A volume documenting the first five years of the Trace programme, the artist Andre Stitt's gallery in Cardiff.

Cyfrol sy'n olrhain hanes pum mlynedd gyntaf y rhaglen Trace, galeri'r arlunydd Andre Stitt yng Nghaerdydd.

Not every artist who is looking for a space to present their work would think of opening up their living room to the public, but that's exactly what one artist did in Cardiff in 2000. André Stitt, one of the leading performance artists in the UK, decided that his house in Splott was ideally suited to become a performance space, and an ideal space it has indeed become.

Trace: installaction artspace 00–05, edited by Stitt himself, charts the first five years of the Trace gallery, from its inception to its current position as an internationally renowned centre for installation and performance art. With essays by academics Julie Bacon, Heike Roms and artist Jimmie Durham, the book offers an insightful examination of the gallery's growth, focusing on its often controversial and groundbreaking exhibitions and live events.

Artists whose work is discussed in the book include Ireland's Sinéad and Hugh O'Donnell, Scotland's Kevin Henderson and Wales's own Eve Dent; their work like the many other artists who have been involved with Trace's development, providing a challenging new perspective to the sort of work being made and exhibited in Wales.

Beautifully illustrated, the book offers a perceptive record of this unique art space as well as a snapshot of the current real-time art and installation practice in Wales, something Trace, in no small part, has helped champion.

Michael Nobbs

It is possible to use this review for promotional purposes, but the following acknowledgment should be included: A review from www.gwales.com, with the permission of the Welsh Books Council.

Gellir defnyddio'r adolygiad hwn at bwrpas hybu, ond gofynnir i chi gynnwys y gydnabyddiaeth ganlynol: Adolygiad oddi ar www.gwales.com, trwy ganiatâd Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru.