Sat 2 Oct–Sun 7 Nov   Sad 2 Hyd–Sul 7 Tach

Bedwyr Williams’ practice incorporates performance (including stand-up comedy), video, writing, photography & drawing. Humour plays a great part in all his works, which often contributes to a cutting critique or satire on his chosen subject. Here, Bedwyr explains a little bit about the work that he will make at Chapter:

"When I was about 12 or 13, I belonged to a model railway society that met in an old quarrymen’s social club. I was a member of the youth section and we worked together on a small branch line. The older members were also divided into smaller groups with different interests, narrow gauge, diesel, steam, etc. Their layouts never seemed to get finished and they used the meetings to socialise as much as anything.

Other modellers visited, one amazing guy from Austria, I think, came with a trailer that folded out to an enormous model of a fictional European city, with lit-up hotels and cable cars. He had the biggest turn ups I have ever seen in my life, like he’d used plastic pipe to get the height and crease right.

We shared the shed with a snooker club, which we had to walk through to get to our section. When we walked past the tables with our trains or bits of scenery there was always some hassle about getting past the players; we had to wait for shots to be taken even if the shot was being taken on the other side of the table - in case we put them off.

Both hobbies/sports are miniaturised in a way; I’m sure snooker developed from a bigger scaled game. They each have a playing-God-type feel to them. The player/modeller towers over the small world, and tools and accessories are an important element of both interests: spider, chalk - razor saw, track cleaning rubber.

‘Tyranny of the Meek’ is a fantasy where model railways take over a snooker world.  The exhibition in Chapter is a collection of snooker tables with trains travelling through the tunnels; stopping off at blue chalk quarries and cue logging companies. There will be tunnels under the baize and trees growing by the pockets. Some tables will be really down at heel, ripped cush city limits."

A publication has been produced to coincide with this exhibition, and features a text by John Beagles. Available from The Shop priced at £7.50, or download a pdf version below.

’Tyranny of the Meek’ is supported by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.

• Bedwyr Williams Catalogue 715k