CURRENT & UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS/EVENTS
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CURRENT & UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS/EVENTS ✨ ✨ ✨
01 NOV 2025 - 30 MAY 2026
The National Library of Wales
Aberystwyth
Ceredigion
SY23 3BU
EXHIBITION: Portrait & Power
“Portrait & Power focuses on those that have often been left out of history, exploring how identity, the way we look at others, and power all come together in portraiture. Using both old and new artworks, the exhibition invites us to rethink traditional roles, challenge how portraits are usually made, and explore how they reflect — or change — the stories we tell about gender, race, class, and belonging.”
The National Library of Wales
Aberystwyth
Ceredigion
SY23 3BU
12 FEB 2026 6:30pm-9:00pm
EVENT: Off the Wall Evening
Aberration goes Off the Wall! For LGBTQ+ History Month 2026, Aberration presents a night of queer joy and performance inspired by the Portrait & Power exhibition.
“Noson arbennig! Off the Wall is a playful, creative, thoughtful and celebratory evening of spoken word and performance to an audience of LGBTI+ people and allies, at The National Library of Wales. Inspired by the Portrait & Power exhibition, bringing the portraits ‘off the wall’, and asking ‘How do we want to be seen?’”
24 MAR 2026 5:00pm
The National Library of Wales
Aberystwyth
Ceredigion
SY23 3BU
ARTIST TALK: Staring at Strangers: Celebrating the Power of the Portrait
Join Abbie Trayler-Smith, Morgan Dowdall, Denver K. Shai, Sue Williams, Anya Paintsil and Isabel Adonis in an event that celebrates the power of the portrait to tell the story of identity and self.
Through the lens of the main themes of the Portrait and Power exhibition the event will look at the allure of staring at strangers and uncover the narratives behind their faces.
**An English language event**
Public Collections
In 2023, just a year after the successful 'OYFC x GV: Queer Reflections' exhibition, Morgan’s 3 puzzle jugs created in response to an object from the GV collection were added to the permanent collection.
Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea
In early 2022, following the Young Welsh Artists exhibition in MOMA Machynlleth, 'Clownface' - a large self portrait drawing in a custom made tufted frame, was purchased by the National Library of Wales.
National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth
Harris Museum and Art Gallery, Preston
Following UKYA's 'G R A F T' exhibition at The Harris in 2019, Dowdall's work was chosen by the museums' LGBTQ+ group to be added into the permanent collections in order to better reflect Preston's wider community. The works were then featured in The Harris' 'Camp in The Collection' online series.
Education
2014-2018
BA (Hons) Ceramics: 1:1
Cardiff School of Art & Design
Foundation Diploma in Art & Design: Distinction
University of South Wales
2012-2013
Previous Exhibitions
2025
2024
‘In the Flesh'
Umbrella Art Collective, Cardiff
'Country Fair'
Umbrella Art Collective, Cardiff
'Bri / Essence / Brí'
Galeri Caernarfon, Caernarfon
'Queer Art Exhibition'
KIN+ILK, Cardiff
'Queer Clown Cabaret'
Umbrella Art Collective, Cardiff
'Neighbourhood'
Dyddiau Du, Cardiff
2023
'OYFC x GV: Queer Reflections'
Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea [info] [gallery]
The Masterpiece: Rembrandt'
Oriel Davies, Newtown [info]
'Comforts of Domesticity'
Queer Fringe Festival, Cardiff
'UK New Artists City Takeover: Leicester'
Attenborough Arts Centre, Leicester [gallery]
'Young Welsh Artists – Artistiaid Ifainc Cymru'
MOMA, Machynlleth [info]
2022
2021
2020
'Umbrella Open Call'
Umbrella Art Collective, Cardiff
'UK Young Artist of the Year'
Saatchi Gallery, London [info] [gallery]
'REACT'
SHIFT, Cardiff [gallery]
'Present X Correct'
Club Mofo, London
'Pyrophyte'
Arcade Campfa, Cardiff [info] [gallery]
'Join the Penis Parade'
Fritzrovia Gallery, London [info]
'G R A F T'
Harris Museum and Art Gallery, Preston [info] [gallery]
'Disordered States'
Fringe Arts Bath, Bath
'Codi'
Wales Millenium Centre, Cardiff
'UK Young Artists City Takeover: Nottingham'
ACE Arts Gallery, Nottingham [info]
2019
2018
2017
Projects & Experience
‘Gettin’ Hairy with Art & Gender | Mynd yn flewog efo Celf & Rhywedd’ - In this artist talk Morgan Dowdall explores the importance of hair, both its removal and growth, as a tool for trans-self actualisation [info]
Online, Zoom
2025
‘A Queer Evening’ - An evening of artistic responses to Amgueddfa Cymru’s LGBTQIA+ collections
Umbrella Art Collective, Cardiff
2024
'CAMP' - 5 day residency
Umbrella Art Collective, Llandeilo
2023
2022
‘AuntySocial Halloween Crafternoon Tea Party’ - LGBTQ+ inclusive clay workshop
Blackpool Central Library, Blackpool [info]
2021
'Harris Late: LGBT+ History Month Clay Workshop'
Harris Museum and Art Gallery, Preston [info]
2020
'REACT' - 3 week residency
SHIFT, Cardiff
'INC Space' - 1 year residency & business development
Cardiff School of Art & Design, Cardiff
2019
'Ryall Hill Studios' - 1 month residency
Ryall Hill, Upton upon Severn
2018
Awards & Grants
'Exhibition of the Week - On Your Face: Queer Reflections' The Guardian
'Camp in the Collection: Episode 2 - Decorative Art' The Harris Museum & Art Gallery Youtube
'BA(Hons) Ceramics 2018|Cerameg BA(Anrhydedd) 2018' Ceramics Degree Show Catalogue (p19-22)