DEWINIAETH

Dewiniath (Welsh for Sorcery) uses cutting edge video technology and AI, alongside collaboration with Welsh singers local to Green Man to create an uncanny interpretation of Welsh superstition and predictions into the future. It will evolve over the weekend as the audience at Green Man interact with it. It is the beginning of a major new and previously unseen body of work, the first time a UK artist has used hologram fan technology in their work.
Wales is a landscape filled with myth and legend, stories about shape shifting beings and superstitious beliefs form the heart of its culture. In the Mabinogi fictional powerful women made of flowers can turn people into animals, whilst in reality until the late middle ages witches were practising without persecution. Today our philosophers write on the ‘magic’ of technology, and the potential of human/ tech hybrids walking the earth.
Megan asks what happens when the old meet the new? What magic will we rely on in the future, and who will be practising it?

2024 showings:
Green Man Festival
Dreamy Place Festival, Crawley
SomoS Gallery Berlin Originally commissioned by Green Man Trust, with Arts Council Wales and the Collwinston Charitable Trust.

The Project collaborators names are
Saril, Smylte, Waspal, Rachel, Katy, Sparkelo, Druid, Anthena, Sempavara & Gwen

What is your name?

Which time zone do you exist in? Past, Present or Future?

What shape are you? how many limbs do you have, are you human or something else? How does your body feel. How big are you?

What colour are you? Describe if you are plain, bold monotone or have patterns, stripes and what texture you are. Be as descriptive as you can.

How do you move? Describe the speed/ feel of movement to you. How long does it take you to get places? Do you stop often or move faster than any known creature?

Where is your natural habitat?

Why does the world you live in need magic?

In the world you inhabit Where does magic exist most obviously to you?

Describe you healing power - Who do you cure, how do you do it? Did you learn how to do it or was it something that was within you/ learnt from your society?

Identify the main plant, tree or fungi that is associated with you. Explain why its important to you.

Identify the creature that is important to you this could be a bug or fly, or could be something even smaller such as a bacteria. Explain why its important to you.

Describe the animal or bird that is associated with you Explain why its important to you and how it helps you.

Communication: how do you activate your magic - is it through letter, email, image, text, song, clicks, buzzing etc. How long does it last for and who is it aimed at? Can everyone see or hear you?

What language do you speak? do you speak more than one?

Poison, What would be the plant, venom or chemical that works in opposition to your healing?

Digital power: what devices do you carry and how do you use them? This can be anything from the time zone you occupy.

How do you think magic and technology are linked?

What else do you carry with you, what are your essential survival items? What do you need to carry out your healing?

Antethea

Future

large but not solid , gaseous

Slightly iridescent changing with moods and atmospheres

Normally floating along becoming more of a solid ball and then expanding , feeling my way through grabbing onto particles ,. Becoming nearly tentacles in space , I can. Traverse all sorts of terrains and climates wrapping myself around stones and resting or free forming through the sky

I like to rest on rocks looking for beautiful geology but spend most of my time in the air , I like to check out lichen which nourishes me

The world needs magic to connect myself to the natural world around me ,

In nature

I do not talk but when I meet something special it is through a dance similar to that of slugs mating , I heal through forming my gaseous tentacles and encircling them around the broken thing , pulsing and releasing healing energy

Lichen , it exists quietly covering the earth without making a fuss , slowly taking the carbon out of the air and sustaining the life force

The dragonfly , I am related to the dragon fly and if I was to take earthly form it would be with large semi translucent wings and an iridescent body , hovering and landing within the natural world I described

The phoenix , a sign of fire and the raven both of which shadow and mirror my form in the sky , fire , gas ,. Darkness with the light

I activate my magic by channeling it into other plant forms such as the fungal and plant and coral networks

I do not speak only through energy fields

Other toxic gases - greenhouse gases and methane etc

I do not carry anything in the form that I exist but can move objects through my tentacles that have specific magical ability all from the macrocosms I normally inhabit and bathe in

Through the natural world , - quartz used in animistic totemic rituals from the Neolithic is also what makes our phones function

I need to keep activating my powers through connecting with the microcosms , coral , fungi , algae etc

Druid

Present

neurological electrical current

sometimes white, sometimes nothing

as a pulse, an action potential

in the confines of my skull

existence is magic

in all life forms

medical research

Tmesipteris oblanceolata. A small, unassuming fern-like plant has the largest genome ever discovered.

