CARDIFF.- Following the huge public interest generated by record attendances at Artes Mundi’s two exhibitions in 2004 and 2006, the organisers of Wales’ international visual art prize have announced a development of activity that will see them bringing even more international artists to Wales.

An advance programme of activity, running up to the Artes Mundi 3 exhibition in Spring 2008, is being created and launches on January 23rd with Aspects of Humanity at the Gate Arts Centre in Cardiff.

Aspects of Humanity has been conceived in partnership with the University of Glamorgan’s ATRiuM, the Cardiff School of Creative & Cultural Industries, and is a series of three evenings, free to the public, that will provide audiences with a rare opportunity to experience and hear how artists approach their work.

On January 23rd Mats Bigert & Lars Bergström from Sweden will show and discuss the making of their thought-provoking film Last Supper, which explores the enduring tradition of giving condemned death row inmates a final meal of their choosing.

On March 20th, Eija-Liisa Ahtila the recipient of the Artes Mundi 2 Prize who is currently showing at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, returns to Cardiff to talk about her work and her interest in visualising altered mental states.

A third artist, yet to be announced, will come to the Gate on May 22nd and further Artes Mundi Advance events are due to take place in the Autumn.

Tessa Jackson, Artistic Director of Artes Mundi, says “These evenings, in contrast to our large-scale biennial exhibition, will be intimate and offer an opportunity to hear directly from artists about their thinking, their approach and the processes behind creating work. Artists who explore aspects of humanity are being invited as a further discussion of Artes Mundi’s themes. Last Supper caused great excitement at last year’s Singapore Biennale and, when I saw it, I wanted to make sure its first UK showing was in Wales. Eija-Liisa Ahtila, our current prize winner is an artist with a growing reputation and I am delighted that she is able to come back to Cardiff to show work we have not yet seen and to talk about where her ideas come from”

Professor Mike Wilson, Head of Research at the University of Glamorgan's Cardiff School of Creative & Cultural Industries, said “The University’s brand new building for the Cardiff School of Creative & Cultural Industries opens in Cardiff in September and we are delighted to be working closely with Artes Mundi to provide artistic activity for audiences in the capital before our arrival. This series of high quality events will create opportunities for experiences, debate and discussion about the making of art today.”

The Artes Mundi 3 shortlist of artists will be announced in September 2007. The exhibition will open at the National Museum Cardiff in Spring 2008.