Visual Artists' News Sheet - 2009 May June

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet ISSUE 3 2009 May – June Published by Visual Artists Ireland Ealaíontóirí Radharcacha Éire

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

2

Introduction

May – June 2009

Contents

Introduction

Contents

Welcome to the May / June edition of the Visual Artists News Sheet.

1. Cover Image. Ronan McCrea. School Play. Educate Together School, Castleknock, Dublin 15.

A number of Visual Artists Ireland projects are covered in this issue. Maya Weimer and Jonny McCauly & John Callaghan outline their experiences on last year’s Exercises in Folkatronica – Visual Artists Ireland's annual media production residency award (pg 18). Sara Baume reports on a VAI Supported weekend of live art organised by Performance Collective, held at Catalyst Arts, Belfast, in February (pg 19).

Details of the current and next round of the VAI’s professional development training for visual artists workshops can be found on page 34. VAI members are also reminded to register with the Living Artists Archive – a resource for curators and researchers interested in contemporary Irish visual art. The application form and full details are on page 35.

In this issue we welcome our second new regular columnist – Chris Fite-Wassilak a writer based in

3. International Column. Yilmaz Dziewior & Angelika Nollert. Limerick in Art. 3. Roundup. Recent exhibitions and projects of note.

4. Column. Seamus Kealy. Biennalism.

5. Column. Michael Burke. Creativity – wha'tha'?

7. News. The latest developments in the arts sector.

10. Profile. Art Parlour. Fiona Fullam profiles the Galway based artist-led initiative 126.

11. International. Another World is Possible. Augustine O’Donoghue and Carol Anne Connolly report on

their experience of curating an exhibiton of Irish art at the ninth World Social forum in Belém, Brazil

(27 January – 1 Feburary 2009).

London, who contributes to Frieze amongst other publications. Yilmaz Dziewior and Angelika Nollert,

12. Art in the Public Realm: Focus. Looks Like Art, Smells Like Teen Spirit. Áine Ivers reports on ‘Reverb; An

the curators of this years’ e v+ a in Limerick, are this editions international columnists – they share their

thoughts on the show and their outlook on contemporary Irish art practice.

13. How is it Made? Art, Life and Zoo Animals. Sara Baume and Barry White in conversation with Fischli

In early June, the latest edition of Printed Project – issue 11, will be distributed to VAI members and outlets across Ireland and abroad. The curator / editor for this edition is Sarat Maharaj, Professor of Art History and Theory at Goldsmiths College and Professor of Visual Art and Knowledge Systems, Lund University, Sweden. Maharaj is a specialist in the work of Marcel Duchamp, James Joyce and Richard Hamilton. He was a co-curator of the Third Guangzhou Triennial (together with Gao Shiming and Johnson Chang) 2008 and a co-curator for Documenta 11, 2002.

Entitled ‘Farewell to Post-Colonialism – Querying the Guangzhou Triennial 2008’ the edition is

Exhibition of Youth Arts’ at the Concourse, Dún Laoghaire, 27 February – 11 March 2009. and Weiss, about their exhibition at the Douglas Hyde Gallery, Dublin.

14. Regional Profile. Visual Arts Resources & Activity in County Fingal.

18. VAI Projects. Exercises in Folkatronica 2008 . Maya Weimer and Jonny McCauly & John Callaghan outline

their experiences on last year's 'Exercises in Folkatronica' – Visual Artists Ireland's Annual media

production residency award.

19. VAI Projects. Actually Living. Sara Baume reports on a VAI supported weekend of live art organised

by Performance Collective, held at Catalyst Arts, Belfast (20 – 26 February).

based on a series of reflections, extensions and musings emerging from and around the triennial. Further

20. Career Development. Critical Mass. Martin Healy talks about recent developments in his art career.

details are included in the advertisement for the issue on the back page.

21. Conference Report. Underscoring Success. Sara Baume Reports on ‘_Unit’ A residency project for

Visual Artists Ireland are privileged to have the opportunity of launching Printed Project at the

Portlaoise town and surrounds (November 2008 – February 2009)

Venice Biennale, in association with Culture Ireland and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. The launch

22. How is it Made? Everything and Everywhere. Ronan McCrea discusses the thinking and making

event takes place on 5 June, in the garden space of the Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland

processes behind his comission for Castleknock Educate Together School, Dublin.

exhibitions. It will comprise a discussion event, led by Sarat Maharaj based on the issues raised by

25. Art the Public Realm Roundup. Recent public art commissions, site-specific works, socially engaged

“Farewell to Post-Colonialism”. Full details will shortly be posted on the VAI website and e-bulletin.

Irish visitors to Venice are also very welcome to attend the Slovenian exhibition at Venice – a showing of work by Miha Strukelj, which has been co-curated by Noel Kelly, CEO of Visual Artists Ireland and Alenka Gregoric.

practice and other forms of art outside the gallery.

26. Artists Books. Listings of recently published monographs and artists books.

26. VAI Western Representive. Stepping Out. Aideen Barry, VAI West of Ireland Representative reports on

visual arts activity in Donegal.

27. Opportunities. All the lastest grants, awards, commissions ect.

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORM

32. Conference Report. Activation. VAI CEO Noel Kelly reports on a gathering of European visual artist representative organizations, organised in December 2009 by Maison des Artistes, Paris.

Name: Address:

33. Project Profile. Exploring Creativity and Technology. Mags Walsh reports on ‘Insight Open’ (17 Jan 2009) a

seminar exploring technology and art practices for young people, held at sligo art gallery.

35. Living Artists Archive. The application form and full details on how to register with the VAI's Living

Email:

Telephone: Mobile Phone: Website:

Category of Membership:

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39. Problems. The consierge of agony profers some solutions to various art related woes.

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*If applying for Professional membership please tick which of the following apply. To qualify as a Professional member you must meet a minimum of three of the below criteria. You do NOT need to fulfil these criteria if you are applying for Associate membership.

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Britain £40. Europe €65. Rest of World €70. Friend €60.

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Additional Memberships Please tick below if you wish to avail of the following memberships o IVARO - The Irish Visual Artists Rights Organisation (no fee) o IAA - International Association of Art museum and gallery discount card (professional

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additional fee of €5 applies o Living Artist's Archive – an archive of artists and living and working in Ireland today. We

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Production Editor / Layout: Jason Oakley; News: Sabina McMahon; Roundup: Niall de Buitlear; Opportunities: Sabina McMahon; Proofing: Anne Henrichson; Invoicing: Bernadette Beecher.

Contributors Yilmaz Dziewior & Angelika Nollert, Seamus Kealy, Michael Burke, Fiona Fullam, Augustine O’Donoghue & Carol Anne Connolly, Áine Ivers, Sara Baume & Barry White, Fischli & Weiss, Brian Hegarty, Shane Holland, Niamh Ryan, Sarah O’Neil, Caroline Cowley, Julie Clarke, Deirdre Byrne, Martina Coyle, Maya Weimer, Jonny McCauly & John Callaghan, Sara Baume, Martin Healy, Jason Oakley, Ronan McCrea, Aideen Barry, Noel Kelly, Mags Walsh.

Contact

Western Representative

Visual Artists Ireland,

Aideen Barry. E: aideenbarry@gmail.com

37 North Great Georges Street, Dublin 1.

Northern Ireland Representative

T: 353(0)1 872 2296 F: 353 (0)1 872 2364

Daniel Jewesbury. E: d.jewesbury@gmail.com

E: info@visualartists.ie www.visualartists.ie

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CEO / Director: Noel Kelly

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O'Dwyer.

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The views expressed in this publication,

Advocacy Programme Officer: Alex Davis.

unless otherwise indicated, do not

Interns: Damien McGlynn, Aoife Flynn.

necessarily reflect those of the editor, editorial

Visual Artists Ireland is the registered trading name of The Sculptors’ Society of Ireland. Registered Company No. 126424.

panel

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Artists

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

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May – June 2009

INTERNATIONAL COLUMN

Roundup

Yilmaz Dziewior & Angelika Nollert

Roundup

Limerick in Art

Aideen Barry

in another time”.

‘Purlieu’ was Niamh McCann’s first solo exhibition at the Green On Red Gallery (19 Feb – 21 Mar). According to the gallery notes the works in the show “spliced urban motifs and natural elements, to create a hybrid cultural wasteland where both the natural and the urbane co-exist”. www.greenonredgallery.com

On at IMMA

model. De Boer’s work comprises recorded and transcribed memories of São Paulo from people who grew up in São Paulo and now live in Europe”.

Prior to this show PCP curated ‘Dare To Live Without Limits’ an exhibition of Irish artists’ work at SUB:URBAN Rotterdam, The Netherlands (10 Mar – 29 Mar). The featured artists were Vera Klute, John Lalor, Anita Delaney, Gavin Murphy, Brian Duggan and Michael Fortune. www.pallasprojects.org www.sub.urbanespressobar.nl/show.html

Portraits Willie Doherty Three Potential Endings 2009 (Still)

As part of our research for open e v+a 2009, we asked ourselves some basic questions. Where can you experience Irish art? Are there specific characteristics that define Irish artists? And how can one differentiate art from Ireland to the art of other nations?

For sure, there are great Irish institutions like the Irish Museum of Modern

Aideen Barry Vacuuming in a Vacuum

Art; the Hugh Lane Gallery; the Douglas Hyde Gallery; the Project Arts Centre; the Royal Hibernian Academy – and outside of Dublin, the Limerick City Gallery of Art; the Lewis Glucksman Gallery in Cork; The Model Arts & Niland Gallery in Sligo – to mention only a few. And of course in these institutions, amongst exhibitions of international artists there have been some great shows by Irish the Venice Biennale.

But we could not recall however, if there had been an exhibition of ‘Irish art’ outside of Ireland that paralleled fashionable exhibitions of –among others – Dutch, Danish or Balkan art. And in addition there has been no Irish movement, which can be compared to the YBA’s for example. But neither of these factors is necessarily a disadvantage – as contemporary Irish art has not been constrained by narrow thematic definitions.

Art production takes place in the context of challenging situations, in places where a discourse is developed – and in our view e v+a exemplifies such a place. And the art scene in Ireland has definitely been very much influenced by the now 33-year-old tradition of the exhibition of visual-plus art in Limerick.

During its history e v+a has developed from a privately organised artists association, with local meaning, to a highly professional series of exhibitions with an international approach and outlook. A very important step was to open the exhibition to artists who were not from Ireland; and therefore to bring into the Limerick context different individual forms of art production.

In order to focus on the idea of specific places for art production, in this case

Aideen Barry. 'hypothetical evolutions of [an] other'.

Installation view. Galway Arts Centre.

‘Hypothetical evolutions of [an] other’, Aideen Barry’s exhibition at Galway Arts Centre, (5 Mar – 9 Apr) explored what the press release referred to as “the contemporary gothic”. As the text further outlined, “using Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein as a starting point, Barry explores the notion of the domestic monster, one we have created ourselves with our obsessive cleaning behaviours, our desire for domestic perfection and the altering of our DNA through the abuse of cleaning chemicals”. www.galwayartscentre.ie

At the Green On Red

Limerick, we wondered if there were similar ideas or an overall theme that could be derived from the proposals made by the artists for this year’s show. It became apparent that a lot of artists were dealing with the situation of Limerick city, as well as other urban situations. We were interested in the dynamic between works considering of the local situation and a wider meta-level focus brought by works addressing other places. Thus the title the put on this years e v+ a – ‘Reading the City’ mirrors the intention of the exhibition to reflect the multiple perceptions of urban space.

‘Reading the City’ explores the validity of creating ‘portraits’ of a city and its inhabitants. The works in the show negotiate in various ways how a city can be read, identified and classified. The artists in their projects comment on how place is generated, transformed and developed through political, economic, cultural and social aspects.

How is identity shaped through the place one lives in? How can a city be characterised through architecture, sound, found material and surface traces?

Fundamentally these are the key topics, that are approached in broad variety of ways in ‘Reading the City’. There are site specific works – like the curtains from Nevin Aladag installed on the façade of the Hunt Museum; or the installation Eames Studio Limerick by Eamon O’Kane, which refers to the fact, that Charles Eames’s grandfather Henry Eames embarked from County Limerick for America in the mid 1700s. And there are works which deal with the shift from industrial to post-industrial societies, and the impact it has on the environment – as in the installation by Michele Horrigan Nature Obscured by Factory / Factory obscured by Fog. Marjetica Potrc’s wall drawings – entitled The struggle for Spatial Justice –explores the social and political meaning of urban spaces by comparing cities like Belgrade, Pristina and Tirana. Willie Doherty latest work is premiered here at e v+ a – Three Potential Endings which was shot in Dublin, investigates the spatial and socio / political conditions of specific urban locations, by deployed the intervention of the human figure to explore the dynamics of these spaces.

Barrie Cooke John McGahern

‘Elizabeth Peyton Age of Innocence 2007

artists. One can also see Irish art works in broader presentations – for example at

Niamh McCann. Work from ‘Purlieu’ .

The Green On Red Gallery, Dublin, presented ‘One year, six months, two weeks and four days ago’, a solo exhibition

by Gerard Byrne (26 Mar – 25 Apr) which featured both photographic and filmic work. As the exhibition notes explained, the show drew on a combination of disparate reference points – “large photographs of newsstands showing now outdated magazine covers; photographs of the reverse of Old Master paintings; a film of two women handling glass and stones with exacting precision, eclectic small photographs that seem to present America

The first exhibition devoted exclusively to the jewellery created by the American artist Alexander Calder opened at the Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin (1 Apr – 21 Jun). ‘Calder Jewellery’ explores the sculptor’s lifelong output of wearable art pieces made for family and friends.

Comprising some 100 pieces, including necklaces, bracelets, brooches, earrings and tiaras from the 1920s to the 1960s, the exhibition is the first in which this aspect of the artist’s practice is explored in depth.

Also on show at IMMA is Calder’s BMW art-car, designed in 1975.

‘Exploring A New Donation’, an exhibition celebrating the recent gift of 25 works from the Bank of Ireland Collection to the Irish Museum of Modern Art is currently on show (10 Mar – 27 Sept). The show marks the second major gift by the bank to IMMA in just ten years.

‘Elizabeth Peyton: Reading and Writing’ (1 Apr – 21 Jun) presented around 20 paintings and works on paper, comprising still lives and portraits, with a particular focus on literature and poetry as subject matter. The exhibition was described as “an intensely personal body of work, which confidently places beauty at the centre of contemporary art”.

‘Hughie O’Donoghue: Recent Paintings and Selected Works from the American Ireland Fund Donation’ (3 Mar – 17 May) marks a significant donation to IMMA of 39 works by the artist. At the heart of the donation is a series of paintings on the subject of the Passion, completed over a period of 10 years. www.imma.ie

Pallas Contemporary Projects ‘2 Films by 2 Artists’ at Pallas Contemporary Projects, Dublin, featured Manon De Boer’s Resonating Surfaces and Hito Steyerl’s Lovely Andrea (20 Mar – 19 Apr). As the press release explained, “Steyerl’s film follows the artist as she returns to Japan, where she briefly worked in the 80s as a bondage

The Butler Gallery, Kilkenny, recently hosted an exhibition of the portraits of Barrie Cooke (14 Mar – 26 Apr). In 60 years of painting Cooke has made over 25 portraits of poets, writers and artists, all of whom are his friends. The gathering of images of cultural icons included poets Seamus Heaney, John Montague, Ted Hughes, Núala Ní Dhómhnaill and Leland Bardwell; writers, John McGahern and Dermot Healy; and artists, Dorothy Cross, Camille Souter and Nick Miller. www.butlergallery.com

At the Golden Thread

C Lavelle & A Doran, work from 'Other Logic'

‘The Munter Hitch’ at Golden Thread Gallery, Belfast, (21 Mar – 18 Apr) brought together works by Dan Shipsides and Seamus Harahan. The exhibition presented video works by each artist that blur the lines between documentary filmmaking and visual art. As noted in the press release, “Shipsides and Harahan share a unique relationship with the environment that they occupy and offer the viewer an opportunity to walk/climb into their shoes”.

Also recently shown at the Golden Thread was the ‘North Down Art of Regeneration Photographic Exhibition’ (20 Mar – 28 Mar). This exhibition documented the progress of a four year long project – the images ranged from before and after shots of potential sites, removing murals, workshops, site visits

4

Column

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

Roundup

Seamus Kealy Biennalism

“The contemporary politics of emancipation is a politics of inclusion – directed against the exclusion of political and economical minorities”.

Boris Groys (1) Months ahead of this summer’s Venice Biennale, there are at least three mentionable projects by artists occupying spaces not provided by national or international cultural bodies. The first involves a boat sailed into the biennale by a Slovenian art group. A float-in tactic will also be realised via Reverse Pedagogy, (www.reversepedagogy.com) a project involving artists and curators who will officially arrive in canoes, and then live together in tents in a Venice apartment, continuing collective enterprise that involves collaboration and disdain for structure and authority (Reverse Pedagogy will later be realised at The Model in Sligo).

A third ‘drop-in’ art project is by a veteran at this business, Thierry Geoffroy / Colonel (www.colonel.dk). Colonel’s mode of attack is simply unfashionable and provoking. In 2003, Colonel first journeyed to the Venice Biennale as a makeshift, Peter Sellers-like crusader determined to document the attending media representatives’ viewership (the Biennale was titled ‘The Dictatorship of the Viewer’). Since then, Colonel has dropped into every Venice Biennale, as well as other art or cultural events – from music festivals to art fairs. For Colonel’s fifth visit to Venice, there will be several platforms of activity, the primary action being the format Biennalist. Colonel has organised this activity months in advance, and has attracted artists from around the world to participate in.

Responding to the crises of the day, artists of every stripe (their technical ability is irrelevant) turn up and make artwork in ad-hoc spaces, then mount their work for short-lived ‘openings’ in the very national pavilions at the biennale that exclude them. Thus, Biennalists are united under a campaign of disruption, using biennale themes as fuel and fodder. Over 30 artists are currently booked into a nearby camp. Daily they take a boat to the Guardini or Arsenale to penetrate pavilions. In 2007, Daniel Buren agreed to allow Penetration in the Greek pavilion, as did Venezuelan and Egyptian representatives, each slightly differently and all temporarily. Austrian artist VALIE EXPORT is one of few artists this year that have agreed to be penetrated.