The earliest life forms were microscopic organisms, microbes, they left signals of their presence in rocks about 3.7 billion years old.

Sharks have been around for hundreds of millions of years, appearing in the fossil record before trees even existed.

All forms of human expression are magic

Welsh, English and Swiss

Snake oil

Cellular phone

As a product of our scientific expression

Reason and perspective.

Rachel

I exist in the present, but have also existed in the past, and will continue into the future

I'm human in shape, but have taken many forms throughout time

I am flesh coloured

I move carefully, gingerly, taking account of what's around me, sights, sounds smells. I stop to touch, listen, watch. I try to leave no trace of myself as I pass.

The wilderness

We need magic to heal our sick world

In nature - the animals, the plants, the trees, the mountains, the deserts, the seas, tha rivers, and in the people

I set my intention, and call upon universal energy and wisdom to heal people, animals - whoever needs some healing energy. I heal through my hands. I work in harmony with our planet - in alliance rather than through power and oppression. I am part of the universe and the universe is part of me. I heal by guiding the sick through nature, and helping them to find themselves. I heal through listening, loving and accepting. I have learnt from experience, intuition and from teachers.

Oak - I'm drawn to its beauty, majesty, age, resilience and wisdom - a habitat, a place of shelter, a landmark, an ancient reminder of the passing of time and of our brevity of human life

the horse - spiritual, connected, part of the wilderness, beautiful, powerful, humble.

The egret - comes to me in my dreams, appears when I need comfort, a bright white light in the darkness

I activate my magic through meditation, through setting intention, through a power symbol and through mantra
"For today only, anger not, worry not.
Be humble
Be honest in my work
Be compassionate to myself and to others"
Aimed at thise who ask, or those who I can see need it. Yes everyone can see and hear me, but they can't see or hear my magic

English

Greed

When I'm healing I don't carry a device - my phone distracts me by its very presence. When I'm in the wilderness I carry a stick to support my rickety knees

They are both a part of the same universe - can be utiised to heal, to transform, to work in alliance to support our ailing planet and its occupants.

A calm mind, focus, a clear space, and time.

Saril

Lives in the Past

An individual who is slightly smaller than average but still possesses strength

Shades of pink swirling with the hues of coral and lilac during sunrise and sunset

Like a flame , cracking and random with energy, ethereal

The woods

For juxtaposition to all the BS , for connnection

In nature, sunrise , sunset , waves and fire

I am not sure i heal anything , maybe i protect.
From within

Magnolia ,seeks the light. Love the effort that a magnolia puts into flowering

Moths represent transformation, rebirth, wisdom, secrecy, persistence, vulnerability, and fragility

Corvids are intelligent birds with a distinct attitude.

Noises - song , crackles , maybe a hum

In brief moments, I am audible to all, but only those with receptive minds can truly perceive me

Nothing comprehensible

Cortisol

Fairy lights and headphones .
To make anywhere my home and block out negativity

They are both a mystery to me , always something new to learn .

Water and fire making stuff .
Nature takes care of my healing

Semperviva

All three simultaneously but if I have to choose is present because only the present moment exists at all times and I want to exist forever

I am tall as a tree and resemble a tree. I have human arms plus branches like arms. I have skin blended with tree skin-bark. My body feels ancient and grounded

Predominant shades of dark red mixed with brow/black, with occasional brighter red patches. When I sleep I mostly go dark. I have patterns like a oak tree bark with places that are like naked human skin but those are red as blood. You can feel the softness of a woman body if you touch those but they would burn you if you teach them, because of fire. It is as if there is embers within the core of my body and they have waves of more or less heat and they can become fire eventually. Essentially I am the spirit of a burnt three witch that has scars but is still alive because she blended her spirit with the one of a tree before dying and she saved her spirit this way. She is still alive

I am very slow because it is hard to move the roots and the tree body. I like dancing with the wind with my trunk and various arms. I also sing with the wind while I dance. I don't walk that fast or far. Really need a very good reason to move and if far, needs to be more than good. Sometimes I shake like if I feel a shiver but its brief not more than a minute max. when I sleep you can see my fire core pulsating in the middle of my dark body

The deep of the ancient forest far away from civilization

To tell stories and remember events

in the fertile soil that sustains our life

I was a witch that cured people, I learnt that from nature, the sky, the winds and now I give back to nature. I mostly cure animals that come to me wounded. They lean on me, nestle between my feet-roots and I give them warmth and life. They go to sleep and wake up healed and restored. I am done with humans since they burnt me they can now fuck off. I just burn then back when they touch me, if they ever reach me in this deep forest.

