
‘I was coming to that.’.....
Richard Burton reads 'Welsh Incident' by Robert Graves
This work is filled with symbolism, imagery, and figurative language. The poem is written in a conversational style, with the speaker discussing the event with an unnamed person.
The poem is rich in imagery, with the speaker describing the creatures as "all sorts of queer things" that are "very strange, un-Welsh, utterly peculiar things." The speaker is unable to describe the creatures in any more detail and notes that their shapes, sizes, and colors are beyond description. The use of the term "queer things" and the speaker's inability to describe them in any more detail, creates a sense of uncertainty and mystery around the creatures.
The poem also uses the setting of Criccieth and the timing of the event to create a sense of the unknown and eerie. The event takes place on Easter Tuesday at half-past three, while the sun is shining, and the Harlech Silver Band is playing. This creates a sense of normalcy and ordinariness that is disrupted by the emergence of these mysterious creatures.
'The face' - looking out over Tremadog bay, Criccieth beach West
The poet also uses symbolism to convey deeper messages in the poem. The creatures that come out of the sea caves represent the unknown, the mysterious, and the uncanny. The speaker's inability to describe the creatures and their peculiar behavior, symbolizes the human inability to understand and comprehend the unknown. The fact that the mayor of Criccieth welcomes the creatures, suggests that the poet is trying to convey a message about the importance of embracing the unknown and the different.
In addition, the creatures that come out of the sea caves also symbolize the subconscious, the repressed desires and feelings, and the human's innermost fears and anxieties. The creatures that come out of the sea caves symbolize the fact that what is hidden will eventually be revealed. The fact that the creatures make a noise that sounds like someone groaning to oneself on Sunday morning in Chapel before the second psalm, symbolizes the human's inner conflict, discomfort and guilt.
"The Welsh Incident" by Robert Graves is a thought-provoking work that is rich in symbolism, imagery, and figurative language.