Colonel’s projects turn inside-out the hierarchies and nationalistic metanarratives that are the central reason for the biennale to exist. The 2007 Istanbul Biennale, for example, was entitled, ‘Optimism in the Age of Global War’, where Colonel and his team organised a series of runs to discuss the theme, its relevance, and its implications, while gasping for breath. “Did a sponsor come up with this theme?” asked one individual. The last Venice Biennale, ‘Think with the Senses – Feel with the Mind: Art in the Present Tense’, was a perfect target for Colonel, where in a series of engagements with the biennale public, the theme was questioned, its origins considered, and its meaning taken literally to the point of irritation.

What might appear to most transgress (and thus most aggravate) the protective, nationalistic boundaries upheld by the institutions in the biennales is the assertion by Colonel and his crew that their artwork has some sort of equality with the high-production, often world-famous artists’ work in their representative pavilions. True democracy, as Jacques Raniere reminds us, annoys and inspires great hatred for its virtues. Almost all forms of aesthetic judgment would assert that there is no competition between the work of biennale artists and biennalist artists. But this may be missing the point. As Boris Groys explains, effective contemporary art parses the “socially, culturally, politically, or economically imposed hierarchies of values”(2) – and therefore furthers art’s autonomy. Colonel’s ongoing project – his semi-mad engagements with political activism in an art-world context – may often resemble ‘bad’ art, in that, for the most part, no particular aesthetic of art is excluded. However, denying any form of exclusion stretches Colonel’s activities into a utopic realm. And the perfect place for this artwork’s existence, and their very defining, is within the sparkle of contemporary art world spectacle a la biennale.

All Colonel’s activities exist off of these events like parasites – feeding from their structures and hierarchies – in order to both define their raison d’etre and to simultaneously mirror the state of affairs that give rise to them. These projects also give credence to the notion that sometimes impractical or awkward ideas carry disruptive force. While many people deplore the political potential of demonstrations and political organisations, Colonel holds up the everyday and makes gestures that invoke biopolitical potential within the least ‘significant’ of the art world.

Colonel’s activities are akin to the scenario of the ‘good communist’ as described by Slovenian writer Slavoj Zizek. The fellow perfectly meets the criteria and follows the ideology of Stalin to the absolute chagrin of the great leader, and to the loss of his own life (3). The biennalists engage the theme and rules of the biennale to the point of structural breakdown and threats from its organisers. What emerges is more than an illustration of power relationships, but the discomfiting, true essence of the art world, which appears as a retrograde, repressive, fattened beast; most visible when its greatest decision-makers gather together.

Notes 1. pg 15. Boris Groys Art Power 2008 2. pg 17. Boris Groys Art Power 2008 3. Slavoj Zizek The Parallax View 2006

May – June 2009

Ballinglen Arts Foundation, Co. Mayo in 2008.

2 was ‘Asafo Fate Flags’. This exhibition

www.annquinn.ie www.royalhibernianacademy.com

– organisations whose routes stem several

presented the banners of Asafo ‘companies’ centuries ago as military organisations. As the press release noted, “the simple motifs

What Hiver

on the flags, shared by different companies, are often inspired by proverbs or stories … as

www.gtgallery.org.uk

Ashford Gallery Exhibitions

Anne Quinn Melnik

designs

they

have

extraordinary vitality, energy, and often

C Lavelle & ADoran, work from 'Other Logic'

and the overall involvement and commitment of the communities involved.

‘13 Roland Gardens’ opened at the Golden Thread Gallery’s Project Space, Belfast (5 Mar – 14 Mar). Susan MacWilliams’ piece is based on the infamous ‘R101 séance’ on October 7th 1930, which involved Harry Price and Eileen Garrett. In 13 Roland Gardens Eileen Garrett’s daughter Eileen Coly talks about Garrett’s R101 séance and living above the Harry Price Laboratory at 13 Roland Gardens, London.

‘Other Logic’ was an exhibition of new work by Clodagh Lavelle and Aideen Doran, including sculpture and wall drawing, which ran at Golden Thread Gallery, Belfast (5 Feb – 14 Feb). As the press release noted, “Lavelle and Doran share a playful approach to the display and installation of their work, constantly drawing connections and questioning the relationships between image, action, text and objects.”

vernacular

have a wry sense of humour”. www.douglashydegallery.com

OPEN e v+ a 2009 ‘OPEN e v+ a 2009: Reading the City’ is on show in locations throughout Limerick City Centre including Limerick City Gallery of Art, former LSAD Building Georges Quay, Istabraq Hall at City Hall and the Hunt Museum (14 Mar – 24 May).

The show featured 36 artists from 14 'What Hiver' installation view. Studio 8. TBG&S.

'What Hiver’ was a gathering of works by 26 invited artists, hosted by Cora Cummins in her project studio in TBG&S, Dublin (19 - 21 March). The show’s title was a punning reference to the juvenile retort ‘what-ever’ and the participating artist were invited to explore “our day-today coping mechanisms for dealing with the weight of world”.

The works on show were described as expressing a gamut of positions “from flippancy, humour, escapism, denial and cynicism to acceptance, philosophical reflection, engagement and political action.

The exhibiting artists were Niamh O'Malley, Jonathan Hunter, Clodagh Emoe, Edel Campbell, Lynda Devenney.

Naomi Sex & Sinead McCann, Kevin Doran, Saoirse Higgins, Aaron Lowry, Liam Sharkey, Mark Cullen,Carly McNuty, Alison Pilkington, Roisin Lewis, Jason Oakley, Fiona McDonald, Gillian Lawler, Anne Kelly, Marcus Oakley, Deirdre Houlihan, Cora Cummins, Beatrice O'Connoll, Jenny Browne, Sam Horler, Wendy Judge www.whathiver.blogspot.com

countries. Maps are available from Limerick City Gallery of Art. This year’s e v+ a curators are Angelika Nollert & Yilmaz Dziewior. They share some of their thoughts on the show on page 3. www.eva.ie

Shows at Kerlin Gallery The Kerlin Gallery, Dublin, recently held a solo exhibition of new work by Dublin based artist Guggi (27 Mar – 25 Apr). The artist presented new paintings that, as the gallery notes explained, marked “a notable departure from the steady evolution of his work since he first exhibited his depictions of common everyday objects in Kerlin Gallery in 1993. His distinctive motifs of bowls and other vessels portrayed with clean, neat lines have transformed through freer outlines giving his paintings more spontaneous, instinctive energy”.

Seán Shanahan’s exhibition ‘As If’ was also presented by the Kerlin recently (20 Feb – 21 Mar). Describing the work, Giuseppe Panza explained, “I was drawn by the surfaces’ lack of reflections. The material seemed to absorb the light. An effect of material density; the colour was inside not on the surface; the colour has to penetrate deep inside.” www.kerlin.ie

At the Douglas Hyde The LAB ‘TRESPASS’, Aoife Desmond and Seoidín O’Sullivan’s collaborative art project ran at The LAB, Dublin (5 Mar – 18 Apr). As the press release outlined, this project “investigated and intervened in disused

Work by Michael Wann

Ann Quinn’s solo exhibition ‘Different Silences’ took place at the Ashford Gallery, RHA, Dublin (5 Mar – 26 Mar). The show comprised a collection of ten small-scale paintings that were created following a residency in Andalucía; as well as time spent in Eastern Europe and Donegal. Commenting on the work, Quinn noted, “I am always searching for that enchanting otherworldliness that nature can sometimes bring”.

The Ashford Gallery preceded this show with a selection of drawings by Michael Wann entitled ‘Humble Remains’ (6 Feb – 26 Feb). Wann’s exhibition included large-scale compositions completed while on residency at the Cill Riallaig Project, Co. Kerry and the

urban space” with a focus on “issues Work from ‘Asafo Fate Flags’. DHG, Dublin.

The Douglas Hyde Gallery, Dublin (27 Mar – 6 May) recently hosted Peter Fischli and David Weiss’s first Irish solo show. The exhibition featured approximately 400 photographs by the German artists – displayed on tables and on the walls of the gallery. The images were taken in fairgrounds and amusement parks, and the gallery notes drew attention to the “intimate scale and sombre tonality” of the works, and how “the subjects of the photographs are deeply rooted in vernacular western culture: including mythological scenes, fairy tales, animals, landscapes, and spaceships”.

Running at the same time in Gallery

around land use and ownership”.

The LAB also presented a group show entitled ‘A Silent Year’ (12 Feb – 28 Feb) which featured video work from Gareth Kennedy, Ruth Lyons and Bea McMahon exploring ideas of freedom and constraint.

'A Silent Year’ was produced by Culturstruction who also compiled a chronological library of data, writings, drawings, songs and poems tracing the story of how housing policy, law, greed and romantic ideas have, over time, affected the shape of the built environment in Ireland. http://culturstruction.wordpress.com www.trespass-trespass.blogspot.com www.dublincity.ie

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

May – June 2009

5

Roundup Push To Open

Bombhouse Studios, Five Lamps, Dublin.

‘Push To Open’ was the inaugural exhibition at BomBHouse, a new artist studio and exhibition space at the Five Lamps in Dublin 1 (19 Mar – 26 Mar). The show featured painting, sculpture and installation by BomBHouse studio artists Eric Walsh, John Kenny, Sebastian Rohr, William Pontillo, John Mernagh, Nina Holmes and Emma Moore.

Mark Canavan, Mark Case, Keith Connelly, Aaron Eakin, Steven Forbes, Darcie Graham, Chris Heaney, Clemency Hinds, Brian Jeffers, Oliver Jeffers, Rory Jeffers, Colum Kavanagh, Glen Leyburn, John McDermott, Christine McKee, Daniel McKee, Kim Montgomery, Claire Muckian, Chris Murphy, John Murray, Ingrid Neill, Peedy Quinn, Nick Patterson, Chris Preston, Mac Premo, Lynsay Spence, Peter Strain and Ben Willis.

www.thisisnotashop.com

Blackbird Looking ‘At Least Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird’ celebrated the fifth anniversary of the Seamus Heaney Centre for Poetry with an exhibition at The Naughton Gallery, Belfast (1 Apr – 25 Apr). The show featured works by Paul Allen, Mark Black,

Creativity – wha' tha'?

www.anpostcbothsides.ie

Ben Mullen Fear Gets in My Way

Holly Pereiara work from 'Same Same but Different'

Exhibitions at thisisnotashop ‘Fogtíogarburn’ a multimedia installation project by Andréa Stanislav was shown at thisisnotashop, Dublin (20 Mar – 2 Apr).

As the press release explained the work began with an “event / video shoot in Smithfield and following that, an exhibition of 3D souvenirs saturated in pink glitter that evoke the ‘ghosts’ of the Smithfield Market in the gallery space”. A video of the event was projected in the gallery’s front window in order to permit “optimum viewing” from the Luas.

Also at thisisnotashop, James Merrigan’s solo show ‘Hardware’ (27 Feb – 8 Mar) involved the artist fabricating a site-specific installation that played with the image of a hardware store as a site of possibility. From this fabricated stage, he invited the audience to extract the end, beginning and centre of a potentially hazardous narrative.

Wendy Judge’s solo exhibition entitled ‘Works of the World United: More Great Works…’ was shown at thisisnotashop (30 Jan – 12 Feb). The press release explained “Judge's art practice is concerned with the anomalous within the landscape, both in structures on the land and also within the land itself.

Michael Burke

www.naughtongallery.org

www.bombhouse.ie

Wendy Judge ‘Works of the World United: More Great Works…’

relating to their experience of Ireland in 2008. The press release noted, “as the project took off and gathered momentum, it served some participants not only as an artistic outlet, but also as a means of expressing their political, social or cultural opinions”.

ColumN

Same Same But Different Holly Pereira’s solo show ‘Same Same But Different’ was presented at the The Muse at 269, London (7 Apr – 26 Apr). The show was the result of a three-month residency in Post-Museum, Little India, and Singapore. According to the press release Pereira’s work investigated “how we create, perceive and maintain identities; cultural, racial and familial”. www.themuseat269.com www.myspace.com/hollypereiraart

Donovan Wylie – work from 'Maze 2007/08'

MAZE 2007/8 Donovan Wylie’s exhibition ‘Maze 2007/8’ at Belfast Exposed (27 Mar – 1 May) presented photographs documenting the demolition of the Maze prison. The show was also the occasion of the launch of Maze, a publication in three volumes, and Scrapbook, an album made in collaboration with Timothy Prus recreating the author’s personal view of the turmoil in Northern Ireland during the 1970s and 1980s. As the press release noted, much of Wylie’s work, “often described as ‘Archaeologies’, has stemmed primarily from the political and social landscape of Northern Ireland”. www.belfastexposed.org

An Post C Both Sides ‘An Post C Both Sides: An Exhibition in Postcards’ ran at the Dublin Civic Offices (30 Mar – 9 Apr), before beginning a nationwide tour to Tralee, Castlebar, Galway and Mullingar during the summer months. An Post launched ‘An Post C Both Sides’ in 2007, inviting people from all over the country to create a postcard

Stone Gallery Exhibitions ‘Wayfaring’ at The Stone Gallery, Dublin, (27 Mar – 25 Apr) presented the work of Aoife Cassidy, Mary A. Fitzgerald, Frances Jung, Ida Mitrani, Jason Rouse and Stephanie Rowe. The press release explained how “through fictional landscapes, stock imagery and film stills the artists freely travel through new and imagined realities”.

The previous show, ‘bing bang bong’ (20 Feb – 21 Mar) featured work from four artists: Oisin Byrne, Emma Roche, Liam Ryan and Ben Mullen. As stated in the press release, “all four artists work within the obsessive realm of the handmade.” www.stonegallery.ie

Grin & Bear It ‘Grin & Bear It: Cruel Humour In Art & Life’, at the Lewis Glucksman Gallery, Cork, (20 Mar – 5 Jul) is an exhibition of artwork and archival material that explores humour as a way of coping with the adversities of everyday life. The show is curated by Claire Feely and Matt Packer and artists represented in the show include James Beale, Stella Capes, Common Culture, Henry Coombes, Francisco Goya, Catherine Harty, W.K. Haselden, William Hogarth, Friedrich Kunath, Peter Land, Sean Landers, Nevan Lahart, Leo McCann, Harold Offeh, David Sherry, David Shrigley, Stephen Sutcliffe, Bedwyr Williams and Ed Young. www.glucksman.org

Response Room ‘Response Room’ (18 Mar – 18 Apr) was a site specific, multi-disciplinary installation by artists Louise Butler, Clare Henderson, Joe Stanley and Barbara Vasic shown at the Talbot Gallery, Dublin. As the gallery notes explained, “each artist was asked to respond to a line of enquiry that interested them … the purpose of the Response Room was to ask questions about how visual art is made”. www.responseroomblog.blogspot.com www.talbotgallery.com

Drawing Eire The 411 Galleries in association with the Irish Consulate in Shanghai and Culture Ireland presented the exhibition ‘Drawing Eire’ (7 Mar – 13 Mar). This exhibition presented the works of 100 Irish artists in the medium of drawing in two venues: the Times Plaza and the Equatorial Hotel, Shanghai. As the press release explained,

I hadn’t intended harping on about words and definitions again. But there is a word that has been getting a lot of exercise lately – creativity. Thankfully, it is a word that has been around for along time and we all understand what it means – don’t we? The dictionary (1) and the thesaurus (2) both provide fairly allencompassing definitions of ‘creative’ – and it can be all of these things.

Many years ago, I spent a month in Africa. As in many parts of the continent, some people in Kenya where I was were very well off, while the majority were not. Necessity being the mother of invention, there was a lot on improvisation. I saw houses in Nairobi’s infamous shantytown of Nathary Valley, roofed with flattened oil drums, others with walls ‘shingled’ with flattened cooking oil tins. Sandals made from the threads of old tires were on sale at all the street markets. Throughout the country, garden fences made primarily of bamboo were popular. Each piece of bamboo was held in place with two four inch round nails. Coke bottle tops were an essential decorative and functional addition – used as washers, nails were driven through the bottle caps to prevent them going too far into the bamboo. Thus for no cost, strength and durability was added to the fence.

The 60 watt oil lamp is another example of ‘invention’ or ‘creativity’ that more recently caught my eye. Residents of the barrios in many South American cities depend on them for light; and a craft / recycling industry has developed to provide them. An ordinary tungsten light bulb, blown of course and ready for the dump is disembowelled – and with the addition of some old tin cans and a length of wick, is turned into a mini oil lamp. I gather that these ingenious illuminations have become quite trendy and that designers and craft workers in the developed world are now making them as ‘their’ products.

Members of VAI would I imagine for the most part regard themselves as creative – all be it in a somewhat different meaning of the term than the 60 watt oil lamp creators and the bottle top recyclers. Instead we artists probably align our creativity alongside that of designers, architects, poets, writers, composers and others in the ‘arty’ crowd.

I started by noting the increased prevalence of the use of the word ‘creativity’. We now have creative accountants and creative footballers. There is nothing actually wrong or incorrect with such uses of the word, but when a word is used in so many different circumstances to mean so many different things, it can become meaningless and confusing.

2009 is ‘European Union Year of Creativity and Innovation’ (http:// create2009.europa.eu/). At EU level and internationally, there is much talk of the ‘creative industries’. Reports are being done and conferences organised – but people are being very creative in avoiding defining what they mean. Some proudly address conferences stating that “we don’t need to bother with definitions”.

In some reports the terms ‘cultural industries’ and ‘creative industries’ are so all-embracing that even the usher and the popcorn seller at your local cinema are included as key participants. In one way this is fine, as it makes the sector seem more important to the economists, who advise the bureaucrats who then tell the politician what to do. But we as artists are often omitted from these definitions – we don’t seem to count.

KEA (www.keanet.eu) are currently finalising their report The Impact of Culture on Creativity – that is promoting the inclusion of artists within the discussion; and to generally broaden the idea of creativity and innovation to include cultural creativity. Their recent newsletter on the topic can be found at http://www.keanet.eu/news.html On the issue of not counting. When I complete a census form I write ‘sculptor’ under the heading of profession. I don’t know how the CSO deals with that response or what category they shove me into, but I don’t think they provide information of how many sculptors there are working in the country.

Our household has been selected to take part in a study or trial census for the CSO. I’ll be making some comments.

