Cardiff/Caerdydd

A photographic showcase of this dynamic young city's people, architecture, sport and culture, from the Photolibrary Wales collection. Edited by Steve Benbow, designed by Peter Gill, foreword by Trevor Fishlock. 112 photographs, 27 photographers, 1 stunning capital city. Cardiff Caerdydd is book that captures the many faces of this constantly evolving city. This photographic showcase of the city's architecture, people, sport and culture paints a vivid image of this dynamic, young and fsat growing European capital. The foreword by Trevor Fishlock, travel writer, author and broadcaster, describes his love of the city. 'One of the enduring pleasures is that's eminently walkable. Almost all you need is close at hand: shops, the busy cental market, handsome Victorian arcades, theartres, cinemas and concert venues like St David's Hall

About the Author :
Prof. Theodore H. MacDonald, L.Mus, B.Sc., B.Th., M.Ed., PhD., MD., has had a long and impressively varied academic career. He has held University Chairs in three fields; Education, Mathematics and Medicine and has been a Mathematics Consultant to school boards in several countries. He has done field work as a Doctor for WHO and designed Manpower Training programmes for UNESCO. His numerous publications (more than 37 major books) and 180 peer-reviewed research papers reflect his commitment to understanding how people learn and how best to help them to do so.

Review :
An English version of this review follows, also an additional bilingual review Dywedir yn aml fod ffotograffiaeth lliw yn gyfrwng dengar iawn. O’r dystiolaeth a geir yn y llyfr hwn, mae ffotograffwyr gwrywaidd o oedran arbennig yn gallu bod yn hynod ddengar – yn eu delweddaeth, prysuraf i ychwanegu! (Gweler yr adolygiad sy’n dilyn.) Wrth i chi bori trwy’r gyfrol hon o luniau o’n prifddinas, a gasglwyd o ddelweddau Photolibrary Wales, paratowch ar gyfer cael eich denu – go iawn! Os ydych yn chwilio am ddarlun realistig, llawn ffaeleddau, o’r ddinas, nid hwn yw’r llyfr i chi. Yma ceir y Gaerdydd berffaith, yn gwisgo’i dillad gorau ar gyfer yr ymwelwyr, ac wedi’i boddi mewn heulwen lachar dan awyr fythol-las. Mae’r llun o Fae Caerdydd ar y clawr, a’r darluniadau pensaernïol yng nghefn y llyfr sy’n dangos y cynlluniau arfaethedig ar gyfer y ddinas, yn gosod ar unwaith y ffiniau y dylid barnu’r llyfr o’u mewn. Cyfrol yw hon sy’n hybu ac yn dathlu ymddangosiad Caerdydd fel ymgeisydd ar gyfer Prifddinas Diwylliant Ewrop, ac fel dinas sy’n datblygu yn yr unfed ganrif ar hugain. Mae’n ffitio’n gyfforddus i’r genre hwnnw a welir ar silffoedd llyfrau mewn nifer o brifddinasoedd eraill yn Ewrop ac, yn dechnegol, y mae’n un o’r llyfrau gorau o’i fath i mi ei weld yn ddiweddar. Mae hi’n gyfrol arbennig o hardd, a’r dylunio ac ansawdd yr argraffu o safon uchel iawn. Mae’r rhagair gan Trevor Fishlock yn rhoi cyflwyniad cryno i’r ddinas, gan ddefnyddio afon Taf fel arweiniad. Yn rhyfedd iawn, dyw’r afon ddim i’w gweld rhyw lawer yn y lluniau. Mae gan y golygydd – Steve Benbow, ffotograffydd a chyfarwyddwr Photolibrary Wales – gefndir mewn ffotograffiaeth corfforaethol, ac mae’r ffaith hon yn anorfod yn effeithio ar ei ddewis o ddelweddau. Ceir yn y gyfrol bwyslais cryf ar rwydwaith mewnol y ddinas. Yn anffodus, nid oes rhyw lawer o adeiladau cyfoes gwirioneddol gyffrous yng Nghaerdydd, a theimlaf fod yma ormod o bwyslais ar ganolfannau masnachol. Fodd bynnag, mae ansawdd y ffotograffiaeth bensaernïol yn aml yn wirioneddol drawiadol, ac yn llwyddo i drawsnewid rhai adeiladau digon cyffredin yn ddelweddau llachar o wydr a dur. Mae’n llwyddo hyd yn oed i wneud i adeilad y Cynulliad ymddangos yn ddigon derbyniol! Mae Stadiwm y Mileniwm yn edrych yn drawiadol, fel rhyw long-ofod fawr sydd newydd lanio yng nghanol y ddinas. Cynrychiolir Canolfan y Mileniwm gan ddarluniad artist, ac mae adeilad newydd y Cynulliad Cenedlaethol yn nodedig oherwydd ei absenoldeb – cafodd y ddau broject hyn eu dal yn ôl oherwydd diffyg gweledigaeth. Y gobaith yw y bydd y llyfr hwn yn cael ei ailargraffu’n fuan ac y bydd yr argraffiad newydd yn cynnwys lluniau o’r ddau adeilad arwyddocaol hyn. Ond fe geir yma lawer mwy na chasgliad o luniau o adeiladau’r ddinas. Wrth edrych yn ofalus, gwelir nifer o ddelweddau atgofus o’i phobl, megis y cameo hyfryd o blant yn chwarae mewn ffownten ym Mharc Fictoria. Un o’r uchafbwyntiau i mi’n bersonol yw llun hynod o ddeinamig o olygfa o opera. Byddwn wedi hoffi gweld rhagor o’r math yma o ddelwedd. Mae hon yn gyfrol sydd wedi cofnodi’n hyfryd galon y ddinas ond, yn fy marn i, nid yw wedi cyrraedd dyfnder ei henaid. Gellid