Datganiad am y gwaith, 2002.

Mae Polisi Cynllunio Cyngor Ceredigion wedi’u feirniadu'n hallt gan aelodau’r Cynulliad Cenedlaethol, Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg a Chymuned. Dadl y gwrthwynebwyr yw nad yw amcangyfrif y cyngor o’r boblogaeth yn y dyfodol yn cyfiawnhau adeiladu’r 6,500 o dai arfaethedig yn y sir, a allai arwain at ddileu’r iaith Gymraeg yn yr ardal drwy fewnlifiad o bobl ddi-Gymraeg. Fodd bynnag, noda’r Cyngor eu bod yn ymagweddu’n realistig tuag at dai gan weithio er lles y trigolion.

Darn gosod yw Unlliw sydd yn cynnwys 6,500 o flychau adar wedi’u gwneud allan o gardfwrdd. Y bwriad tu ol i’r gwaith yw cyfleu nifer y tai sydd i’w codi dros y pymtheg mlynedd nesaf gan gyfrannu at y ddadl bresennol am effeithiau posibl y polisi cynllunio a chynlluniau tebyg. Daw’r teitl o’r ddihareb “Adar o’r Unlliw, Ehedant i’r Unlle.”

Gosodir blychau adar er mwyn denu adar i nythu ynddynt. Gan fod tai yng Ngheredigion yn aml yn rhy ddrud i’r gymuned leol, yr wyf am gwestiynu pwy fydd yn byw yn y tai newydd hyn unwaith iddynt fod yn eu lle. Ai pobl leol fyddan nhw neu ddim? Gallai mewnlifiad pellach achosi newidiadau mwy fyth na fydd modd eu gwrthdroi. Fel rhywun ifanc sydd wedi gadael Ceredigion oherwydd anawsterau wrth gael hyd i waith yn yr ardal, hoffwn ddychwelyd adref, ond a fydd hynny ar draul newidiadau pendant?

Drwy raddfa a dwysedd y gwaith, fy ngobaith yw y bydd y gwyliwr yn gallu rhagweld nifer y tai sydd i’w codi yn y sir, gan ffurfio eu barn eu hunain ynglyn a’r mater llosg hwn.
Statement about the work, 2002.

Ceredigion County Council’s planning policy has been criticised by members of the National Assembly, The Welsh Language Society and Cymuned, an action group to protect Welsh speaking communities.

The opposition’s argues that the council’s estimation of the future population does not justify building the proposed 6,500 houses in the county, which could lead to destroying the Welsh language in the area through an influx of non-Welsh speakers.

However, the Council states that they are taking a realistic approach to housing, and are working towards the best interests of its inhabitants.

Unlliw is an installation, which includes 6,500 bird boxes made out of cardboard. The intention behind the artwork is to convey the amount of houses that are to be built over the next fifteen years and to contribute to the current discussion about the possible effects of this planning policy and of other similar plans. The title derives from the Welsh proverb ‘Adar o’r Unlliw, Ehedant i’r Unlle’ (Birds of a Feather, Flock Together).

Bird boxes are set up to attract birds to live in them. As housing in Ceredigion often proves to be too expensive for the local community, I want to question who will live in these new houses once they are in place? Will they be local people or not? Agricultural areas in Wales continue to face changes within the industry. With the majority of the farming community getting older, the agricultural crisis and social influx are obvious threats to the economic structure and culture in rural Wales. Further influx could cause even greater changes, which will be irreversible. As a a young person who has left Ceredigion because of difficulties finding work within the area, I would like to return home, but will that be at the cost of definite cultural changes?

Through the size and the density of the work, I hope the viewer can visualise the number of houses to be built within the county, and to form their own opinion on this current topical debate.