Notes 1) Creative. [kri:’eItIv]. Adjective. Having the ability or power to create. Characterised by originality of thought or inventiveness; having or showing imagination – a creative mind designed to or tending to stimulate the imagination or invention. Creatively adverb. creativeness – noun. creativity – noun.

2) Creativity, Noun. Cleverness, fertility, imagination, imaginativeness, ingenuity, inspiration, inventiveness, originality, productivity, talent.

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

6 ColumN

Chris Fite-Wassilak Three Scenes

Scene 1: “I’ll burn any nigger, I’ll blow my own brains out and I’ll do the same for you, and you, and him, and I hope you would do the same for me.” He utters these words casually, sitting in a friend’s front room with four other men. The Beatles’ Help! can be heard on the radio in the background. It’s 1965, in Natchez, Mississippi, and the men are planning to create their own active militia in response to what they see as the failure of the non-violent methods of civil rights groups like the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People.

The scene is from Edward Pincus’s television documentary Black Natchez (1965). The film provides a glimpse into the internal struggles of the civil rights movement in the US, and gestures towards the eminent rise of activist groups like the Black Panthers. Pincus’s film was shown alongside Robert Drew’s The Children Were Watching (1961), a short documentary commissioned by ABC News as part of their TV series Close Up! The film follows an afternoon with one white family in New Orleans who are enduring an angry mob on their front lawn, neighbours protesting the fact that the family have continued to send their children to a nonsegregated school.

In the half-empty screening, I am sitting next to my father, a die-hard Beatles fanatic, who in 1961 would have been the same age as the ten year-old boy who has to make his way through the crowd of racist mothers just to come home from school. These films, part of a ‘Civil Rights on Film’ series, are being screened in the Atlanta Cyclorama, a dated, oddity of a museum, whose centrepiece is a 360-degree, 13 metre high painting and diorama of the 1864 battle of Atlanta, a turning point in the American Civil War. The Cyclorama itself has been criticised for its depiction of black involvement in the war; of the hundreds of soldiers in the intricate scene, none of them are of colour, despite blacks having fought on both sides. (1) Scene 2: Sitting alone in Hotel Gallery in London, the film on display focuses on the grey, empty corners of a room, before cautiously beginning to outline a human form: feet, a smile, eyes. This soon gives way to the outlying edges of familiar television footage: the start of an interview, laughter and nervous silence before a broadcast begins, botched answers to be re-staged. This, too, gives way to explicit, more comprehensively media material; press conferences, riots. The voice, however, begins to stray from the image, as the film once again abstracts from the body it portraits with shots of white sky. “A place I principally remember for...,” the narrator starts, then gives up with a resigned, “No.” Duncan Campbell’s esoteric but skilfully assembled Bernadette (2008) is a deliberately awkward sketch of socialist, activist, and Mid-Ulster MP Bernadette Devlin, a composite snapshot and reconstructed memory built from Campbell’s archive raids. Despite the film’s acute handling of documentary construction, my first response is cynical: no one will see this film. Or simply the thirty-odd people who come into the gallery during the exhibit’s duration. Since then, the film has toured incessantly to Edinburgh, New York, picked up an award at Art Basel, and stepped outside the gallery and museum circuit to appear at the 2009 Rotterdam Film Festival.

Bernadette has in a few places been noted as a female counter-point to Steve McQueen’s Hunger (2008), and at the same Cannes Film Festival where McQueen collected the Camera D’Or prize from Dennis Hopper, it was announced that a biopic of Devlin was underway, entitled The Roaring Girl. (1) Hunger, however, enjoyed drastically different screening contexts, playing on over seventy-five commercial cinema screens over the period of six weeks on the island, with twenty of those in Northern Ireland.

Scene 3: This collection of disparate filmic events is not without some rationale; all the films mentioned here have some level of political content and intent, and all in some way draw on the concept of cinema verité. Both Drew and Pincus were consciously attempting to instil a new, subject-led form of news reporting, and though their attempts influenced documentary and fictional filmmaking, mainstream media still remains relatively unaffected. Campbell’s efforts imply bringing the ‘truth’ of their approach into the editing room, while Hunger employs a more liberal, visceral approach to realism—perhaps more in the Passion of the Christ school of verité, where a physical intensity is meant to add insight to a historical event. Cinema verité was a method of making political points personal, and vice versa, intertwining subjectivity and objectivity.

Superimposing all of this, however, are the unresolvable problematics of placement and distribution systems. Each of these events led me to question how the context in which a work is shown bears on its reception—the ways that people are enabled to actually see the work in the first place, and once that has been allowed to happen what impact it might have. The Cyclorama screening acted, for me, as a potent re-appraisal of both the US civil war and civil rights movement, but perhaps not for the dozen or so other people who bothered to come. Were the original television broadcasts more effective? A wider audience doesn’t necessarily mean greater impact or meaning, but it does create simply numerically more possibilities for a work to engage audience members.

Attempting to answer these questions would mean spouting generalised platitudes. Cinema verité strove to erase the impossible distance between subject and viewer, but these moments highlight the necessary but ambiguous task of continually analysing the factors that pre-figure and mediate the space that runs between the two.

Notes 1) The Cyclorama played no small part in shaping Kara Walker’s panoramic installations, most directly her work Slavery! Slavery! made for the 2002 Sao Paulo Biennale.

2) The film is currently still in progress, despite the efforts of Devlin McAliskey’s lawyers to halt production.

May – June 2009

Roundup “the 411 Galleries challenged Irish artists to return to their roots in the world of drawing, asking them to present to a Chinese audience drawings of what ever they felt represented their current interests in their art practice”.

film-works, site-specific models and a series of drawings. Belfast-based ceramicist Michael Moore exhibited over 20 new ceramic works in ‘Departures’ (5 Feb – 21 Mar).

Gipfelstürmer

www.millenniumcourt.org

www.411galleries.com.cn

Ulrich Vogl. Work from ‘Gipfelstürmer’

Vauney Strahan Moonriver

Mindscapes Vauney Strahan recently exhibited new works at the Crow Gallery, Dublin (16 Apr – 25 Apr). The show was described as exploring “the relationship between mind and matter / man and the universe”; as well as investigating “the dialogue between the conscious and the unconscious”. www.crowgallery.net

Flock ‘Flock’ at Broadstone Gallery & Studios, Dublin, (26 Mar – 28 Mar) was an exhibition by third year fine art students studying at Dublin Institute of Technology.

The show was described as a “collaborative project, serving a dual purpose; an experiment in the craft of exhibition making, and a public forum for critical debate on works produced and ideas explored by the students”.

Ulrich Vogl’s exhibition ‘Gipfelstürmer’ was shown at the Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, Dublin (5 Mar – 28 Mar). According to the press release, in this exhibition the artist focused on “drawing & light, working with shadows, reflections and movement, such as his reverse painting on glass”.

Vogl also showed work at Dunamaise Arts Centre, Portlaoise (25 Feb – 11 Apr). www.kevinkavanaghgallery.ie www.dunamaise.ie

Bbeyond Documentation ‘Bbeyond Documentation: Performance Art Projects 2001 – 2008’ was presented

by University of Ulster Cultural Development (23 Feb – 6 Mar) at the Foyer Gallery in the University of Ulster, Belfast. The exhibition featured a selection of video and photographic documentation, from Bbeyond’s archive, available for its first public viewing.

www.originalprint.ie

Hostile Encounters ‘In Memory of Hostile Encounters’ was a solo show by James Hayes at Limerick Printmakers Gallery, Limerick (6 Mar – 26 Mar). As stated in the press release, “this exhibition dealt with conflict and tension, and the lurking power struggle underpinning our society”. www.limerickprintmakers.com

Michael Fortune

Michael Fortune.

My Grandfather was taken by theFairys (Video Still)

Treasa O'Brien. Work from 'The Right to Play'

Aliens and others John Kelly’s solo show ‘Aliens and Others’ was recently shown at the Original Print Gallery, Dublin (12 Mar – 3 Apr). In recent work, Kelly has focused on branding and logos. The gallery notes explained, “the work was concerned about Australian culture, in the larger sense, blindly adopting the criteria of others – prescriptive, doctrinal approaches seemingly adopted with little thought or debate”.

www.tinahely-courthouse.ie

THE RIGHT TO PLAY

http://adp.dit.ie/documents/ashkelon.pdf

John Kelly Nolan's Light

At Courthouse Arts Centre ‘Findings’, an exhibition of photography and prints by Doreen Kennedy recently ran at the Courthouse Arts Centre, Tinahely, Co Wicklow (22 Mar – 17 Apr).

The work explored themes of the external environment, time capture and the process of recording time with the use of single or repeated images. The intention is to record the experience of being in a particular location and the images provide evidence or findings from that environment.

Previously, ‘Scenes From the Monoculture’, an exhibition of new work

by Tony Gunning (15 Feb – 13 Mar) was on show. Gunning presented observations of a modern Ireland as part of a global monoculture based on conspicuous consumption and aspiration. All of the work in the collection is acrylic on canvas, painted in a realist style from photographic references.

Treasa O’Brien’s recent exhibition ‘The Right to Play’ at Triskel Arts Centre, Cork, (6 Mar – 28 Mar) explored human rights issues affecting young people in Nicaragua. The press release explains how “through a series of photographs and edited video footage, the imagery reflected on the play of power, ethics and aesthetics of representation and audience”. www.triskelart.com

Millennium Court Arts Centre Millennium Court Arts Centre, Armagh, hosted a special opening night celebration and retrospective exhibition for the internationally known artists, The Guerrilla Girls. The exhibition, which presented posters and photographs that document the history of the Guerrilla Girls, coincided with the launch of an allIreland Guerrilla Girl Research Tour. Their tour, which took place during April, took in Belfast, Portadown, Cork, Dublin and Kilkenny. The research project will inform new work, which will be shown at MCAC in October 2009 and the other co-commissioning venues during 2010.

Millennium Court Arts Centre also ran two recent exhibitions. ‘Space, Fear and the Multitude’ was a new body of project-based work from Joy Gerrard (5 Feb – 21 Mar) including photography,

Michael Fortune presented a solo show of video works in Tensta Konsthall, Stockholm, Sweden (6 Feb – 20 Mar).

Fortune’s show inaugurated the newly purpose built space, The Velvet Room.

The opening was followed by an in-conversation between the artist and Gallery Director William Easton. www.tenstakonsthall.se www.michaelfortune.ie

Escape Velocity Ivan Twohig’s exhibition ‘Escape Velocity’ at Glór Gallery, Clare, (7 Mar – 28 Mar) featured a mixture of new sculpture and installation works, incorporating fluorescent light, digital origami, modified toys, print, collage and drawing. The press release described the works as addressing “complex issues regarding media, mass culture and the pressures that an ever more commercialized art market places on artists at the early stages of their careers”. Twohig also created a large-scale work for the concourse space at Glór, produced from 300 triangular cardboard units constructed during a ‘Shape Workshop’ with local schoolchildren. http://ivantwohig.com

Eija-Liisa Ahtila Derry-based gallery Void recently exhibited two works by Eija-Liisa Ahtila, The Hour of Prayer and The Present (10 Feb – 21 Mar). The Hour of Prayer consisted of an installation made up of simultaneous DVD-projections with sound, which was shown continuously on four built

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

7

May – June 2009

ROUNDUP adjacent screens in Gallery One. In Gallery Two, The Present was loosely based on interviews Ahtila conducted with a number of women who had developed psychosis at some point in their lives.

Also held at Void were two events hosted in collaboration with the Imagine Create 09 Festival and the School of Creative Arts at The University of Ulster.

On 3 April, Void hosted a seminar and discussion by Artangel and on 4 April a performance by experimental music artist Scanner. www.derryvoid.com

Exhibitions at Monster Truck

WE THE PEOPLE ‘We The People’, a Context Gallery exhibition at St. Columb’s Hall, Derry, (7 Mar – 25 Mar) featured the work of American artists Carolyn Monastra, Xaviera Simmons and José Ruiz. Curated

by Gregory McCartney, the show was the third in a series of exhibitions exploring emerging American artists’ relationship with their country. www.contextgallery.co.uk

State of Grace Catalyst Arts, Belfast, recently presented ‘State of Grace’, an exhibition of work by Ursula Burke (5 Mar – 4 Apr). For the show, Burke produced a body of sculptural and photographic work that was described in the press release as “tactile, witty, and engaging with a wide audience in a debate about the nature of ‘Irishness’ in contemporary terms”. www.catalystarts.org.uk

Symmetry

each of which occupy the spatial content of these compositions.” www.fermanagh.gov.uk

Dense Mouth ‘Dense Mouth’ at Four Gallery, Dublin, (5 Mar – 5 May) was the first international solo show by Lyndsay Mann. As described in the press release, “Mann presented an installation of three works held in conspiratorial conversation across a reduced plane of submissive grey walls.

Combined through careful installation, these independent entities assert an open space, which plays host to a series of ongoing dialogues.” www.fourdublin.com

James Coleman The Irish Museum of Modern Art, in collaboration with the Projects Arts Centre, and the Royal Hibernian Academy, held an exhibition by the internationally renowned Irish artist James Coleman across the three Dublin galleries (7 Mar – 26 Apr). Featuring works from the 1970s up to the early 2000s, the exhibition included many works previously not seen in Ireland, including three of Coleman’s most celebrated artworks, Charon (MIT Project), 1989, Seeing for Oneself, 1987 – 88 and Untitled, 1998 – 2002. www.imma.ie

documenting the long-standing tradition of bonfire building by Protestant communities in Belfast. Duncan’s photographs capture bonfires waiting to be set alight, built in preparation for the annual 11th July celebrations.

Monster Truck Gallery and Studios, Dublin, presented ‘The Persistent Grid’, a solo exhibition of new work by Irish artist Niall Flaherty (27 Feb – 2 Mar).

Niall’s practice consists of an ongoing inquiry into the modern world and the manner in which its systems replicate themselves within the modern subject.

Much of this new work was initiated on a residency in The Mantua Project, Ballinagare, Co. Roscommon, which took place in June 2008.

Brian Coldrick’s first solo show, ‘Shrunken Head’ also ran at Monster Truck Gallery & Studios (5 Feb – 17 Feb).

As the press release noted, “his longstanding obsession with sloths led him to the world of the shrunken head. This bizarre starting point led to a series of ‘portraits’ of various identities created to represent their original. Be it an alter ego, a stage name or a personification, it’s easier to relate when there’s a handy shrunken head version of the truth.” www.briancoldrick.com www.monstertruck.ie

LONELINESS IN WEST GERMANY Specifically developed for the GoetheInstitut, Dublin, Declan Clarke’s solo exhibition ‘Loneliness in West Germany’ (30 Jan – 28 Mar) curated by Georgina Jackson, referenced the interrelationship between history, politics and culture, engrained in the ideology of the Institut itself. Clarke created two new film works along with a number of interventions in the Goethe-Institut’s reading room, gallery space, library, car park and an upstairs apartment. www.dublin.goethe.org

Black Church Print Studio presented ‘Symmetry’ at the Original Print Gallery, Dublin (13 Feb – 7 Mar). The exhibition brief was centred around the following statement by Paul Valéry: “The universe is built to a plan, the profound symmetry of which is somehow present in the inner structure of our intellect.” The result is a conglomerate of 2 and 3 dimensional works on paper as well as lens-based and textile works. www.print.ie

This Must Be The Place

Old Rain, New Eyes

Martin Finnin Study of a piece of bacon

PERIPHERIES ‘Peripheries’, an exhibition of the work of photographer Paul Seawright from 1986 ­– 2003 ran at Solstice Arts Centre, Navan (18 Feb – 28 Mar). The exhibition encompassed early political investigations of Northern Ireland such as Police Force. The press release described how “throughout the exhibition there was a subtle documentation of natural and city landscapes, exploring the edges of uninhabited spaces”. www.solsticeartscentre.ie

In Limbo

www.vangardgallery.com The Irish Musuem of Contemporary Art - exterior view.

‘This Must Be The Place’ (28 Mar – 19 Apr) was an exhibition of new work by 10 artist-led collectives at The Irish Museum of Contemporary Art, Dublin, curated by Paul Murnaghan and Sally Timmons. As the press release noted, the show invited artist-led organisations to consider the question “how do we think?” in the form of collaborative artworks. www.imoca.ie

Excursions Finola Neary Russell’s solo exhibition ‘Excursions’ recently ran at The Higher Bridges Gallery, Enniskillen (27 Feb – 31 Mar). As noted in the press release, “the heart of the pieces is a form of expression, shared identity, understanding of the self and others, as well as a personal wish to push boundaries between land and form,

Yourself From The Outside In this third project of the ‘Sounding Out Space’ series at PS2, Belfast, Swedish sculptor Tobias Sternberg worked for 4 weeks on ‘Yourself From The Outside’ (26 Jan – 14 Mar). The press release described how “he constructed an extended, complex architecture of a doorway, tunnel and corridor, which redefines the space and makes the entrance an adventurous experience. His focus was on the entrance, the passage from the outside to the inside, both physically and metaphorically.” www.pssquared.org

Bonfires Temple Bar Gallery & Studios, Dublin, presented ‘Bonfires’, an exhibition by Belfast-based photographer John Duncan (27 Feb – 4 Apr). The exhibition represented a large body of work by Duncan, produced over three years,

Shows at Signal Signal Arts Centre, Bray, recently exhibited a collection of photography work by Rachel Randall (31 Mar – 12 Apr). The work in ‘Light Shadows’ dealt with the fragility and transience of human life through nature. The press release stated “The work explored how we react to light and shade, and the associations that they encompass as well as how the permanence of the photograph can translate our experience into images and record what is momentary, rendering the intangible into something more real.”

Other recent shows at Signal Arts Centre include ‘Faoi Bláth’, featuring photography work by Jane Talbot (18 Mar – 29 Mar) and ‘The Palimpsest of Home’, a multi-media exhibition by Angela Anderson (3 Mar – 15 Mar). www.signalartscentre.ie

Mariusz Soltysik – work from 'In Limbo'

Mariusz Soltysik’s first solo show in Dublin ‘In Limbo’ was exhibited at Broadcast Gallery, DIT (13 Feb – 2 Apr).

The exhibition was composed of three elements: drawings, sculpture and video.

The press release explained, “while each of these elements offered an individual reading, they also conveyed a single thematic unity”. http://broadcast-gallery.blogspot.com

Martin Finnin held a recent solo show at the Vangard Gallery, Cork, entitled ‘Old Rain, New Eyes’ (12 Mar – 4 Apr). The exhibition of new work featured paintings in both oils and watercolours.

According to the artist, “the title piece; Old Rain, New Eyes, is fuelled by optimism; it is the seeing of every day events, objects and existence in a completely new way”.

www.oonaghyoung.com

www.templebargallery.com

Work from 'Symmetry' – installation view.

Brian Coldrick Slothie Cravat I

it explains how, “underscored by a subtle sense of humour, Beattie’s vocabulary uses elementary physics and lo-fi aesthetics to illustrate the human desire to categorise and control nature”.

Feeling Scopophilic Áine Macken’s solo exhibition ‘Feeling Scopophilic’ took place in the Greenroom Gallery, located in the Cork Arts Theatre (28 Mar – 11 Apr). The work was described as “operating in the complicated sphere of the ambiguities of contemporary sexuality. It considers the nature of the desirable image from the predominance of internet imagery, the creation of a social networking persona, and the curiosities and ethics of the exhibitionist”. www.ainemacken.com www.greenroomgallerycork.com

Catalyst Members Show at G126 A selection of works from ‘Allotments’, the Catalyst Arts Members’ Show, was shown at G126, Galway as part of the 2nd Annual Members’ Show Exchange (5 Feb – 28 Feb). The press release explained, “these Annual Members Shows provide an opportunity for the two organisations to display the richness and diversity of practice in their respective membership”.

The two exhibitions this year ran simultaneously in both galleries. www.126.ie

Grúpat Project Arts Centre, Dublin, presented the first major Irish retrospective of renowned sound art collective Grúpat (10 Feb – 14 Feb). For five days Grúpat took over the Gallery and Cube space in Project Arts Centre to present a showcase of their innovative and experimental approach to sound. The show featured a wide range of works including several newly commissioned pieces. www.project.ie

Tools and Objects David Beattie’s solo show ‘Tools and Objects’ ran at the Oonagh Young Gallery, Dublin recently (30 Jan – 14 Mar). The work focused on mechanical technology and it’s use in replicating natural phenomena. In the press release,

Get into The Roundup ■■ To have your exhibition or

event considered for inclusion

in the round-up section, simply

e-mail text and images to the

editor (jason@visualartists.ie).

■■ Your text details / press release

should include: venue name,

location, dates and a brief

description of the work / event.

Note that ‘hard-copy’ cannot be

accepted due to the volume of

material that needs to be

collated for this section of the

publication. Inclusion is not

guaranteed, but we aim to give

everyone a fair chance.

■■ Our criteria is primarily to

ensure that the roundup

section has a good regional

spread and represents a

diversity of forms of practice,

from a range of artists at all

stages in their careers.

■■ Priority is given to events taking

place within Ireland, but do let

us know if you are taking part

in a significant international

event.

8

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

May – June 2009

NEWS

News ARTS FUNDING & THe BUDGET

Arguing for the Arts

with Model Offsite ‘09 at Model Satellite,

As many have anticipated, the supplementary budget (announced on 7 April 2009), has resulted in cuts to funding of the

Readers might be interested to look up

a 6,000 sqft exhibition space located

cultural sector in the Republic of Ireland. The Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism have stated “expenditure in relation to

the report of a recent meeting (11 March

over two floors of Castle House on Castle

the Arts, Culture and Film sector has reduced by €41m from €221m in 2008 to €180m in 2009, a reduction of 18.5%. Within

2009) of the joint committee on arts,

Street, Sligo.

this, the reduction in relation to current expenditure has been 6% while the reduction in relation to capital expenditure has

sport, tourism, community, rural and

Future Model is still seeking

been 42%, owing primarily to the completion of once off major capital projects such as the Wexford Festival Opera House

Gaeltacht affairs. It makes for a

contributions from private donors to aid

and the Gate Theatre extension”.

heartening read in these troubled times.

the funding of the project. Information

The meeting comprised of insightful

on private and corporate donations is

sector have been concentrated into capital expenditure to protect day to day expenditure and ensure venues remain open, job

presentations by Arts Council Chairman

available now on the Model Arts &

losses are minimised and the contribution to cultural tourism enhanced. Pre 2009 commitments in respect of local arts and

Pat Moylan, Arts Council Director Mary

Niland

culture (capital) infrastructure will be honoured. Current funding to the Arts Council, the state agency which develops and

Cloake and Arts Council members Alan

www.modelart.ie/futuremodel.htm

supports the arts in Ireland will be confirmed on the publication of the Revised Estimates”.

Stanford and Phillip King, that make

Further explanation has been offered by Martin Cullen, Minister for Arts, Sport & Tourism: “The bulk of the cuts in this

Gallery’s

website.

very solid convincing arguments for the

e v+ a colloquies

VAI Representations on the Budget

arts essential place in society and the

The seventh e v+ a colloquies on

Prior to the ROI’s Supplementary Budget, from late February and throughout March, Visual Artists Ireland made

importance of supporting artists and art

contemporary art and culture will be

representations to all Dáil TDs. In addition, VAI met with Mary White TD, a member of the Committee on Arts, Sport,

institutions.

launched on the evening of Friday, 15

Amongst the points made by Pat

May and continue to midday, Sunday 17

requesting that the Tax Exemption Scheme be protected; that the Percent for Art Scheme be legislated for; and for a

Moylan, she asserted that ‘the times

May’ The colloquies consist of a weekend

continuance of support in funding for The Arts Council; as well as the development of a strategic view for the increase of

when the arts might have been seen as a

of informal discussion amongst artists,

support for the arts.

luxury are no more’ and noted that “the

past and present e v+ a curators, specially

arts are the single biggest pursuit in

invited critics, curators, guests, and

Fiscal Status of the Visual Artist in Ireland’. As the letter explained: “during the current economic reality visual artists, like

Ireland, bigger than the GAA and even

others devoted to making sense and

most Irish citizens, find themselves falling further and further down the social scale. We have completed a survey in

bigger than political involvement”.

meaning out of how contemporary art

December 2008 that indicated that 33% of artists earn less than €10,000 in total earnings. A further 34% earn between

Moylan also stressed that “public subsidy

and culture interact. Contact e v+ a at

€10,000 and €25,000. These total earnings are comprised of income from creative work, and part time or casual labour

for the arts derives from the same

087 94 77 042 for information.

earnings. But, as with most sectors of the economy, opportunities for supplementing creative earnings are diminishing.

principle applied to providing a public

Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, in order to focus on a number of specific issues raised in the letter: such as

The letter to TDs also outlined some of the preliminary results of the VAI’s recent survey ‘The Social, Economic and

subsidy for a range of public services.

CUSTOM HOUSE STUDIOS

there have had a direct effect on the cancelling of part time lecturing contracts. To give some idea of how this directly affects

The arts are a social good which, if left to

Saturday 4 April 2009 saw the official

an artist. Currently, 67% of visual artists earn less than €10,000 per annum from their creative works. A further 24% earn

the marketplace, would not survive or

re-opening of Custom House Studios at

between €10,000 and €25,000. They are therefore dependent on additional supports to make ends meet. We have also found

would do so in a fashion so distorted

the Quay in Westport, Co. Mayo, by Dr.

that 24% have been in household arrears in the year ending 2008. This was at a time when Ireland still had financial stability.

that the public good would not be

Martin Mansergh TD, Minister of State

This situation will obviously worsen as we look to the current economic situation.”

served”. It was also emphasised that the

with responsibility for Arts and the

arts ‘offer value for money for the

OPW. The building that houses Customs

additional statistical findings of the survey ‘The Social, Economic and Fiscal Status of the Visual Artist in Ireland’ to the

investment made’ and likewise that

House Studios had recently undergone

Committee on Arts, Sport, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs for further consideration. Deputy White also

‘most jobs in the arts sector are very

an extensive programme of renovations

undertook to gain clarification for us with regards to how artists, as PAYE and Self Employed workers, can gain access to

modestly paid’ and given the outcomes

that included the building of an

Social Welfare benefit. A general clarification document has been prepared for Social Welfare offices on this matter that is in

also represented ‘very good value for

extension

circulation to Social Welfare Offices. When we receive this information, it will be published on the info~pool section of the

money’. A full transcript of the meeting

exhibition space, improved office space,

VAI’s website.

can be read here:

and internal access between the gallery

One of the primary areas in which an artist can provide an income for themselves is in the area of education. The cuts

Following on from the VAI’s meeting with Mary White TD, the Deputy undertook to bring this information, along with

http://debates.oireachtas.ie/DDebate. aspx?F=TOJ20090311.xml&Node=H2#H2

provide

additional

and studios.

Custom

Minister’s Response

to

House

Studios

was

In relation to Visual Artists Ireland’s letter to all Dáil TDs, Joe Costello, Labour TD, tabled a question. The response from

FUTURE NILAND PROJECT

originally established in the 1980’s, and

Martin Cullen, Minister for Arts, Sport & Tourism follows here:

On 8 April was announced that

the studio building which was made

For written answer on Tuesday, 24 March, 2009.

construction work had begun on the

available to the studios by Mayo County

Identical Question(s): Finance Ref No: 11750/09

extensive redevelopment of the Model

Council and Westport Town Council

Arts and Niland Gallery in Sligo. The

has been carefully restored to conserve

project, which has been spearheaded by

its historical architectural features. It

Sligo County Council, will see the Model

now houses 7 studios, a printmaking

REPLY I propose to take questions Nos. 608 and 618 together.

Niland expand in size by over a third in

workshop and a gallery space. The

in the visual arts sector.Many of the funding channels referred to in the correspondence fall within the remit of other

an attempt to realise its potential and

extension was made possible through

Departments and local authorities. In respect of the Per Cent for Arts scheme, work is continuing apace in finalising new

consolidate its position as a flagship

funding from the Social and Community

guidelines for the scheme.

cultural centre in Ireland.

Facilities Capital Scheme 2006, the

I have noted the comments in the correspondence referred to by the Deputies in relation to the challenges facing those

Responsibility for the promotion of the arts at all levels throughout the country is primarily devolved to the Arts

Through a new flagship entrance

Department of the Environment, Mayo

Council. It is the principle agency through which State funding is channelled to the arts. Under the Arts Act, 2003, the

the new extension of the Future Model

County Council Social and Economic Fund and Mayo County Council.

general functions of the Council include the following:

will deliver high-level incubation spaces

To stimulate public interest in the arts;

for creative industries, a purpose built

The opening event was attended by

To promote knowledge, appreciation and practice of the arts;

performance space and artists’ studios.

artists and members of the local

To assist in improving standards in the arts.

Meanwhile the existing building will

community, as well as Cllr. Martin Keane

house a new gallery and exhibition

(Cathaoirleach Westport Town Council),

space, a restaurant and additional

Cllr. Margaret Adams (Chairperson of

education spaces. The contract for the

Custom House Studios Ltd and member

measures introduced in the 2009 budget, all Government Departments and State Agencies are to achieve a range of

project has been awarded to SISK. The

of Mayo County Council and Westport

reductions and savings in 2009, both on pay and non-pay expenditure, and the Arts Council is no exception. These include a

total estimated cost of the project comes

Town Council) and Mayo County

3% reduction in the level of their 2008 pay bill and at least a 50% reduction in their consultancy and advertising budgets.

in at €5 million, €3.5 of which has been

Council Manager Mr. Des Mahon. All

The Arts Council is a statutory independent body, funded by my Department and independent in its day-to-day operations, and I have no role to play in relation to its funding intentions.

I refer the Deputies to my reply of 28th January 2009 last to question 41832/08. As I outlined in that reply, under

By any standards however, the Arts Council has seen significant increases in its funding allocation in recent years,

made available to the Model Arts &

spoke of the importance of the arts in

increasing by over 59% from €47.67 million in 2002 to €81.62 million in 2009. These are significant amounts of taxpayers’

Niland Gallery through the Department

Westport, and wished Custom House

money in any context and have effectively transformed the arts, by facilitating increased access to and participation in the

of Arts, Sport and Tourism’s Access

Studios continued success.

full spectrum of art forms through the country. The Government’s sustained support has resulted in a firm foundation to the

grants programme, along with €600,000

arts sector that will assist it in facing future challenges.

from the Borough Council.

This Government is committed to supporting the arts and will continue to fund the Arts Council within available financial resources.

While the Model Arts & Niland Gallery is awaiting completion of the

Minister for Arts, Sport & Tourism, Martin Cullen TD

Future Model, scheduled for 2010, their visual arts’ programme is continuing

www.customhousestudios.ie

TBG&S & HIAP RESIDENCY AWARD On Wednesday 1 April 2009 Temple Bar Gallery & Studios in association with HIAP (Helsinki International Artist-inResidence Programme) announced the

9

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

May – June 2009

NEWS recipients of the International Residency

provide support and guidance to arts

ACNI INNOVATION AWARDS

the town, the meeting called on the local

Exchange Award 2009. The TBG&S and

organisations and artists working as arts

In early March the Arts Council of

authorities to finalise a plan and

HIAP partnership aims to provide

practitioners, facilitators or tutors

Northern

complete this facility immediately.

support for contemporary Irish artists to

making, recording and using images of

recipients of the First Round of the

The meeting was well attended by

participate on a 3 month residency at

children and young people. It covers

Creative Industry Innovation Fund

the local community, and Mr. Barry

the Cable Factory, Helsinki, and for

such issues as informed consent, the

Awards.

Cowen, Chairperson of Offaly County

Finnish artists to complete a residency

legal context, privacy and publishing

at TBG&S in Dublin.

images on websites.

Ireland

announced

the

Outliving Dracula: Film Versions of

NSF NEW DIRECTOR The Board of the National Sculpture Factory announced the appointment of Mary McCarthy as the next Director of the NSF at the end of February. Ms McCarthy took up her new position with the National Sculpture Factory on 20 March, and Conor Doyle, Chairman of the National Sculpture Factory, said that the Board of the NSF took great pleasure in announcing Ms McCarthy’s appointment as they believe her to be a leading senior arts manager who has both the experience and skill set required to enable the NSF to further deepen and enhance its relationship with artists and policy makers alike.

From 2005 to the present Mary McCarthy has worked as Executive Arts Manager at Dublin Docklands, and she has previously held positions as a Programme Director of Cork 2005: European Capital of Culture, Director of the National Sculpture Factory, and as a member of the Irish Museum of Modern Art’s curatorial team. She currently sits on the Board of Culture Ireland, Business to Arts and the Corona Cork Film Festival, and is a member of a European Commission assessment panel for future

Carmilla, and director Conor Horgan

European Capitals of Culture.

The funding awards are worth a

Council, stated that the Department of

total of £283,560 and will be awarded to

Arts, Sport and Tourism have confirmed

‘Solo

Craft NI, NI Music Industry Commission

year’s International Residency Exchange

practitioner code of practice for working

(NIMIC), NI Business Innovation Centre

that the grant of €2million is now

Award are Irish artist Niamh McCann

with children and young people’ is a

(NORIBIC Ltd) and Belfast City Council.

and Finnish artist Antti Leppanen.

code of practice that aims to provide

The first round of the Creative Industry

Niamh McCann lives and works in

support and guidance to artists working

Innovation Fund Awards were targeted

Dublin and is a graduate of Chelsea

with children and young people in a

at sectoral bodies for innovative

College of Art & Design, London. She

solo capacity as practitioners, facilitators

initiatives that aim to develop the

works in a variety of media and recently

or tutors. It is advised that is based on,

knowledge base, infrastructure and

had a solo exhibition at the Green On

and should be read in conjunction with,

human resources within the creative

Red Gallery, Dublin. Antti Leppanen

established good practice guidelines.

sector. The Awards are administered by

REEL ART AWARDS

the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.

The Arts Council recently announced

The two artists selected for this

The

second

document

ringfenced for the development of an arts centre in Tullamore until 2010, and that he would personally facilitate progressing the issue with the local ‘Art Centre Group’ members, SPC members and the Department. www.tullamorearts.com

received an MA form the Finnish

Both resources were developed in

Academy of Fine Arts in 2006, and his

consultation with individual artists, arts

Projects that received funding

the recipients of the first Reel Art Awards,

work was recently included in the group

organisations and the Health Service

include NIMIC’s commissioning of a

a scheme operated by the Arts Council

show ‘Premonitions’ in the HIAP Project

Executive: Keeping Safe Information

comprehensive sectoral research study,

in association with Filmbase and the

Room. He lives and works in Helsinki,

and Advice Persons. Both documents are

Craft NI’s creation of best practice

Jameson Dublin International Film

and a solo exhibition of his work will

available from the Arts Council website.

examples for business development and

open in Koh-I-Noor, Copenhagen, in

www.artscouncil.ie/en/publications/standards_and_ guidelines.aspx

Festival. Reel Art Awards were awarded

May 2009.

innovation,

Belfast

City

Council’s participation in SXSW, a key

The third year of the partnership will see Antti Leppanen beginning a residency at TBG&S in July 2009 supported by The Finnish Institute in London, FRAME Finnish Fund for Art Exchange and the Embassy of Finland, Dublin. Niamh McCann will represent TBG&S on the studios programme at HIAP from 1 October to 31 December 2009. Previous artists selected for the award are Sonia Shiel (IRE) and Ulrika Ferm (FIN) in 2007, and Niamh O’Malley (IRE) and Heli Rekula (FIN) in 2008. www.templebargallery.com www.hiap.fi

ACNI RECENT AWARDS In early April the Arts Council of Northern Ireland published a temporary document of updated information on recent awards made under their Annual Support for Organisations Programme (ASOP) Awards 2009/2010 on their website.

The update includes a database of funding

creative

provided

through

the

Organisations Programme Awards for the current financial year and a database of funding awards made through all Arts Council of Northern Ireland funding programmes for the previous financial

NEW SPACE IN SLIGO In mid-March Model Arts and Niland Gallery launched a new gallery space in Sligo town, with the opening of ‘Signals in the Dark: Art in the Shadow of War’, an inter-disciplinary project with work by 15 international artists that explores contemporary art’s relationship to war and its representations.

The new space, called Model Satellite, is a 6,000 sqft exhibition space located over two floors of Castle House on Castle Street, Sligo. Developed by Kevinsfort Ltd. and originally intended for use as commercial and office space, Model Satellite will provide the Model Arts and Niland Gallery with a new home for its extensive exhibition and film programme until the end of the year while its main centre on The Mall is being redeveloped.

The Model Satellite will open weekly from Tuesday to Sunday. The next exhibition to be held at Model Satellite will be the ZKM project ‘Medium Religion’, opening at the end of May 2009. More information on the Model Arts and Niland Gallery redevelopment is available on their website. www.modelart.ie/futuremodel.htm

Support for the Individual Artist Programme (SIAP) funding.

The relevant documents may be viewed or downloaded from the ACNI website at: www.artscouncil-ni.org/award/recent/funding.htm

ETHICAL PRACTICE The Arts Council has published additional ethical practice resources for artists and arts organisations working with children and young people.

Building on ‘Guidelines for the protection and welfare of children and young people in the arts sector’, the resources have been developed in response to requests from the sector.

The first resource, ‘Guidelines for taking and using images of children and young people in the arts sector’ aims to

industry, and the development of an online

presence

for

NORIBIC’s

‘Awakening Creative Entrepreneurism UnConference’ which will take place in March 2009. More information on the Creative Industry Innovation Fund Award winners is available on the ACNI website. www.artscouncil-ni.org

MACKEY FOR RIAA Irish artist Christine Mackey was recently selected to participate in an RIAA (Residencia Internacional de Artistas en Argentina) residency, an international, artist-led programme in Argentina organised by Melina Berkenwald and Graciela Hasper.

The RIAA residency programme includes two days of artists’ presentations at the CentroCultural de Espana en Buenos Aires, followed by a two week residency and exhibition held at Ostende - Pinamar. This is the fourth edition of the project which includes artists from Argentina, Peru, Brazil, America, Canada, Sweden, Ecuador, and Spain. Mackey’s participation was funded by Leitrim and Roscommon International TRADE bursary and Cultural Ireland. www.proyectoriaa.org

Martina Durac and Vanessa Gildea for ‘Flight to Freedom’, director Fergus Daly and producer Katherine Waugh for

Beholder, a film that explores the nature and process of contemporary Irish portrait artists and their relationship with their subjects.

The Reel Art Awards are designed

CAL FUNDING ENQUIRY The Arts Council of Northern Ireland

opportunity to make imaginative and

has published its written submission to

creative documentaries on artistic

the Committee for Culture, Arts and

themes made for theatrical exhibition

Leisure (CAL) Funding Inquiry on the

and wining films will be premiered at

ACNI website. Working from Stormont,

the Jameson Dublin International Film

CAL scrutinises the work of the

Festival in February 2010. www.artscouncil.ie

Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL), and is currently conducting a major inquiry into ‘The Funding of the Arts in Northern Ireland’.

The Arts Council of Northern Ireland presented oral evidence to the Committee on 26 February 2009. Their written

submission

includes

a

comparative study of the per capita spend on the arts in Northern Ireland compared to other countries in the British Isles from 2003 to 2008/9 and an Northern Ireland comes from and possible additional sources, as well as a comprehensive breakdown of the cultural sectors across which funds received by the ACNI have been distributed from 2003/4 to 2008/9. To read the full report, please visit the News section of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s website. www.artscouncil-ni.org

ARTS AUDIENCES PROJECT The month-long planning phase of the Arts Audiences partnership project between the Arts Council and Temple Bar Cultural Trust got underway in early March. The project, directed by Una Carmody of Temple Bar Cultural Trust, will seek to clarify and address issues surrounding audience experience and development in the arts and recognise the importance of arts organisations’ attempts to maximise engagement with, and revenue from, their audiences.

The national broadcaster, RTÉ, will participate in the project as associates, with input and expertise in audience research and reach, and assistance as to how audiences are informed about the arts. The guiding principle of the project will be to look at increasing capacity in arts organisations with a view to achieving

demonstrable

gains

in

TULLAMORE ARTS CENTRE

audience engagement and participation,

A public meeting was held on Wednesday

and the project will carry out project

25 March 2009 at 8pm in Hugh Lynch’s,

work illustrating good practice in

Kilbride Street, Tullamore, to highlight

audience development, marketing and

the fact that Offaly County Council had

customer service.

€2million in ACCESS Funding allocated

Information on the project will be

for the development of an arts centre by

updated as it progresses on the Arts

the end of 2009. Collectively representing

Council website.

the community and artistic interests in

www.nationalsculpturefactory.com

and producer Martha O’Neill for The

to provide film artists with an

examination of where arts funding in

year 2008/2009, including Project, Public Art, Re-imaging Communities and

US forum for the international media

to director Sé Merry Doyle and producers

From Public to Private?

Business to Arts & Deloitte recently published The Private Investment in Arts & Culture Survey Report. The report provides analysis of private investment across a wide range of art forms and private investment types. In relation to the report Business to Arts have stated that the report will provide “arts & cultural organisations, businesses, foundations, trusts and Government with information to aid understanding of the financial landscape of the sector and will help to inform future arts and cultural investment strategies. The report can be downloaded from the Business to Arts website – www.businesstoarts.ie New Home for G126 126, Galway’s first artist-run gallery, has relocated. After a long search, the contemporary exhibition space is pleased to announce their new address at Queen Street, Galway. Nearly facing closure a few months ago, the venue has secured a city centre location near the docks. This was only possible with the financial support of the Galway City Arts Office. After a two month hiatus they re-openined on 2 May with an exhibition of new work by Dublinbased artist Fergus Byrne. The new location is almost double the size of their previous one in Ballybane Industrial Estate.

Future shows include: Frank Koolen (Netherlands) for the Volvo Ocean Race Stopover, Kelly Richardson (Canada) for the Galway Film Fleadh, Hank Willis Thomas (New York) for the Galway Arts Festival and an exchange of young Irish and American artists with the Californian artist-run gallery Blankspace. www.126.ie

www.artscouncil.ie

10

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

May – June 2009

Profile

Art Parlour

Fiona Fullam profiles the Galway based artist-led initiative 126

Dan Monks Some days you’re the pigeon, some days you’re the statue.

Performance, Spanish Arch, Galway. September 2008.

Jeremy Ehling Sacred and Profane – shown at G126 April 2008.

'I’ve become a Magpie' Cian McConn solo show, installation view at G126. December 2008.

Opening night of group show 'U Complete Me' at G126 Aug 2007.

In 2005 Ben Geoghegan and Austin Ivers set up 126 , an artist-led project and gallery space in Galway, on the artist-led / collective model of Transmission in Glasgow (2) and Catalyst in Belfast (3). Initially showing from the living room of their residence, Ben and Austin had a strong vision of what this might become. The name '126' was simply derived from the number of the house where Geoghegan and Ivers were living at the time.

The ethos of the project was then and as it is now, to provide a space run democratically by artists for artists; to initiate dialogue and the exchange of ideas; to provide support and a platform for work to be shown in Galway, –which might not be represented by commercial galleries or other art institutions. Further aims are also listed on their website – these include “encouraging critical discourse (around art) in Ireland”, “presenting diverse programming – ranging from established to emerging artists, from international to local practitioners and from conventional to new medias” and “to initiate projects outside of the gallery”.

At 126, in its first incarnation in the front room of their house in Laurel Park, Galway, Ben and Austin curated six shows – which were all very well received. Their very first opening night saw guests eating cake and sipping tea. From the outset a convivial atmosphere and a spirit of generosity prevailed. In September 2006, Maeve Mulrennan, Visual Arts Officer at Galway Arts Centre, invited 126 to curate a show at the arts centre – resulting in ‘126 Presents’ a show curated by Ben and Austin, comprising works by all the artists who had thus far exhibited at 126. The exhibition was a compendium show; it included the work of 20 artists, including Nevan Lehart, Tom Molloy, Beth O’Halloran, Mark O’Kelly and Blaise Drummond. The opening night was in part a celebration – with music and a boat party on the Corrib Princess – of how far 126 had come, as they were now about to move into a new venue.

This was a very optimistic time for the arts in Galway – Engage Arts Studios, Lorg and ENSO had all come into being in 2004 and the Ard Bia Gallery was also operating at that time. Shortly after the run of ‘126 Presents’ in November 2006, 126 moved into a space at Ballybane Industrial Estate, just outside Galway city, which comprised of a 450 square foot gallery space and office. 126 thus became G126 for a while – and this locale was its home until the end of February 2009, when it (1)

was decided to move to a more central location in the city. And last November 2008 the name was changed back to 126 to represent the continuity of the project. At the time of going to print, 126 are in negotiations with a view to finding suitable long-term space.

The structure of 126 is run by a six-member board. The members of the present board are Dave Callan, Alwyn Revill, Grainne McHale, Simon Fleming, Lilian Ingram and Jim Ricks is chairperson. The board, who all work on a voluntary basis, manage the day-to-day running of the gallery – each member curating or project-managing at least one show during the year. The board aims to change every two years, with some overlap – so that 126 evolves naturally under the influence of each successive committee. Alongside the board is an advisory board or committee, which includes the founding members, Ben (who stepped down from the main board at the beginning of 2008), Austin and Megs Morley, who was also formerly on the board. The board and advisory board members meet regularly once a month; and there have been two Annual General Meetings, where the membership is invited to give feedback. This involves a big time commitment from the board members, but as Dave Callan says, “It does keep you busy, but invigorated and involved”.

The board receives its mandate from its membership, which was approximately 130 in December 2008; and decisions are made democratically from an artistic rather than an economic point of view.

Membership is not restricted to Galway, on the contrary, 126 welcomes potential members from all over Ireland, provided that they support the aims of the project. There is an annual members’ show, in which any member who wishes to show one piece of work, can do so. As the membership grows however, this may no longer be possible – it is likely that the annual show will be selected in some way. Membership costs just €20 (€10 students /unwaged) and is renewable on an annual basis. Apart from the members show, other benefits include a listing of website links; the use of 126’s mailing list; and general support by 126 for its members’ activities.

In terms of funding, 126 has had its difficulties. There have been times in its short history where the project was under real threat.

Membership fees provide a small income, which goes directly into the general running of the gallery. A programming grant was provided by The Arts Council for 2008 and again for this year. Galway City Arts

Office has promised some core funding – specifically a start-up fund – to enable 126 to move into the city. 126 have also found alternative ways to raise funds. For example, last year they auctioned a painting by Blaise Drummond. Also when 126 presents projects as part of a larger initiatives – such as The Galway Arts Festival – it received some additional funding from such host organisations. However, in its early years especially, 126 subsisted on goodwill and support in-kind.

Ballybane Industrial Estate is situated outside the city centre and was therefore always unlikely to attract people in off the street and for an outsider, it could be difficult to find. It was nonetheless, despite its location, a great space. When 126 was moving into the space in 2006, the landlady was happy to go along with the suggestions of the board at that time, so the gallery space has among other things, walls which are plastered right down to the floor. The first exhibition at the Ballybane venue showed work by Miriam and Benjamin de Burca (who was working at Catalyst at that time) as part of the Tulca programme – and the last show, which closed on 21 February, was the Catalyst Members’ show. So a link between the two spaces – 126 and Catalyst, has endured. For the last two years 126 and Catalyst have had an exchange of their members’ shows. This year they were shown simultaneously in February in Galway and Belfast. Members of Catalyst also travelled to Galway to the closing party for the space on 21st February, which was aptly called ‘The Ballybane of my Existence Party’.

Exchanges with other artist-led spaces is something 126 is keen to continue and extend. Specifically 126 is looking to forge links with similar groups and projects, which are equally committed to a serious programming – but don’t necessarily have to share the same model of operations as 126. For example, links are currently being developed with Pallas Studios in Dublin. Brian Duggan and Mark Cullen of Pallas showed work at 126 last year – and in May this year Pallas will host a 126 show. An exchange is also being planned with Monster Truck in Dublin – the idea being to devise a project that reflects on each other’s style curating.

126 has also cultivated international relationships. Last year, 126 showed the work of New York based Austrian artist Rainer Ganahl, as part of the Galway Arts Festival. Also in 2008, Jim Ricks (who is originally from Oakland, California), the current chairperson, curated a show at 126 of work by artists from the San Francisco Bay Area. This connection is being further developed, as this year 126 will show a group of Irish artists at Blank Space, San Francisco. The exhibition, titled ‘How do you know?’ has been organised on an open-submission basis; and was widely advertised earlier in the year.

126 is also involved in various other projects. Megs Morley’s project The Artist-led Archive was recently housed at 126 (4). 126 artists were represented in ‘This must be the place’ an exhibition curated by Paul Murnaghan and Sally Timmons focusing on 10 Irish artist-led collectives at IMOCA (5) in Dublin (27 March – 19 April). 126’s contribution comprised of a collaborative work created by the six current board members.

126 has also had a long-term involvement in off-site activities in and around Galway. These have included ‘Weather Permitting’ an evening of video, sound and performance held in Headford Oct 2007; performance, temporary installations and a week of performance and workshops with Dan Monks, in association with Galway Culture Night 2008; a Live @ 8 evening of video and live art in March this year; and for the Galway Arts Festival 2009, 126 will be presenting the work of Hank Willis Thomas.

There is no doubt that 126 is establishing partnerships and exchanges both nationally and internationally. They are bringing international artists to Galway and looking to do ambitious programming of national significance. As Jim Ricks says, “We’re getting experience, becoming more confident with what we can do”.

Overall, 126 have built a strong platform for contemporary arts practice – and profiles visual artists, both emerging and established.

Over its relatively short history 126 has demonstrated tenacity and the capacity to realise its aims. This innovative and generous project deserves to be supported and is to be wished continued success as it moves into the next phase of its development.

Fiona Fullam Notes 1. www.g126.eu 2. www.transmissiongallery.org Transmission was set up in 1983 by graduates from Glasgow School of Art who were dissatisfied with the lack of exhibition spaces and opportunities for young artists in Glasgow.

The gallery is managed by a voluntary committee of six people. Each member of the committee serves for up to two years and is then replaced. Transmission evolves under the influence of each successive committee member and continues to draw in a young peer group as active participants.

3. www.catalystarts.org.uk Catalyst Arts was formed 15 years ago in response to what was seen as a cultural vacuum. It is Belfast’s primary artist-led organisation. In accordance with its constitution it is run by unpaid volunteers, and seeks to adopt a poly-vocal strategy towards the promotion of contemporary art practices by large selection of artists and projects from the widest possible range of disciplines.

4. www.theartistledarchive.com 5 www.imoca.ie

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

11

May – June 2009

International

Another World is Possible

Augustine O’Donoghue and Carol Anne Connolly report on their experience of curating an exhibiton of Irish art at the ninth World Social forum in Belém, Brazil (27 January – 1 feburary 2009).

Public discussion on the global economic crisis – featuring the five Latin American presidents.

Visitors at the ‘Is Feidír an Domhain Eile a Chruthú’ stall at the WSF, Belem, Brazil.

In 2005 we attended the fifth World Social Forum, as part of a National College of Art and Design staff and student research trip. This visit had a huge impact on the work of all the students that attended; and for some of us it was a landmark point in the development and direction of our work. Having had such positive experience, we were keen to get involved in this event again at some point in the future; especially as we both shared an interest in socially engaged art practices – in other words, the kind of art that as Bertolt Brecht put it, “is not a mirror to reflect reality but a hammer with which to shape it”. (1) The first World Social Forum (WSF), held in January 2001 in Porto Alegre, Brazil, took place at a time when the country was experiencing a huge social transformation. The roots of the WSF stem from an innovative participatory budgeting programme introduced by the Partido dos Trabalhadores (Workers’ Party) in Porto Alegre. (2) This initiative brought institutions and local citizens together in open assemblies, in order to discuss and decide upon appropriate uses for funding in the city. From its inception the WSF was concerned to further such conceptions of participatory democracy and to offer “an opened space – plural, diverse, non-governmental and non-partisan – that stimulates the decentralised debate, reflection … and alliances among movements and organisations engaged in concrete actions towards a more solidarity, democratic and fair world”. (3) The WSF was also motivated by a desire to bring together antiglobalisation movements, in order to plan, discuss, and share ideas. Up until the foundation of the WSF, most gatherings by anti-globalisation movements had been in the form of oppositional protests – specifically in relation to events such as the World Trade Organisation and G8 summits etc. Each year, the WSF is scheduled to take place simultaneously with the annual World Economic Forum meetings held in Davos, Switzerland. In Davos the leaders of the richest nations meet with representatives of the top 1000 global enterprises. The WSF aims to act as an oppositional force – a place where individuals and groups can develop alternatives to free market globalisation.

Brazil is a country where culture and politics have had long history of interaction – through various art forms and contexts. One of the more recent examples of this is the work of Augusto Boal, Nobel Peace Prize nominee, theatre director, writer and founder of ‘Theatre of the Oppressed’. (4) While working as a city councillor in Rio de Janeiro, Boal developed ‘legislative theatre’ as an attempt to use the dramatic form within a political system, to create a truer form of democracy. Boal, encouraged citizens to articulate their concerns by developing plays, that are then presented to local and then wider audiences. To date twenty new laws have been passed in this way – illustrating the huge possibilities in participatory art forms in engagement with the political process.

The 2009 World Social Forum took place in the Brazilian city of Belém, located in the Amazon rainforest, between 27 January and 1 February. It attracted over number 133,000 attendees, the majority coming from Latin America. Over the course of this event, thousands of meetings, debates, workshops, exhibitions and performances took place from morning until night. Our interest in the 2009 WSF was focused on a number of key questions. What ideas, strategies and inspiration can be gained from social movements in the development of socially engaged art practice and vice versa. Is socially engaged art practice part of a movement in the wider spectrum of social change?

And can the World Social Forum act as an important international platform for artists whose work is socially engaged as an alternative to the global art fairs and biennials?

We were specifically motivated to bring an Irish artists exhibition to this years WSF, in order to interact with an international audience

that was politically and socially engaged in processes of resistance.

The exhibition we curated took its name from WSF’s dictum – ‘Is Feidír an Domhain Eile a Chruthú’ (Another World Is Possible)’. The show was presented in a pavilion at the Federal Rural University of the Amazon (UFRA) Universidade Federal Rural de Amazonia. ‘Is Feidír an Domhain Eile a Chruthú’ featured a diverse range of works by Mark Clare, Pauline Cummins, Jessie Jones, Paula Geraghty, The Rialto Women’s History Project, Pat Corcoran, Glenn Loughran, Donnacha O’ Brien, Kim Bartley, Treasa O’Brien, Lisa Marie Johnson and Dominic Thorpe.

In conjunction with NCAD a ‘stall’ was organised as part of the show, that presented information on the artists, along with documentation of various socially engaged and community based projects by staff and students in NCAD. The stall and exhibition was self-funded. The NCAD group provided assistance in carrying over boxes and crates of artwork and equipment (5) and operating the stall.

The NCAD students, were accompanied by Professor Brian Maguire who was leading a third-year research trip to the WSF. The Hedge School Project by Glenn Loughran, a PhD researcher at NCAD was among the works presented on the stall (6). Loughran’s participatory art project was developed through the construction of a series of ‘context schools’ working with different communities in various sites throughout Ireland. With so many experiments in various forms of participatory democracy and education across Latin America, Loughran’s work found an eager audience.

Another work presented at the stall was Women With Balls a film

by The Rialto Women’s History Project – a group based in Fatima Mansions, Dublin, where the community are often stigmatized by association to crime and drug abuse. Women With Balls is based on the idea of education for transformation. For the women, the film was an opportunity to explore how a community can recover from exclusion by telling their own story in a creative way. The film is heavily influenced by the theories of Brazilian educationist Paulo Freire, as outlined in his influential text The Pedagogy of the Oppressed (7).

We hadn’t counted on the stall being so popular; and at times the amount of people enquiring about the work was overwhelming. It was refreshing to see people’s enthusiasm for new concepts and ways of working.

The WSF took place in two university campuses adjacent to each other. But navigation from one campus to the other was at times challenging, as the infrastructure of Belém was put under strain by the massive influx of visitors. Sometimes though, getting lost or delayed, led to some unexpected discoveries. The members of the NCAD contingent pursued their various interests; a thus diverse range of art, politics, culture, alternative media and education networks were experienced. Brian Maguire and the NCAD students also participated in and contributed to many lively meetings and informal discussions – and several Irish students took part in national radio and television interviews, as journalists were keen to get a European perspective.

One of the highlights was the opportunity to attend a public discussion on the global economic crisis featuring the five Latin American presidents – Hugo Chavez (Venezuela), Evo Morales (Bolivia), Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (Brazil), Rafael Correa (Ecuador) and Fernando Lugo (Paraguay). This public meeting took place in a large hangar. People queued for hours for an opportunity to hear the talk.

The atmosphere was electric both inside and out. People sang, danced and chanted with passion. The contrast is striking, if one is to imagine how a meeting of European heads of state would be organised.

Being cheeky Irish opportunists, we managed to get into the VIP area for the talk. It’s not every day one gets to hear such iconic political

The ‘Is Feidír an Domhain Eile a Chruthú’ stall at the WSF, Belem, Brazil.

figures as Chavez and Morales discussing the global economic crisis, condemning capitalist countries like the USA; discussing 21st century socialism and the proposition of a Latin American-wide revolution. To hear such revolutionary ideas being discussed by heads of states was extremely inspiring in contrast to the dominant capitalist ideology we are accustomed to in the West. The following night, the excitement in the air had not dissipated; and we screened The Revolution Will Not Be Televised a documentary by Irish filmmakers Donnacha O’Brien and Kim Bartley, about 2005 American-backed coup against Chavez government in Venezuela.

According to Nicolas Bourriaud, the role of artworks “is no longer to form imaginary and utopian realities, but to actually be ways of living and models of action within the existing real, whatever the scale chosen by the artists” (8). ‘Is Feidír an Domhain Eile a Chruthú’ was a small experiment testing this proposition within the vast arena and possibilities offered by the WSF – one that we hope ourselves and other Irish artists can build on in the future. Through our participation at the forum, we got an invitation by the organisers of the Bangladeshi Social Forum to exhibit at their forum. We look forward to what potential this might hold.

It is both progressive and visionary on the part of NCAD that it undertook such important research trip – the potential benefit for students and participants at the Forum is far reaching. At the time of writing this article, students and staff who went to the trip to the WSF in Kenya (9) in 2007 are putting the final preparations for an international conference on ‘Art with Africa’ (10) to be held in NCAD. The conference will bring together a wide range of experiences of art, culture and politics from an Irish and African perspective, its part of a wider project being developed with two community groups NCAD established links with at the forum. These initiatives take art education from the institute into the wider world and sets standard and models for other institutes and organisations to learn from.

More than anything the WSF was an educational experience on a monumental scale. It was inspiring to be part of an event alongside thousands of activists, trade unionists, NGOs, students, academics and indigenous people at the forefront of various struggles, sharing experiences, debating ideas, developing new models, and creating networks of solidarity with communities across the globe. The sense of energy and common purpose experienced as a participant at the forum stays with you. The task now is to take the energy and ideas back into our work and struggles, in our own communities in Ireland – Is Feidír an Domhain Eile a Chruthú … another world is possible.

Augustine O’Donoghue and Carol Anne Connolly Augustine O’Donoghue is an artist and activist based in Dublin, she is co founder of the Progressive Film Club. Carol Anne Connolly is an artist based in Roscommon, where she has run Mantua Project since 2006. Both artists have collaborated on a number of projects since 2007.

Notes 1. Peter Howard Selz, Visual Politics in California and Beyond, University of California Press, 2006, p.30 2. The PT party is the title of the Brazilian Workers party – the ruling party in Brazil. Its leader, Luiz Inácio ‘Lula’ da Silva, is the president of the country.

3. www.forumsocialmundial.org.br 4 . Without the cooperation of the NCAD group the exhibition would have not been possible.

Also all artists contributed their work for free.

5. www.theatreoftheoppressed.org 6. http://hedgeschool08.com 7. Paulo Freire. (Trans) Myra Bergman Ramos. Pedagogy of the Oppressed Continuum; 2000 (30th anniversary edition) 8. Nicolas Bourriaud, Relational Aesthetics, Les presses du reel, 2002, p13.

9.The seventh World Social Forum was held in Nairobi, Kenya in January 2007.

10. artwithafrica.wordpress.com. A report on the conference will be published in the July / August edition of the Visual Artists News Sheet.

12

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

May – June 2009

Art in the public realm: focus

Looks Like Art, Smells Like Teen Spirit Áine Ivers reports on ‘Reverb; An Exhibition of Youth Arts’ at the Concourse, Dún Laoghaire, 27 feb – 11 March 2009. (1)

'Shanganagh Garden Project' Video installation. Photo: Claire Behan.

outside of her usual social circle.

Youth worker Simon Bolger initially had concerns about the place of youth work projects within the Concourse exhibition.

However, Bolger ultimately felt that the exhibition was a success and that the young people gained fresh insight into their work when they saw it “glossed and carefully positioned in a place of cultural relevance”.

Stephanie Monahan saw the role of the curator in a very positive

'Reverb' exhibition at the Concourse. Installation view. Photo: Claire Behan.

light. She noted that as the youth groups had given so much to their Sitting in a darkened room, I am watching a series of short video

last century, from De Valera to Ahern. We placed the audio inside the

projects, it was only fitting that an experienced professional – a

films. The floor is strewn with popcorn remnants that glow in the

machine and left it on a constant loop. Essentially it’s an installation

curator – was charged with representing their work in the public

darkness of the black interior, evidence that a group of young people

piece which is symbolic of past being consumed by present and

context of an exhibition. She loved the way the show looked and

has visited the space before me. Film after film appear on the screen; a

future.” This work incorporated contemporary art-making processes

pointed out that young people don’t have the knowledge or experience

short film about text message bullying is followed by one about a girl

into youth arts.

to achieve that kind of professional quality. Monaghan’s positivity

into witchcraft. The sound quality varies between, and even within,

While The Hungry Ghost Project represented something of an

films. Many are tense, only a few incorporate humour; alcohol features

‘exhibition ready’ artwork, other projects were more mediated or

frequently. Other themes include issues around self-empowerment,

curated in terms of their presentation in the show. For example The

responsibility and control over one’s life. Many of the characters on

Graphic Novel Project was heavily produced for exhibition. The

the screen are prepared to act aggressively to secure their social

Shanganagh Garden Project was another work that required curatorial

standing.

production. Claire Behan represented this ongoing gardening project

involved. It was also a demonstration of partnership between the DLR

This cinematic presentation of youth film was one element of

involving young people in the Shanganagh area, by installing a large,

Arts Office the local youth services. And beyond this, it revealed the

‘Reverb; An Exhibition of Youth Arts’, a showcase exhibition of works

raised, grass-covered square in the gallery, with a birch sapling planted

potential for the decompartementalisation of youth arts, and the

from youth arts projects that had taken place took in the Dundrum-

at its centre, coupled with video footage of the actual garden.

scope for youth arts’ incorporation of contemporary arts practices

underlined the potential for curatorial practices to merge in interesting ways with youth arts. Indeed one can speculate, that had the time constraints for this project not been so tight as they were, that the participants could have been involved in the curatorial process.

‘Reverb’ was a celebration of the creativity of the young people

Rathdown region of Dún Laoghaire. The showcase ran for two weeks

The evident ‘production’ of some of the elements of the exhibition

in the Concourse in Dún Laoghaire County Hall (27 Feb – 11 March).

prompted questions about the role of the curator in collaborative

The idea for the exhibition emerged from a feedback process between

projects. However, Behan found that her curatorial concerns fused

Visiting ‘Reverb’ led me to think about the need for the wider

the Education and Community Co-ordinator with Dún Laoghaire-

well with her experience as a youth arts practitioner and the practical

public to engage young people’s creativity. Many serious themes were

Rathdown Arts Office, Máire Davey, and youth workers from the local

requirements of project management. Specifically, Behan was excited

raised in ‘Reverb’, such as bullying, violence, irresponsibility, loneliness

Youth Arts Awareness Programme. This is a partnership programme

by the opportunity to explore ways to introduce visual coherency

and exclusion. Adults can often loath revisiting the angst of

between Dundrum-Rathdown Youth Service, DLR Arts Office and DLR

between the range of works that emerged from the various youth art

teenagehood, perhaps finding it clichéd and uncomfortable – I

Community Development Section, supported by the National Youth

projects – while staying true to the central ethos of youth arts.

definitely squirmed and cringed as, while watching the youth films, I

such as performance, film-making, video and sound-editing, assemblage, curation (and perhaps exhibition report writing!). (2)

Council of Ireland. They identified a need to show the works that had

From my viewing of the show, I was struck by the differences

was reminded of my own teenage angst! The youth workers who led

emerged from the youth arts projects. The Arts Office decided to

between the spaces in which the short films were shot and the space

these projects looked far beyond this. They managed to devise spaces

oversee and fund the exhibition. Davey invited Claire Behan to come

of the Concourse. Many of the spaces in the films – both exteriors and

where they could engage with the angsty spectres that adults prefer to

on board as curator, choosing Behan for her experience in both

interiors – stood in stark contrast to the clean-lined, well maintained

leave lurking in the moody shadows of their teens.

curatorial and youth arts practices.

public space of the exhibition venue. ‘Reverb’ gave the young people of

The project organisers and workers gave young people a space to

the region access to a space of higher quality, than those often provided

explore their creative energies. And these are energies that can,

for youth arts activity.

amongst other things, tap into some of our most basic fears, such as

Behan drew together works of varied media to produce a playful and thoughtful show. Another project exhibited in the show was a series of graphic novels made by young people from Columbanus

Moreover, the young people were given a sense of ownership of

the fear of exclusion – and, without apology or pretension reveal the

Parish area. The novels were presented in a perspex-topped, tilted

public space – one day during the show Máire Davey found young

power those fears have over society. Through engaging with youth

display cabinet, each open on one page. In order to give the viewer

people sneaking crisps into the video room to munch on as they

arts, we can see society’s workings reflected in the ideas and thoughts

access to their contents, Behan had a still image taken of each page of

watched the films. Davey had to explain to the young visitors, that

of young people. The young people on these projects particularly

each graphic novel and these were presented as looped DVD slideshows

they did not need to hide their snacks, as this was their exhibition and

benefited by having their worked placed in a respected public venue.

on five combi-TVs – the result was a kind of ‘installational field’ of

they could visit it as they wished. Thus the exhibition functioned as an

Such projects can hold reciprocal benefits for the audience, should

drawn stories.

invitation to young people to exercise their right to inhabit public

youth arts be valued in the context of the wider community.

Another striking work in the show was The Hungry Ghost Project: The Harmonium. This comprised a white harmonium that stood

space, whilst highlighting for the audience the qualities of the more marginal spaces that young people often frequent.

Áine Ivers

strongly in the space, gently emitting soft whispering sounds. Simon

This exhibition also raised questions about ‘ownership’. Although

Bolger, a youth worker on the project, described the work in these

the young people were only minimally involved in the exhibitions

terms; “…the idea came about to use the [harmonium] as a way of

translation and representation or projects they had participated in, a

representing the Ireland of the past which was being forgotten amid

sense of pride and ownership was reported in the conversations I had

the furious noise of the Celtic Tiger. Our young men’s group rebuilt the

with people involved in the exhibition. One young person I chatted

organ, cleaned and painted it to give it a modern look, a soundtrack

with, Stephanie Monahan, spoke of how the project and the subsequent

Notes 1. To research this article I talked to four people who were involved in this exhibition; Claire Behan, the curator, Simon Bolger, a youth worker with an arts background who was involved in some of the projects exhibited in the show, Máire Davey, Education and Community Co-ordinator with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown Arts Office and Stephanie Monahan, a young person who participated in some of the projects that were exhibited.

2. Another interesting event involving young people that took place recently in Dublin was ‘Change?’, a collaborative project between Dylan Haskins, The Office Of Public Works Artists’ Collective, Sorcha McKenna, and a number of transition year students. Coming from an activist arts rather than youth arts background, it too showed the potency of the

was then mixed down comprising of famous voices and sounds of the

exhibition had given her an opportunity to engage with many people

decompartmentalisation of young people’s creative work. (http://changedublin.blogspot.com)

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

13

May – June 2009

How is it Made? selection as well as the final painting.

BW: Has advancing technology impacted on your practice over the decades – the internet, for example?

DW: I have a computer now, but only for the past couple of months. I can send and receive emails. I watch how other people, particularly my 16 year-old son, spend so much time with the internet, how they communicate. It is a culture that is completely unknown to me.

PF: When I need it for things, then I use it. If I need certain information then I go to the Internet, where before I would go to the telephone or a book. If I am going to the mountains and have to know the avalanche situation, then I look it up on the internet. I do also buy a lot of music Fischli/Weiss, 'Fotografias', 2004/5/9. Installation view. Courtesy DHG Dublin. Photo: Rory Moore.

Fischli/Weiss, image from 'Fotografias', 2004/5/9. Courtesy Galerie Eva Presenhuber, Zürich; Sprüth Magers Berlin London; Matthew Marks Gallery, New York.

online.

DW: It’s so easy to get lost. You can be interested in everything and you can have information on everything immediately. Especially now that even cell phones go directly to Google!

PF: A friend of ours, he was travelling recently, and staying in a nice hotel. He sent us this message telling all about the exotic providence of the mattress on his bed – he had just been lying there, googling it on his cell phone! Yesterday I sent him a message from the hotel in Dublin to say that before I go to bed, I google my mattress!

SB: You mentioned buying music, do you find that other art forms, such as music, cinema, books, etc – have been and continue to be important to your practice?

Fischli/Weiss, image from 'Fotografias', 2004/5/9. Courtesy Galerie Eva Presenhuber, Zürich; Sprüth Magers Berlin London; Matthew Marks Gallery, New York.

Fischli/Weiss, image from 'Fotografias', 2004/5/9. Courtesy Galerie Eva Presenhuber, Zürich; Sprüth Magers Berlin London; Matthew Marks Gallery, New York.

PF: Our generation grew up in the sixties, at a time when the influence

Art, Life and Zoo Animals

coming from music, films, literature, etc. was very clear and very

SARA BAUME & BARRY WHITE IN CONVERSATION WITH FISCHLI & WEISS.

lasagne! Lots of experiences from lots of different directions building

A few hours before the opening of Peter Fischli & David Weiss’s first

narrative, just different fields and themes.

DW: Like cooking. Like mixing things together.

DW: You have to find if there is a better or best way of making a line.

PF: But I think that when you talk with all artists, it’s the same. There

This work does not have a beginning, does not need a beginning.

aren’t many artists that just look at art.

have agreed to let us publish an interview for the Visual Artists News

SB: Laid out in this way, the show really draws the viewer in and

BW: I have always been curious about the role that science potentially

Sheet from a casual conversation, and for almost an hour Fischli &

unfolds. From upstairs all you can see is black rectangles on white, then

plays in your work. In Switzerland, there is the CERN facility in

Weiss chat enthusiastically about the universe, art, life and zoo

downstairs they become photographs, then scenes, and closer still you

Geneva, which has been making headlines around the world in recent

animals.

can sometimes decipher the bolts and seams and reflections that make

months.

solo exhibition in Ireland, the artists are sitting in a patch of sunlight downstairs in the Douglas Hyde Gallery, surrounded by 378 of their photographs of wolves, witches, waves, woods and warthogs. They

Barry White: I’m always very interested in the physical nature of the

them surfaces.

strong. We were both affected as much by this as by anything that was happening in visual art at the same time. It has always been a bit like a up layers.

DW: This is certainly something that I am interested in, but from afar.

works themselves, how they exist and their lives. I get especially

PF: The situation here is perfect. Upstairs it’s abstract, you think you

I have read interviews with the directors and such things. I have heard

excited about good packaging materials, and the Swiss make

are seeing something else. Then you come down and make a

very fearful accounts that they will create this black hole and we will

particularly exquisite crates.

discovery!

all disappear into it!

Peter Fischli: We have an assistant that is also like this! Whenever we

BW: Is it important to you to make work that is inviting or accessible,

PF: I just read a science fiction novel based around it. In the moment

start a new work, he immediately thinks about the crates. Sometimes

particularly to people who are outside of the art world?

that they are doing this black hole experiment, something goes wrong,

when we ship a piece, we get a lot of compliments for the nice crates!

PF: Yes and No.

David Weiss: We had a show in Cairo, a long time ago, and they showed the crates as well, because they hadn’t seen anything quite like them before!

and time freezes. There are this group of people that are not frozen and they have to walk through Switzerland, where it is always 11.30am,

DW: We never made a decision to make work that everybody has to

where the sun is always shining and the coffee is always warm. It was

understand. With The Way Things Go, for example, we never thought

a nice book!

about how we were going to make it appeal to everyone. We just liked

SB: I travelled through Switzerland once, on a train through the Alps,

Sara Baume: Fotografias (2004/5/9) has been presented in a number of

the way it happened in the studio.

different places on a number of occasions over the past few years. Do

PF: When we did the Tate retrospective in 2006, it was clear that the

country, but more than anything I remember a bear pit right in the

spectacular things and the humorous things got the most attention.

middle of Berne.

you make changes to the installation, the presentation, or even the artwork itself each time you show it?

PF: We certainly have a tendency to install or interpret things anew.

DW: The way we made Fotografias was by going to all these places – fairgrounds and amusement parks, etc – to take the pictures. Then we brought them back to the studio, laid them out, discussed them, and made a selection.

PF: The piece itself, the artwork, has a clear form. There are groups of six, like you see on the walls, 18 in total. Then a year after initially

There is certainly a popular level. And everybody likes to be popular, to be loved. But if I feel that the work is reduced, then I am uncomfortable with it. This work, Fotografias, was also in the Tate retrospective, but it didn’t stand a chance against the others. There were too many nice flowers, so many other more attractive or popular things!

DW: There is nothing wrong with humour. But normally we laugh because there is a gap between two things, which will not fit together, and you can read quite deeply into that.

taking the pictures, we went back and looked at all the material again.

PF: The problem with humorous artwork is if people think that the

It seemed so sad that we had started with this criteria of kicking out all

joke is all there is, and there is actually much, much more.

of the stupid images! We decided to make a documentation of

SB: How important is it for you now to make things yourselves, by

everything, just for ourselves and not necessarily as an artwork, and we made all these sheets with different themes, be it fairytales, or whatever, but not really strict.

BW: In terms of layout, the tables are scattered about the gallery at

hand, from scratch? You mentioned having an assistant.

PF: We have two assistants and they do a lot of the carving of things, the polyurethane.

stopping in a few major cities. It was a beautiful and interesting

DW: This is a controversial tradition. They have been there for many years, but they have to give the bears hideouts now, so they don’t have to see the people.

PF: This is the new thing with zoos. You don’t see the animals any more, you have to wait until they come out of their hideouts. You see a lot of people looking for the animals, but you don’t see any actual animals!

The conversation meanders into bog bodies, drizzle, ghosts and Irish pubs. It concludes when Weiss declares an intention to take a trip out to the sea before their gallery talk later on, and Fischli agrees wholeheartedly, requesting recommendations and directions.

So, two iconic and well-travelled artists from a small, landlocked country in the middle of Europe struck out for the Forty Foot swimming area in Sandycove, Co Dublin with the same zest and gusto for an afternoon of ocean, as they have demonstrated for decades

random, where normally this kind of work has been positioned in

DW: They are very good, they are getting better than we are!

through a language of sculpture, text, film, photography and thought

straight lines.

PF: They’ve been doing it now for years. Normally, they carve and paint

uniquely and distinctively their own.

PF: With Visible World (1986-2001) the first variation of the piece was

the objects white. We do the finish. Maybe when they are carving

as a video, so when we came to show it in photographs we put it on tables to follow the same narrative. With Fotografias there is no

things, we will observe and make changes. We go to thrift shops to find appropriate objects, and it is very important that we make this initial

14

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

May – June 2009

Regional Profile

Visual Arts Resources & Activity in County Fingal Railway Studios

Location Location

Draíocht

Shane Holland Bio Diversity (detail) Malahide Castle.

A studio space at Railway Studios, Balbriggan.

Railway Studios – exterior view.

Railway studios (formerly Renegade studios) is an artist led space on Railway Street, Balbriggan, north county Dublin. The studios were initiated around 1995 / 1996 as a companion space to the now defunct Sunlight Studios and has housed numerous artists ever since. The building itself operated from 1790 till 1980 (with a connecting bridge to the former Sunlight studios) as the Smyth & Co. Hosiery. It was famed by the fact that Queen Victoria would only wear stockings produced there and it was also immortalised in a felt pen sketch by L.S Lowry entitled Hosiery and Factory which incidentally was bought by a local Balbriggan business man for €67,000.

Currently the studios house six artists – while the space itself consists of two larger and three smaller partitioned spaces and one separate adjoining space. I first had a studio here from around 1996 / 1997, which I travelled from Dublin.

Now some years later (and after a move to Drogheda), I find myself back once again. Not much has changed in the intervening years. It’s still quite a ramshackle affair – it can be drafty and damp, with peeling walls and the toilet and sink facilities are temperamental – ie it is the authentic artist’s garret! For all its bad points it has stood the test of time and served numerous artists well over the years. It has 24 hour access, and offer secure space; and most important of all it has always been a relatively cheap space to rent. Each artist uses the space differently; and one could quite easily work in the space for several days without running into a fellow artist.

While the artists in the studios tend to work independently of each other, I have exhibited in group shows with Leonard Sexton at the Seahorse Gallery in Ballbriggan (www.seahorse.ie).

The Seahorse Gallery is run by local businessman Des Hamilton; and it serves as a showcase space and meeting point for the array of artists furrowing away in the local and surrounding area. Thomas Brezing, Elizebeth Comerford, Leonard Sexton, Murielle Cellis, David Newton have all shown there. Although I have a studio space in the Railway studios, I am in fact a Drogheda based artist (it is two train stops away) so my knowledge of the north Dublin visual arts activities and resources are limited, save for artists I know from the area or my showing at the Seahorse gallery.

Brian Hegarty

I moved out of my Dublin premises on North Great George’s Street three years ago, to live in Skerries and set up my new studio in Duleek in Meath. It was a seismic decision and a serious life readjustment.

But it had been necessary due to the sale of my rented studio to developers; and my own need for more working and living space. However, in essence I was moving to an area that I had known as a kid, from visiting the seaside in Skerries and my workplace was not far from my original home in Meath. So in some ways this was a homecoming. In other ways it was a lesson in reality, in that the readjustment would take time. In Fingal I was informed of the 1000 yard stare; or how the blow-ins never get a ‘full-in’ in the community. However, I have to say that this is not the case now, particularly as my kids are attending local schools.

The experience of being an artist is often an insular one. However, I am fortunate to have a working team, with whom I’ve worked on various projects, which vary from public sculptural work to lighting installations – from Ireland, the UK, Europe and the Middle East. This team has mutated through phases and one of my greatest challenges was to bring in new talent and train a new crew in relation to my approach, quality, design and execution. This has not been easy and is still a work in progress. The same applies to living in a new community, where some may be sceptical towards newcomers.

So far my only experience of working on public art in the Fingal area has come through a collaborative project with the NGO Coast Watch, for the production of a monument to biodiversity marking the enlargement of the EU in 2006. The work was located in Malahide Castle and the project involved collaboration between Karin Dubsky of Coastwatch, an Army Colonel, an artist, an engineer and the parks department of Fingal Co Council. This project entailed a multitude of funding intricacies, which have still not yet been fully resolved. I was happy to provide the technical and installation knowledge on the project; however I now have learned that a tight crew is much more conducive to a clean result than working with many fringe players.

My main conclusion is that having moved out of Dublin, the essentials of location are not that important once you have broadband access and a good website. For example, I recently travelled to Dubai on a promotional trip, to give a presentation along with three other Irish companies working in the fields of sculptural design, glass and furniture – we got the following reaction from a Dubai based design manager “We are working on the Intercontinental Hotel London, that will be good for you as you guys are based in the UK”. Location, location – whatever!

I think that the most crucial factors for any working artist, wherever they are based is to keep working; let people know your story; make connections wherever you can; learn the local history; find people you want to work and play with; find space in which you can think; keep the paperwork simple – and keep faith – the work will come!

Shane Holland

Draíocht – exhibition space. (Installation view, work by Orla Whelan)

local artists and community groups.

Draíocht’s current programme includes an exhibition stemming from that ideal of cross collaboration. Artists Brian Maguire and Michael McLoughlin have produced a body of work in conjunction with, and in response to, a group of participants from a programme run by the Coolmine Therapeutic Community. This project, which spanned over two years and will culminate in an exhibition by all involved parties this coming July, embodies Draíocht’s aims to attract and work with internationally and nationally acclaimed artists, to find ways to interact with and develop relations with the local and wider community and to present our audience with a programme that will engage and stimulate.

Another core aim in Draíocht’s policy involves Draíocht – exterior view of main gallery space.

Since opening in 2001 Draíocht in Blanchardstown has reached right to the heart of the people it serves – in Dublin 15 and its environs – to provide stimulating and accessible arts programming. Over 50,000 people a year attend performance events and in addition thousands more attend our two exhibition galleries. For a suburban arts centre, Draíocht’s profile on the national visual arts scene is highly regarded. The fact that Draíocht is a multifaceted arts centre plays a major role in the success of our visual arts programme. Due to the nature and design of the building everyone who comes to Draíocht is exposed to exhibitions in the large and spacious glass fronted Ground Floor Gallery and local school groups are regular attendees of

national

and

international

exhibitions,

complimented by artists workshops and talks.

Since the recent departure of Draíocht’s Visual Arts Officer Carissa Farrell (to Visual in Carlow), Draíocht has a newly established selection committee for programming and administrative duties come under the remit of the newly established role of Visual Arts Administrator. Over the years Farrell devised and created a visual arts programme which is a credit to Draíocht, staying loyal to the core principals of Draíocht’s over all programme.

She was instrumental in establishing the high standard in programming Draíocht has built its hugely respected visual arts reputation on. One of the core issues surrounding the establishment of such a visual arts programme is to create a programme of work that is not only perceived within the visual arts community as successful, but also has relevance within the local community. This involves attracting and programming “museum quality” shows whilst still finding ways of including

supporting and nurturing both emerging and local talent. This is has been achieved in recent years with the now annual exhibition ‘Amharc Fhine Gall’, a collaborative project with Fingal County Council Art Office. The exhibition originated with a showcase of work of contemporary artists, followed in 2005 by a celebration of local craft artists living in Fingal, and has developed over the last number of years into a show case for recent art graduates from Fingal.

Support to artists continues through Draíocht’s artist in residency scheme. Draíocht’s bright, spacious and self-contained studio currently offers residencies periods of up to six months. The studio residency is designed to buy time and space for artists to develop their practice in a comfortable, practical and supportive environment. This policy combined with the gallery exhibition programme encourages

research

and

innovation

in

contemporary art by giving artists the opportunity to make and show new work. Draíocht’s current artist-in-residence, Mark Clare, is also planning a solo show in our Ground Floor Gallery in 2010.

Draíocht aims to continue to develop a visual arts programme that serves the needs of our surrounding community and continues to engage a wider audience whilst maintaining and developing our reputation in the arts sector.

Draíocht is generously funded by Fingal County Council with additional funding provided

by The Arts Council. Draíocht also has a loyal Network of Friends who contribute annually to the company.

Niamh Ryan Visual Arts Administrator Draíocht

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

15

May – June 2009

Regional Profile

Public Art

Fingal Arts Office

Youth & Education

Fingal Public Art Commission

Participants in Fingal artist in residence school’s scheme.

Fingal Public Art Commission

‘Light Up Fingal’: Public Art, Youth & Education Programme

Since his appointment in 1994 as County Arts Officer, Rory O’Byrne has developed an arts infrastructure in Fingal to meet the needs of the ever-growing population. In 2006 the population of Fingal reached 239,992 with a growth rate of over 22%, making it the fastest growing county in modern times. The average age of people living Fingal is 32 giving it the youngest population of any county in the state.

To meet these demands, the Arts Office has grown in strength with the appointment in 2005 of Sarah O’Neill / Deputy Arts Officer, Caroline Cowley / Public Art Co-ordinator and Julie Clarke / Youth & Education Officer. Having four permanent members of staff, each with their area of specialty has allowed us to focus on the long-term objectives in delivering a coherent and integrated arts infrastructure embedded into the lives of the people of Fingal.

With the 2003 Arts Act it became mandatory that local authorities were required to write and implement an Arts Plan for their administrative areas. 2006 saw the publication of the first Arts Development Plan 2206-2010 for Fingal. When we began to plan for our Fingal Arts Development Plan, there were two options open to us, one was to advertise and commission arts consultants to write our Plan, as had many other local authorities before us, or secondly, write it ourselves. After much discussion we decided that we were best placed, and most qualified, to take the task on in house. The plan was the result of a year’s in-depth consultation with a broad range of cultural groups, individuals, and arts organisation, both at local and national level. The aim in writing the plan was to identify the strengths of cultural activity within the county, and place it within a greater Dublin and national context.

Fifty-five recommendations were made on a broad range of cultural issues, and set out time periods for achieving these goals. The majority of recommendations set out have been met, within their time frame. Those that remain incomplete are connected to capital projects, such as provision of studio space for professional artists. In 2007 the Arts Office carried out a feasibility study into the provision of professional artist studio space in the county. Resulting from the finding it was identified that there is a real need for affordable studio

provision for artists working and living in the Fingal area. We are now involved in cross-departmental discussions with the Council identifying EU and other funding opportunities.

As part of Fingal County Council’s Arts Plan 2006-2010, the Council committed to: ‘Develop an Arts Office identity, to brand and market profile of arts activity in Fingal’. A key tool for the dissemination of this information is the website – www.fingalarts.ie. A new website will launch in the spring. Ultimately the Arts Office’s ambition is to position the site as central to our activities and how we work and communicate in the digital arena. In a department with significant visual resources it would seem essential that any online presentation appropriately reflects the type and content of our activities.

In our continued commitment to professional artists Fingal County Council in partnership with the Tyrone Guthrie Centre is offering four special bursary awards for professional artists in Fingal.

These awards are offered to enhance the development of four specific arts disciplines: visual arts; dance; music; literature.

The successful applicants will have the opportunity to spend two weeks in the Tyrone Guthrie Centre in Monaghan. Providing an ideal environment for the development of creative projects and an opportunity to network with other artists.

In 2010 Fingal County Council will be offering as new initiative a ‘fine art’ print residency at Graphic Studio Dublin for artists with printmaking skills. The month long residency will result in inclusion in a Graphic Studio Dublin Group Exhibition at Graphic Studio Gallery and professional studio support with regard to technical process, artistic development.

Fingal County Council continues to preserve cultural life and provide public access to the arts in Fingal through its development of two arts centres.

Draíocht is a multi-purpose arts venue for the suburbs offering theatre, dance, contemporary visual arts and community education and outreach.

Draíocht is now a vital part of the expanding and diverse cultural life of Dublin 15. The Séamus Ennis Cultural Centre is a traditional music venue, which aims to develop and maintain rural traditions in the rapidly changing environment of rural Fingal. Both venues offer the people of Fingal the opportunity to experience a broad variety of arts activity from home and abroad. Fingal County Council funds Draíocht and The Séamus Ennis Cultural Centre, with additional funding support from the Arts Council of Ireland.

Sarah O’Neill Deputy County Arts Officer Fingal County Council

‘Light Up Fingal’: Public Art, Youth & Education Programme

Participants in Fingal artist in residence school’s scheme

Fingal Public Art Commission

Maximising opportunities presented by the Department of Environment, Heritage & Local Governments’ Per Cent for Art Scheme, the arts office has been expanding its engagement of artists in the public realm and encouraging a full range of artistic practice. We hope to invite the public to challenge the notion of public art, traditionally associated with sculpture by programming projects featuring, light, sand, theatre, dance, music and visual art.

The public art policy is currently at draft stage and reflects our approach to commissioning. Our preference for an open brief allows artists long periods of research and development around ideas.

This approach is coupled with in- house support for artists to realise their projects with the assistance of other council departments, ie. architects, heritage, parks, environment, and community. The draft policy has invited input from artists and practitioners both national and international and we are committed to continue the research into all aspects of commissioning and best practice in this area. Our current projects are gradually emerging and include new works by Mark Garry, (Music) Dan Dubowitz & Fearghus O’Chonuir ( Film, Installation, Choreography), Martina Coyle(Installation) Brian Duggan (Film & Sculpture), Aileen Lambert, (Performance) and Dennis McNulty, (Sound, installation, architecture).

The artistic identity of Fingal is further developed through Amharc Fhine Gall, (Fingal Gaze) an annual exhibition which showcases the work of Fingal Artists or work made or inspired by the county. In 2008 we opened up the opportunity to recent graduates from the area, which proved very successful. The group show; 'It’s all in the Detail” featured Deirdre Byrne, Lorna Fitzsimons, Tracy Hanna, Logan McClain and Jennifer Phelan.

We are offering this opportunity again in 2009 and expanding the format to include a criticism prize, catalogue and other supports for artists. We see this as an opportunity to identify and encourage young artists from the county.

Caroline Cowley Public Art Officer Fingal County Council

The Youth and Education Programme in fulfilling the goals and actions set out in the Fingal Arts Plan 2006 – 2010 established a Teacher Training Programme in the Visual Arts. The Artist led workshops explore creative possibilities within the school environment.

Fingal’s Year Long multi disciplinary Artist in Residence in Schools Scheme investigates possibilities for cross over between subjects working with students at primary and post-primary level.

The programme responds to the need for long-term valuable and sustainable arts programming in all art forms, dance, drama, visual art and music.

An important part of our cultural education programme includes workshops developed around our Public Art Programme and the Council’s Public Art Collection. Professional artists are engaged to facilitate young people’s interaction with and response to current projects and exhibitions.

The WAY (Wisdom of Age and Youth) Intergenerational Project involving Swords Senior’s Club and Swords Educate Together National School, began in 2003 with weekly workshops exploring themes relevant to the lives of its participants through the medium of Drama and Visual Art. Now in its final year the positive impact on participants, their families, friends, artists and the wider community is more evident than ever.

Fingal’s Youth & Education Policy is at draft stage. Ongoing public consultation calls Artists, Schools, Youth Organisations, Parents, Young People, The Department of Education & Science and other National Arts and Youth Organisations to comment on recommendations for Policy development and implementation. Policy will take account of national and international methods of best practice and initiate a partnership approach through the establishment of working groups to inform future direction of the programme.

Implementation of the policy will provide and support further opportunities for professional artists wishing to work with young people and training initiatives for artists to ensure best practice.

