Artists zoom in on Milan

An image from a work in progress by Anthony Shapland

A group of young Welsh artists has invaded the Italian style capital of Milan with an exhibition at a prestigious gallery.

The exhibition - Arte Da Galles: Una Nuova Generazione (Art From Wales: A New Generation) - features 15 artists from west and south Wales who specialise in video, photography and installation work.

Curator Roberto Pinto was invited by the Milanese city council to put together an exhibition for their Open Space Gallery, next to the famous Duomo Cathedral.

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His interest in video work led him to visit Cardiff last December to look at what work was being done in Wales.

The Italian gallery specialises in showing the work of young, emerging artists.

While in Wales, Signor Pinto visited a number of galleries looking for suitable work, including Gallery 39 at Mill Lane in Cardiff.

Gallery 39 - which was set up in 1998 - shows the work of artists working in video and creating installations - where visitors have to walk around or through the artwork to appreciate it.

The work of nine artists who have exhibited work at Gallery 39 have been included in the Milan show.

Artists from Chapter and Ffotogallery - both in Cardiff - are also featured.

Gallery 39 development officer, Chris Brown, said it was good to see Welsh art being given the attention it deserved.

Artists showing at Open Space

Video - Jonathan Brookes; Peter Finnemore; Michael Cousin; Victoria Tillotson; Stefhan Caddick; Louise Adlam; David Cushway; Paul Granjon; Karen Ingham; Ali Roche.

Photography - Peter Bobby; Keith Hardwick

Installations - David Hastie; Anthony Hall; Keith Hardwick; Jennifer Savage; Anthony Shapland.

"The exciting thing about the Open Space gallery is that it is the Italian equivalent of Gallery 39," he said.

"I think this exhibition is exactly the direction we want to take the gallery."

He said that Welsh art often has a higher profile overseas than it does in the UK.

"The popular conception is that Wales is a poor cousin to London and to the art scene there," said Mr Brown.

"But, on an international level, you can bypass the whole of the London art scene with an exhibition like this."

It has been such a success that an exchange exhibition of Italian video artists is due to go on show in Cardiff in October.

The project has been supported by Wales Arts International (WAI) - a partnership between the Arts Council of Wales and the British Council in Wales.

It was established in 1997 to promote artists from Wales to an international audience.

WAI promotes all art forms through strategic country projects, showcases and publications.

It also helps individual artists to show their work internationally.