New exhibition captures beauty of the River Wye

A new exhibition has recently opened at Chepstow Museum tracing the ever‑changing rhythms and moods of the River Wye from its source at Pumlumon to its tidal meeting with the Severn at Chepstow.

Flow / Llif – The River Wye from Source to Sea is a major new exhibition by Welsh artist Lucy Burden.

A private viewing was held on 19 February, where guests enjoyed an evening of lively and thoughtful conversations sparked by Burden’s evocative landscapes.

Burden’s work connects with the Museum’s Wye Tour Gallery, inviting visitors to consider how artists over the centuries have responded to the Wye’s dramatic scenery. A short film by Steve Bennett, created during the Wye Valley Walk’s 50th Anniversary events led by Ruth Waycott, accompanies the exhibition.

Attending the event, Monmouthshire County Council’s Chair Cllr Peter Strong said: “Visitors have been travelling to this valley for centuries, seeking the picturesque turn in the river or the sudden drama of a cliff. Lucy’s paintings carry that lineage forward — not as a repetition, but as a modern reading.”

The exhibition has been developed with support from Wye Valley National Landscape, the Wye Valley Walk Partnership, and Monmouthshire Museums. After Chepstow, Flow / Llif will travel to The Pavilion, Castle Grounds, Hereford with additional works expanding the series.

Monmouthshire County Council Cabinet Member for Rural Affairs, Housing and Tourism, Cllr Sara Burch, said: “The Wye Valley has been drawing tourists and artists to our region for years.

“I would urge all those who can to visit this exhibition to see the beauty of the Wye captured quite magnificently.

“The exhibition is just another wonderful reason to visit Chepstow Museum, the town as a whole and Monmouthshire itself.”

Flow/Llif will be on display at Chepstow Museum until 9 June.

This post is also available in: Welsh