The main tree is the oak because it is as strong as the earth itself and my spirit can rely on its safety and grounded presence to exist. When I was a woman witch my land was guarded by oak trees at the perimeter. i would hug them and thank them often and climb on them or have magic sex rituals on them and always offer them my menstrual blood in exchange of their protection

Birds of all kind because they bring me news and can see far where I can't go. When I have to practice magic from afar they help me do so

Mostly I rely on a peregrin falcon. He is fast and can travel for long. He can also catch prey to feed the wounded animals I heal if needed. He can also poke human eyes and blind them if they come too close. He is as fierce as me and equally hates humans

I activate it trough my fire core, sometimes the wind helps me but mostly I can pulsate faster and activate the fire. It can last for hours or an entire night. But every time I use magic fire or a heal something I then need to sleep double time to recover. Humans can't see my fire but animals can feel it from afar and sometimes they come to warm up and make a circle around the animal I am healing

I speak the language of worms and fungi and bacteria because I need to tell them what food I need. I can translate animal language and the falcon translate human languages for me

Disbelief from humans and nitrogen

I have an interactive map of the earth device hidden in my roots. I use them to receive and send signals from everywhere on earth to other magical creatures

They work on energy

I need a compass and a pendulum of white quartz. I also need sacred ashes blended with blood which my falcon provides

Smylte.

Lives in the Future

My body feels big, and can change shape to react to stimuli. I can be almost human but never fully. Limbs may be grown or retracted as needed.

My skin is bumpy, like that of a gila monster. Colours ripple across my form, like a cuttlefish. At rest, I am mostly a steely grey.

I change my location by thought and not by physical movement. Sometimes this is instantaneous but on other occasions I may be absent from this realm for hours at a time before reappearing in my new location. It is unclear to others where I go, but it is known to me.

I feel at home in deciduous woods, with the seasons changing around me.

My world can tilt and shift, and it is through magic that tiny corrections can be made to maintain the balance that all life here relies on.

The magic is strongest in the trees and the ground below the trees.

I can soothe a troubled mind. I listen; I react; I change form; and I project peace. This was learnt and developed through trials and pain.

I am represented by mosses, which breathe life into our world and which can soothe, cool and heal.

Worms are my allies. They aid with the cycle of life, death and decay. They are transformative and the woods depend on them.

In the trees, there is the jay. It is a bird of the air, and is both graceful and cunning. But it is also a bird of the ground, burying nuts and allowing new lives to sprout forth.

My magic is controlled through the flashes of colour that pass across my skin. Only the one for whom the magic is meant can these waves of light. There is no sound but the recipient often senses they can feel the vibration of the patterns in their head.

I speak all languages, allowing me to adapt to each who approaches.

Unnatural chemicals forged through alchemy hinder my healing and limit my powers. In the woods, I keep myself far from such abominations.

I carry a large quartz crystal that has attached to it an array of small devices, all with their own function and that can be removed and replaced as needed. Among other things, these devices can detect the approach of other beings, guide me in my healing (by changing colour) and fix a point in space that I can return to at a later time.

My technology harnesses both the natural vibrations of quartz and the movement of tiny particles from one atom to another. My magic is able to control and direct these, allowing me to fully control the functioning of my technology.

I carry a satchel, in which are my spare devices. Beyond these, I need carry nothing else.

Sparkleo

Present

Rabbit dog four legs,, in a state of constant lookout, like a prey animal or puppy. I am unseen. I try to make myself big but nobody sees me

Black and white with fur and claws

Very bouncy and speedy

Outside in nature, with places to hide

Absolutely!!

In the ether

I am a love and comfort giving , it’s just a natural ability. It’s good to see it modelled by others too.

Sunflower, daisy.

I need good gut bacteria to help me survive. I suffer from poor digestion otherwise

Robin a protector, guards their territory.

