Test Site

RÓISÍN FOLEY DISCUSSES A RECENT PROJECT IN KYRLS QUAY, CORK CITY.

BUDDLEIA (BUDDLEJA DAVIDII) tumble and sway over the hoarding. This shrub is highly successful in establishing itself almost anywhere. It can be seen growing out of chimney cracks and piles of rubble on abandoned ground. Buddleia and artists are place-makers, whose pioneering spirits thrive in spaces on the fringes of the capitalist experiment. This space where ‘TEST SITE’ has made a place is part of a larger former industrial complex, under the ownership of Cork City Council.

‘TEST SITE’ are the caretakers of what is contained in the hoarding at Kyrls Quay. They harbour humans, plants and ideas and make space to develop alongside other projects and people who share a similar openness. An Choill Bheag (meaning ‘the little wood’) is as much the heart of the physical space as the wooden pavilion. It was installed by Niamh Ní Dhúill of An Taisce as an educational example of a native woodland. Co-creator and artist Aoife Desmond emphasises the project’s ecological sensibilities when she stresses how important it is that some of the trees will need to find homes as they grow and outcompete each other. Aoife is currently finishing Mná and Sons, a 16 mm film in which she documents the seasons as they are naturally woven into the fluctuating site of the unfolding project.

The pavilion was designed by co-creator, architect and artist, Ailbhe Cunningham. She collaborated with boat builders Meitheal Mara, ARUP and Silvabuild to create a multipurpose space that pays homage to the heritage of the complex. It is made from recycled materials and can be re-constructed elsewhere, as it is held together using bolts as opposed to glue; hence the entire pavilion can be recycled again. Ailbhe’s practice critically engages with ideas around the circular economy and environmental place-making. She champions collaboration and has an interdisciplinary approach to her

architecture practice.

Inside the Buddleia border of the site: Their presence is questionable from an ecological perspective but in alternative circles these shrubs are the forerunners that pave the way for future diversity. They were on the site first and so it was decided to let as much stay as possible. Aoife and Ailbhe came to the site as part of Aoife’s A+E (art and environment) making workshop in 2020. They were both interested in continuing this enquiry and conversation with the space, and under the mentorship of Rosie Lynch of Kilkenny’s Workhouse Union, they began the hard graft of red tape and form-filling. Artist and educator, Cáit Ní Dhuinnín, joined as project producer, while ecologist, urban planner and artist, Mary Kelleher, joined as project assistant. Cilla Woodhouse is a highly regarded volunteer who has been continuously present.

On the ground, plantain, dandelion and a wealth of other ‘weeds’ have made their places in cracks which are the spaces between many different bricks, former footings and a patchwork of cement and gravel. Herbalist Jo Goodyear facilitated a workshop as part of the ‘TEST SITE pilot programme, discussing their multiple values and uses. As described by Ailbhe, a wealth of creative practices and projects have come to the site, ‘activating’ the space. A youth group, led by an artist and musician, have regular meetings at the site. Performances have also been held by a range of creatives, such as Inma Pavon, Fixity and performers from Cork DJ, Stevie G’s ‘New School’ project. Seminars in areas such as urban planning and biodiversity have had a great reception, while films have been screened and attended by a wide demographic. The programming has been diverse with the greatest attention given to relevance and quality. It is evident that every aspect of the site has been considered; even the hoarding itself has been utilised for projects such as ‘Going to Seed’ by Notes to

Cork and billboard artwork by Mary Kelleher and Cáit Ní Dhuinnín.

Architecture and heritage, urban design and biodiversity are three pillars which are fundamental to holding the project together. By exploring these strands collaboratively as an artistic process – with an “openness that is grounded”, as Aoife has described – the project embraces changes which allow it to develop holistically. This process-led approach incorporates time and space to step back and consider how things are going and to adjust as necessary. Fundamentally the project is an exercise in civic duty, whereby people and plants intermingle. They are keen to increase visitors and to demonstrate how effective, easy and empowering being participatory in public can be. Both Ailbhe and Aoife emphasised the importance of opening and sharing the space, and how challenging it can be, most especially during a global pandemic. Both stressed that the project has been so successful because of public participation, as well as participation from other projects and groups. They are gently inviting people to become more active on-site, encouraging gestures such as bringing seeds and plants during important cultural celebrations such as Bealtaine.

The miniature canopy of An Choill Bheag is shedding its leaves. In winter, deciduous trees concentrate their energy in their roots. Ailbhe and Aoife are currently revising the project’s pilot programme and deciding how to develop the next phase of ‘TEST SITE’.

Róisín Foley is a curator and writer based in West Cork. She recently completed a year studying permaculture and sustainable horticulture.

Natalia Beylis and Eimear Reidy, Whose Woods These Are, TEST SITE, biodiversity performance, Kyrls Quay, Cork; photograph by Ailbhe Cunningham, courtesy the artists.