bod wedi cyflawni hyn trwy ganolbwyntio ychydig mwy ar ei dynoliaeth – nid fel atodiad i’w phensaernïaeth, ond fel pwnc ynddo’i hun. Wedi dweud hynny, mae hon yn gyfrol hardd sy’n adlewyrchu hyder, ac mae hi’n haeddu cael addurno byrddau coffi pobl Caerdydd, yn ogystal â derbynfeydd rhan fasnachol y ddinas. Mae hi’n sicr yn llysgennad trawiadol ar ran y ddinas, ac yn hynod addas fel swfenîr chwaethus o ymweliad â hi. Ond mae un dirgelwch yn aros. Ac yntau wedi cynhyrchu cyfrol mor hyfryd, pam y mae’r golygydd yn edrych mor brudd yn ei lun yn oriel yr anfarwolion yng nghefn y llyfr? Dylai ei wên fod cyn lleted â Bae Caerdydd! Marian Delyth It is often said that colour photography is a seductive medium. On the evidence of this book, male photographers of a certain age can be exceptionally seductive – in their imagery, I hasten to add! (Refer to the previous review.) Whilst browsing through this book of photographs of the capital city compiled from the Photolibrary Wales images, be prepared to be seduced – big time! If you are looking for a warts-and-all portrait of the city, you will need to look elsewhere. This is a portrait of a squeaky-clean Cardiff wearing its best clothes for the visitors, and bathed in perpetual sunshine under azure blue skies. The image of Cardiff Bay on the cover, and the architectural illustrations in the back of the book showing the planned future developments, immediately set the parameters by which the book should be viewed and judged. It is a book promoting and celebrating the emergence of Cardiff as a candidate for the European Capital of Culture and as a developing city in the twenty-first century. It fits comfortably into that genre which can be seen on bookshelves in many other European capitals and, technically, this is one of the best that I have seen in recent times. It is an exceptionally fine production with impeccable design and print quality. The foreword by Trevor Fishlock gives a concise introduction to this developing city, using the river Taf as his guide. Surprisingly, there is little evidence of the river in the photographs. The editor – Steve Benbow, the photographer and director of Photolibrary Wales – has a background in corporate photography, and this inevitably influences his choice of images. There is a strong emphasis on the infrastructure of the developing city. Unfortunately, we do not have a huge number of truly exciting contemporary buildings in the capital, and I feel that the book is over-reliant on commercial centres. However, the quality of the architectural photography in many cases is stunning, and is able to transform some rather mediocre buildings into glowing images of a synthesis of glass and steel. It even manages to make the Assembly building appear vaguely decent! The Millennium stadium impressively appears like an alien spaceship that has just landed in the heart of the city. The Millennium Centre is represented by an artists’ visual, and the new National Assembly building is notable by its absence – both projects having been delayed by a lack of vision. Hopefully this book will soon be reprinted and the new edition will include images of these two flagship buildings. But this is much more than a book of the city’s buildings. A closer inspection reveals some evocative images of its people, such as a beautiful cameo of children playing in a fountain in Victoria Park. One of the highlights for me is an amazingly dynamic photograph of an operatic production. I would have liked to see more of this kind of image. This is a book which has beautifully recorded the heart of the city but, in my opinion, does not quite reach the depths of its soul. This might have been achieved by concentrating a little more on its humanity – not as an adjunct to its architecture, but as a subject in its own right. Having said that, it is a handsome volume exuding confidence and it deserves to adorn the coffee tables of Cardiffians as well as the reception spaces of the commercial sector of the capital. It is undoubtedly an impressive ambassador for the city and eminently suitable as an elegant souvenir of a visit. One mystery remains. Having produced such an impressive publication, why does the editor appear so glum in his portrait in the gallery of rogues in the back of the book? He should be sporting a grin as wide as Cardiff Bay! Marian Delyth * * * Additional bilingual review follows Mae Caerdydd yn newid, ac yn newid yn gyflym iawn os ydi’r lluniau yn y gyfrol fawr, hardd yma yn adlewyrchiad cywir o’r ddinas. O’r clawr blaen – llun a dynnwyd gyda’r hwyr o westy crand Dewi Sant yn disgleirio dros ddyfroedd llonydd y Bae – i’r artist’s impressions o’r cynlluniau ar gyfer canolfannau siopa’r brifddinas, cawn ddelweddau ar ôl delweddau llachar, lliwgar yn cyflwyno inni syniad o ddinas yn prysur anghofio’i gorffennol diwydiannol ac yn carlamu’n hyderus i’r unfed ganrif ar hugain. Cawn hefyd ragarweiniad ardderchog gan y darlledydd a’r Cymro er-anrhydedd, Trevor Fishlock. Golygydd y llyfr bwrdd-coffi yma yw Steve Benbow, sy'n berchen ar lyfrgell ffotograffau ac yn ffotograffydd byd-enwog ei hunan. Tynnwyd y lluniau i gyd gan aelodau o staff ei lyfrgell ac maent yn dangos y math o Gaerdydd a fyddai’n tynnu dŵr o ddannedd swyddogion marchnata a hyrwyddo’r Bwrdd Croeso a Chyngor y Ddinas. Yn y lluniau does neb yn gweithio – mae pawb yn rhy brysur o lawer yn siopa yn y Capitol neu’r arcêds bychain, yn bwyta ac yn yfed yn yr awyr agored, yn torheulo yn y parc, yn canu yn Neuadd Dewi Sant, ac, wrth gwrs, yn gwylio Cymru’n chwarae yn Stadiwm y Mileniwm. Ac i gwblhau’r trawsnewidiad, dydi hi byth yn glawio ar Gaerdydd Cŵl . . . Ond mae ’na wacter mawr yng nghalon y gyfrol. Ac mae’r rheswm am hyn yn amlwg wrth edrych ar y tudalennau cefn lle cawn wybodaeth am y cyfranwyr. Gydag ond un eithriad maent i gyd yn ddynion, a’r mwyafrif yn ddynion canol oed, gwyn. Ble mae’r cyfraniadau gan ferched? Ble mae’r cyfraniadau gan ffotograffwyr o’r cymunedau Bengali neu Somali? Ymhlith y cant a mwy o ffotograffau, dim ond un sydd yn cynnwys wynebau duon. Mae Caerdydd, i unrhyw un sydd wedi treulio mwy nag awr neu ddwy ynddi, yn ddinas eithriadol o aml-ddiwylliannol, ond chawn ni bron ddim o’r amrywiaeth a’r egni hyn yn y lluniau arwynebol, gor-gyfarwydd, ymylu-ar-yr-ystrydebol yma. Yn fy marn i mae gormod o bwyslais wedi’i roi ar bensaernïaeth ac adeiladwaith Caerdydd (sawl ffotograff, er enghraifft, sydd ei angen arnom o ganolfan Siopa y Capitol?) a dim hanner digon ar y bobl sydd yn byw ac yn gweithio ynddi. Fel gwibdaith gyflym trwy’r Gaerdydd amlwg, mae’r llyfr yma'n ffein, ond fel arolwg o agweddau cynhyrfus a chyffrous y ‘wir Gaerdydd’ mae’n fethiant. Anelir y llyfr hwn yn amlwg at ymwelwyr a thwristiaid ac nid at drigolion ein prifddinas. Keith Morris This is a glossy book in many senses of the word; the photographs are glossy and bright; the design is glossy and clear, and it manages wonderfully to gloss over much of what actually makes Cardiff an exciting city to live in or visit. Edited and assembled by photographer Steve Benbow, with an excellent introductory essay by the well-known broadcaster and celto-phile Trevor Fishlock, the images are drawn from the work of photographers represented by Benbow’s own picture library, Photolibrary Wales. The pictures are a Wales Tourist Board public-relations manager’s dream. During the day Cardiff seems to be bathed in perennial sunshine and basks under cloudless blue skies; at night the buildings shimmer under countless floodlights. Few people seem to work – everyone is too busy shopping, eating, singing and watching rugby at the Millennium Stadium. This is Cardiff at its glowing, dazzling, brightest. The saturated colours leap out at you from virtually every page – the cover image of the new St David’s Hotel shimmering in the twilight over the calm waters of the barraged Cardiff Bay sets the tone perfectly. Yet there is a curious emptiness at the heart of this book. One glance at the list of photographers at the back pages gives an indication why; with only one exception they are men, and mainly men of a certain age. Where are the images made by the score of women photographers? Where are the images of Cardiff's many minority communities? Where, with only one exception, are the black and Asian faces? Looking at some of the aerial photographs of Cardiff in this book, what strikes me most is not the size of the city but its smallness. The countryside never seems to be far away, a point emphasized by the somewhat surprising inclusion of a photograph of the Talybont reservoir in the Brecon Beacons. This is stretching the definition of Cardiff just a little . . . The book, to me, seems over-concerned with the built fabric of the city, in particular the new developments in the commercial heart of the city (did we really need to have so many photographs of the bland Capitol Centre?) and, of course, the massive, and massively photogenic, development of Cardiff Bay. As a quick visual guide to the city it’s fine, but as an overview of the many facets of a vibrant and dynamic city it leaves a lot to be desired. This is a book that is aimed squarely at the growing tourist market and not at all at the people of Cardiff.