Song, it can only be heard by gentle and kind beings

Welsh

Red berries of toxic plants

A pink collar that transmits energy

Nature and science are links in many ways

Biscuits made from charcoal and for energy giving

WASPAL

Future

i'm a cyborg, I have 1 eye and superhuman hearing. i barely feel anything, my body has some flesh but alot is metal and polycarbonate. I have an exoskeleton and no hair

i've several colours, i shimmer and shine and change colour according to climate

i move fast and smoothly. I have extra motors and power sources to help me climb

mountains

we discovered magic is a part of technology given to us by an alien species

Magic is used everyday in my world we use it for communicationa dn long distance travel and teleporatation

I heal those who do not believe in magic. It was taught to me through the scriptures delivered to Earth in 2025

southern marsh orchid. Dactylorhiza praetermissa. This orchid favours damp or marshy ground; it can be frequent on post-industrial land, especially quarries, clay-pits and colliery tips. As marsh land has taken over much of the UK this flower symbolises the change in habitats to our society as we all fled to the hills when the sea levels rose. It also played a big part in the rewiliding of Wales once humans left the lower lands.

I rely on Tardigrades, they keep the fragments of my human skin looking good. We use Plastic eating fungus regularly too accross my community. without them we would be overwhelmed by plastic waste from the international oil reserves. All plastic has been brought to the UK following the great war with China in 2030

Doormouse known as Muscardinus avellanarius, we hold them in high esteem as we learnt our ability to Hibernate from them which all UK residents now deed due to the extreme cold winters. After gathering up their fat reserves in autumn, hazel dormice will begin hibernation in winter. As the weather turns cooler they will move down from the trees to ground level, creating a tightly woven nest around the size of a tennis ball. They will curl up in this ball with their tail wrapped around their face and body to keep warm.

During periods of cold weather outside of winter, hazel dormice can actually go into a state of deep sleep called ‘torpor’, similar to hibernation, to conserve energy. They can spend as much as seven months of the year asleep.

We use the omni cloud to tap into the magic. The aliens also gave us portable cloud devices that follow us and change colour in response to our mood. We have special chants and spells too most of which are quite nasal.

i speak all languages

Lithium is a poision, once used to power phones it is now classed as pure evil in my world

I carry my fold up teleportation device, it looks a bit like an old world withces broomstick, but has lights and buttons on it

they have been proven by the prophets to be one and the same thing

I require fresh water to anoint the people I heal

katy

past

triangular shapes with 2 legs, 4 arms and 1 head and 1 pair of wings. something else. normally in a small shape with 2 legs hidden and wings, tucked against body and then when threatened folds out the wings and legs to be as big and threatening as possible

grey with an green iridescent that shows in certain lights, mostly hard shell exoskeleton with a fluffy and soft centre of caramel brown fur

can scuttle with a beetle - very fast and jerky movements. then when standing up to full height is slow and frequently stops. uses wings in slow flaps then mostly glides with as little effort as possible

forest trees, inside of logs and stealing birds empty bird nests

protection against the other creatures that live there and against people threatening the forest

in sunshine that feeds the plants, moonlight that directs the ocean, in electricity that powers machines and wifi that lets people from other sides of the world talk

eats toxic plants (as its a easy food source that nothing else can eat) so has built up a toxic immunity inside body

moss is the first known orgainisms on this earth, provides more carbon offset than all the trees together and extremely important to the upkeep of the world

tartigrade also called water bear are microsocopic micro animals that live in moss and are nearly immortal being able to survive absolute zero temperatures, higher than 150 degrees celecius, radiation and years without water or light. they are currently be examined to get idea of how to to send people into space.

cormorants have been represented a lot in history and mythology from courage to death. They were considered a sign of bad luck because of the ways that they sit with their wings stretched out but its is really because they don't have waterproof feathers so need to dry their wings in the sunshine. things aren't always what they seem.

magic is activate with clicking, huh noises and images sent to other peoples heads. lasts as long as has concentration which is never long. everyone can hear it but it echos to make the direction a little more confusing and hidden.

no language needed, can telepathically send images

ocean as can't swim

uv light and it doesn't disturb things as a much as a torch, hag rock to be able to see things that aren't there and a heated self stiring flask of coffee

yes - technology is simply the next step in the evolution of magic

a little bag to collect things full of pretty rocks, flowers and random bits of technology that has been stolen from people that are irritating but may be useable as some point