Julie Clarke Youth & Education Officer Arts Office Fingal County Council

16

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

May – June 2009

Regional Profile

Kinsealy House

Martina Coyle In March 2007 I was contacted by Caroline Crowley, Fingal Co. Co. Public Art Co-ordinator, to meet and discuss their offer of a public art commission in the Fingal area. I had previously applied and was selected for inclusion in Fingal’s panel of artists. Caroline explained the basic details of the commission, the context, budget and timescale, which would depend on the project. At this stage I suggested a possible point of entry could be choosing a location. Soon afterwards by email Caroline suggested Balbriggan.

Martina Coyle. Research image, Coutesy:Peter Mc Gonigle

The commission began by visiting Balbriggan

Deirdre Byrne's studio at Kinsealy House.

Kinsealy House

James Kirwan in his studio

In September 2007, my friend and fellow artist, Christian Reeves became caretaker of Kinsealy House, a large Georgian residence surrounded by a generous amount of land in North County Dublin. I was fortunate enough to be asked to live there, along with a number of other people, some of whom are also artists. Beside the house there was an abandoned two-storey building with a number of spacious rooms, it became immediately obvious to us to use this building as studio spaces.

I’ve been living and working in Fingal for almost three years now and have found it to be a very positive experience. Having a studio in such close proximity is a huge benefit; being surrounded by other artists to chat to, share a cup of tea, or discuss work is very important and motivating to me, as it is to all the artists who work there. The surrounding area is still quite rural, so you have the feeling of being in the countryside, yet have the convenience of being able to hop on a bus and be in town in half an hour. There are of course, frequent reminders of the converging city; the noisy traffic, an airplane flying overhead or a towering crane. My work eventually became influenced by my surroundings and all of these things feature heavily in my drawings.

My first experience of working with the Fingal Arts Office was when I was asked to exhibit in ‘Amharc Fhine Gall – It’s All in the Detail’ in Draíocht, Blanchardstown in March 2008. The exhibition was curated by Caroline Cowley, Public Arts Co-ordinator for Fingal Arts Office and featured the work of five artists either originally from or working in Fingal. In the run up to the exhibition,

to get a sense of the place while trying to keep an

intimate objects and somehow stretch and

open a mind as possible – not thinking in relation

transform them into something else. This led to the

to the type of intervention I would undertake.

idea of recreating the Smyth & Co. footbridge using

Initially I was attracted to the port and harbour,

the

which remain active and have a strong sculptural

techniques.

same

materials

and

manufacturing

feel. Caroline had drawn my attention to Smyth &

At this stage I contacted and met the owners

Co. Textile Company, which was central to the

of the two buildings and was given permission to

economy of Balbriggan for 250 years. The building

install work between their properties. This was

still exists and houses a wide variety of small to

crucial.

medium sized businesses. I began thinking in

Later I visited a small sewing factory, which is

terms of creating a work inside the factory but

based in the Smyth & Co. building and asked if

realised the limitations as all spaces were in use.

they would be interested in collaboration – and

Christmas Exhibition at Across the Way

Caroline called to Kinsealy House for a studio visit.

Having seen the setup of the studios, she told us to let the Arts Office know of any future projects, with the possibility of getting their support.

Last summer, we decided to have an open studio day and a group exhibition called ‘Hi-Vis’. We contacted Caroline for advice and she informed us that there was funding available. With this funding, we were able to transform one of the larger rooms of the building into a gallery space and to promote the exhibition.

Due to the location of the studio in relation to the house, the gallery and studios gradually became known as ‘Across the Way’, which is the name we are currently using for the space. There have been a wide range of artists working in the studios since we first started Across the Way. Stemming from a request in the VAI e-bulletin for a studio to house a kiln, there have been a number of ceramic artists working here. Other disciplines include drawing, painting, photography, graffiti, illustration and sculpture. One of the studios is used as a rehearsal space for musicians. Friends of ours who are filmmakers have used the house or the grounds as a location for short films.

We have had a number of group exhibitions including most recently, ‘Town and Country’, a collaboration with similar artist led initiative, Monster Truck Gallery and Studios. In April, studio members and invited artists from both spaces took part in a gallery swap exhibition. The opening evening began in Monster Truck Gallery and Studios then a coach transported artists and guests to Kinsealy where the exhibition continued at Across the Way. One exciting aspect of this exhibition was that some artists made site-specific work around the grounds of Kinsealy House.

It has never been certain how much more time we will have at Kinsealy House, but while we are there it will continue to be used as a creative working space.

Deirdre Byrne

Martina Coyle. Research image. Photo: Martin Fanning.

Martin Fanning, an ex Smyth & Co. employee,

they were. At present I am producing a full size

was very helpful providing information and

drawing of the bridge, which will be used by Richie

organising a meeting with other ex-employees

the factory’s cutter to make the patterns. And

inside the factory. They described their experiences,

Francis, one of the machinists, has suggested using

explained production methods and materials used

double needle overlocking seams for drawn lines,

in Smyth & Co. throughout the years. Later Martin

which is a brilliant idea. When I showed them the

mailed me an image of the footbridge that once

beadwork I had been working on in the studio they

connected the factory from on side of the street to

both said – “get bigger beads!” It is fantastic working

the other. I instinctively felt the potential.

with people who know what they are doing inside

Given the strong fabricating / industrial past

out and at the same time are willing to step into the

of Balbriggan I envisaged producing an artwork

unknown. Soon I will be inviting locals interested

which would involve a high personal hands-on

in embroidery to become involved.

approach. However at this stage of the commission, I took a break of almost a year to take care of my newly arrived baby.

Caroline and the Fingal Arts office have been totally supportive throughout the commission.

The form of the footbridge will be fabricated

With this type of commission, I find that

with a plastic inflatable and clad with cotton, silk,

energy and communication are a huge part of the

nylon and glass beads, then illuminated with

artwork. Meeting people, engaging, proposing

ultraviolet light to reveal its construction.

collaboration, creating a vision, seeking permission

Installation is planned for October and will be in

to use private property etc, demands a presence.

place for five days.

After my break I began documenting exquisite Smyth & Co. stockings dating from 1846, which were on show in Collins Barracks Musuem, Dublin.

I also photographed all the examples of stockings in storage in the museum. The quality of the materials gave me the impetus to take these

Martina Coyle

Denis Roche Open Window St.Dymphnas Psychiatric Hospital, Carlow Project commences 15 May 2009.

Visualise Carlow, a series of temporary public art projects leading up to the opening of Visual – Centre for Contemporary Art, presents Open Window in collaboration with St. Dymphnas Psychiatric Hospital, Carlow A Carlow Local Authorities Arts Initiative.

Tel: 059 9170301 Email: anolan@carlowcoco.ie Web: www.carlowarts.ie

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

18

May – June 2009

VAI projects

Exercises in Folkatronica 2008 Maya Weimer and Jonny McCauly & John Callaghan outline their experiences on last year's 'Exercises in Folkatronica' – Visual Artists Ireland's Annual media production residency award.

Turn it Off: Jonny McCauley & John Callaghan

Maya Weimer (USA)

Maya Weimer Siubhal (Journey)

My time during the Visual Artists Ireland’s Exercises in Folkatronica media residency was a truly rewarding and positive experience. I had the pleasure of doing a month-long residency, during which I did production and post-production work on a video and audio installation.

The project, Siubhal (Journey), focuses on Irish international adoption, a little-known subject that I was interested in contextualizing within

Jonny McCauley & John Callaghan Turn it Off

larger considerations of the Irish diaspora and current discussions on transnational migration. In addition to extensive research and recording interviews, the bulk of the residency consisted of intensive audio editing. During the residency, I had acquired a voluminous amount of recorded interviews, which were eventually edited into a 30 minute piece. The Visual Artists Ireland studio was conveniently furnished with all of the necessary equipment and editing software in order for me to realise my project.

In addition to its technical offerings, the residency provided an ideal location-based opportunity for me, as a foreigner, to visit Ireland

Jonny McCauley & John Callaghan Turn it Off Solar Studio.

Jonny McCauley & John Callaghan Turn it Off Research Image

and get acquainted with Dublin’s art community. During my month-

THE BACKGROUND

a long exposure, you are left with a trail of light in the image.

long residency, I was able to meet with local artists and filmmakers

Turn It Off is a story about the adventures of the ‘Brites’. The Brites are

Sequencing these images creates the optical illusion that the light is

and create possibilities for artistic exchange for Irish artists in both the

small creatures, made from light, who come out at night when the

moving.

US and Asia. Most importantly, the residency enabled me to do site-

streets are quiet. In the film, the Brites travel around Dublin and

Laser Tagging: This technique was used to write slogans on the

specific research and produce my project in situ. This factor was a

encounter several buildings, which use excessive amounts of lighting.

sides of buildings. Laser tagging is the process of projecting real-time

central part of the project, as it was initially conceived in tandem with

These buildings are not only guilty of light pollution but also

brush strokes onto large surfaces. Using a laser pointer, someone writes

the residency in order to literally ‘re-locate’ the interviewees via their

un-necessary energy wastage. This angers the Brites and they set out on

or draws on a surface e.g. the side of a building. A video camera,

voices, back on the Irish terrain. These subjects are Irish-born adoptees

a mission to raise awareness of the problem.

connected to a laptop with specialised software, tracks the position of

To seek out the offending buildings we enlisted the help of the

the laser on the surface. The software then outputs custom brush/paint

public by setting up a blog (www.turnitoff.eu) and encouraging people

strokes which are projected back onto the position of the laser in real-

Everyone at VAI was welcoming and a pleasure to work with. I

to send in photos of the ‘offenders’. The response was great. Within

time. The software and technique was developed by “The Graffiti

especially appreciated the flexibility of the residency dates which, had

days we had received numerous photos, reports and suggestions,

Research Lab”.

it been less flexible, would have been impossible for me to participate.

which we then personally verified before featuring them in the film.

sent overseas as children, many of who have never returned to their native land.

Thermal Imaging: Several shots in the film show the point-ofview of the characters. This look was achieved using a specialist

As an American visiting Ireland, I must mention that VAI is quite an impressive operation. This efficient and forward-thinking organisation

THE GREEN FACTOR

thermal imaging camera which was kindly supplied by Reg Farrell

is a model of what an arts advocacy organisation should be and many

As we were making a film about energy conservation, we figured it

engineering.

US organisations could learn from its example. The steady stream of daily visitors attests to VAI’s active membership and the central role it plays in the flourishing of Ireland’s visual arts.

Exercises in Folkatronica is an important space for emerging artists to develop work within the digital realm. In providing me with a quiet space and media facilities, it nurtured a location-based project that otherwise would have languished in the US and would have proved impossible for me to realise. My only regret about the residency is that my stay was not longer. But I very much look forward to visiting Ireland again and deepening my interest in its rich history and investigating the fascinating transformations within its contemporary culture.

Maya Weimer Maya Weimer is an artist and video-maker who divides her time between New York, Los Angeles, and Seoul.

would have been hypocritical if we in fact used a lot of energy in the process. So, using a grant awarded by Comhar we purchased a solar

THE RESULT

panel and used it to power all the equipment needed for the production

After six months of hard work, Turn It Off premièred in January 2009 as

e.g. camera batteries, laptops etc. As far as we are aware, this made Turn

part of the Trinity Science Gallery’s internationally acclaimed

It Off the world’s first film-production powered entirely by renewable

exhibition, ‘Lightwave’. After the premier, the film ran continuously in

energy. A big thanks to our sponsors A1 Energy Solutions who

the Science Gallery for three weeks. We also held workshops where

provided technical assistance with the panel.

young and old came to make their own Brites.

THE PROCESS

on our efforts. We have also been asked to visit a number of schools and

To tie in with the underlying theme of the film, all of the visual

businesses to talk about the project and the issues it raises. We’ve even

techniques used in the film were based around light.

received emails from some of the ‘offenders’ who state that they are

Since then, we have received numerous emails commending us

EL Wire: The characters were created using EL (Electro

now taking measures to reduce their building’s energy consumption.

Luminescent) wire. EL wire is copper wire coated in phosphor, which

It’s great to know that something we created has in some way made a

glows when an AC voltage is applied. As the wire is thin and flexible, it

difference, albeit a small one so far.

allowed us to bend it into virtually any shape we wanted i.e. The Brites.

None of this would have been possible without the support of

The characters were then animated using stop-motion techniques i.e. a

Visual Artists Ireland through the Exercises in Folkatronica residency.

photo was taken, the character was moved a small amount, another

They kick-started the entire project, gave us the time and money to

photo was taken, the character was moved a little more, and so on.

develop our ideas and provided the support and recognition needed to

Most of the sequences required 25 photos for one second of animation,

stir up interest in the film.

roughly 7500 photos for the entire film.

A huge thanks goes out to VAI for making it all possible.

Light Graffiti: Inspired by the collective “LichtFaktor”, Turn it Off all started after some playful experimentation with “light graffiti”: by moving a hand-held light source (e.g. a torch) and taking a photo with

Jonny McCauley & John Callaghan

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

19

May – June 2009

VAI Projects

Dominic Thorpe (centre) performing with Brian Patterson (left), Sinead Bhreathnach-Cashel (left) Alastair McLennan (right) and as part of 'Big Jam', the concluding element of the Performance Collectives evenet at Catalyst Arts, Belfast. Photo: Catherine Devlin.

Actually Living

Amanda Coogan, performing as part of 'Big Jam', the concluding element of the Performance Collectives evenet at Catalyst Arts, Belfast. (background – Alastair McLennan and Sandra Johnston) Photo: Catherine Devlin.

Sara Baume reports on a VAI SUpported weekend of LIVE ART, organiSed by Performance Collective, at Catalyst Arts, Belfast Based in Dublin, the Performance Collective (1) consists of six experienced and respected performance artists, Michelle Browne, Alex Conway, Amanda Coogan, Pauline Cummins, Frances Mezzetti and Dominic Thorpe. They come together on a regular basis to perform collaboratively, exchange ideas and discuss developments in method and theory. These conversations and events both energise the artists’ individual practices and rejuvenate Ireland’s short and vibrant history of Live Performance Art. From Friday 20 – Sunday 22 February, the Performance Collective, with the support of Visual Artists Ireland (2), brought a series of weekend events to Belfast for the first time. They left a few subtle chalk footsteps behind them in the city, and some far less subtle scuffs in the plaster and mounds of detritus in Catalyst Arts. The evidence of their performances remained in the gallery as an exhibition until 26 February.

I am not a comfortable spectator of performance art. I tend to either imagine myself as the performer, and get irrationally embarrassed, or realise how vulnerable I am as a viewer, and spend the entirety of the event consumed with anxiety that the performer is going to attempt to involve me in some (potentially embarrassing) way. Fortunately, Friday’s night’s ‘Living Installations’ were structured so that each artist, for the most part, remained within their assigned section of the space and their own respective trance throughout. The trances varied broadly. Michelle Browne teetered on a raised platform in a white dress soaked with red, crushing eggshells with her bare feet. There was something newly born about her, an expression of concentrated wonder spread across her features, as though her brain were still swimming in uterine fluid. Amanda Coogan reclined on a plinth in a frustrated haze, sporting a smart grey pant suit and singing incoherently.

Her painted lips, positioned strategically behind a piece of Perspex, upon which was a crude drawing and within which was an oval hole, never once ceased their fidgeting, even when her vocal chords were silent.

Some artists incorporated the bare minimum of objects. Dominic Thorpe stood behind a pile of charcoal sticks, facing the wall. In an enchanting and quiet performance, he wrote the same two phrases on the wall to either side of his body, one with each hand, over and over until the letters blurred into meaninglessness; “easy to forget, hard not to remember”. Alex Conway, on the other hand, employed everything from a harmonica to a smoke machine. It seemed that his restless utilisation of implements was what the performance was actually about. An old fashioned cassette player taped to his forearm spluttered the occasional taunt, egging him on in his frenzied busy-ness.

I am never quite sure if performance art is essentially meant to be ‘about’ anything in particular, other than the artist’s pure freedom of expression and the suspension of preconditioned behaviour. Pauline Cummins spent Friday night’s event cutting miniature figures from slices of white bread and frying them until crisp and golden in a pan over a heat source. At one point she started to emit a low humming noise, like the kind of sound a child makes when lost in concentration.

Later on she moved slowly about the room, listing names and repeatedly uttering the phrase ‘pixelated images’ as she proffered a platter of tiny

bread people to anyone brave enough to take a bite. It was difficult to overlook references to child trafficking and abuse. I could not help but think of girls in First Holy Communion gowns, skin turned dark orange from the tanning-bed sessions that had preceded their big day.

During the ‘Living Installation’ the group could easily have represented a number of stages from the spiral of drunkenness into unconsciousness; from happy, babbling, angry and weird, right through to collapsed. Frances Mezzetti was undoubtedly the happiest drunk; acting out a strange, but not altogether unpleasant or ungraceful dream. She was the only one to allow a smile to escape through a chink in her trance.

Saturday’s outdoor performance on Belfast’s Church Lane involved only two members of the Collective – Cummins and Mezzetti. Both ladies were dressed, very convincingly, as men. They rambled gradually up the street; hair greased back and shirts stuffed into shapeless trousers. They performed the roles flawlessly, tipping back and forth on their heels, carrying a rolled newspaper, scratching their crotches. The only exceptionally unusual behaviour came when Mezzetti removed a box of chalk like a packet of cigarettes from an inside pocket, selected a stick, and traced the outline of the soles of her shoes onto the tarmac surface. It was fascinating to see how such a raw and unpredictable audience would react to the artists. In the gallery the previous night, I had noticed how the crowd of viewers would open respectfully around the performer whenever their activity moved them beyond the designated space. On a hectic Saturday afternoon in the centre of the city, few shoppers even noticed that anything out-of-the-ordinary was occurring. Entitled Walking in the Way, the invisibility of the piece was its greatest triumph. The performance art spectators, hanging around shiftily in confused clutters, ended up resembling more of an oddity than the performance artists themselves.

Being a performance artist strikes me as, in some way, comparable to being a comedian. Not because they are amusing or entertaining, or even trying to be, but because they demonstrate the comedian’s skill of observing the minutiae of human behaviour, the restrained tics and gaits and tiny mannerisms. Like the best comedians, some performance artists are able to take these into themselves and relay them back to us, exposing a little of the insecurity behind the façade in the process. This was nowhere better demonstrated than in the Saturday afternoon performance.

Dubbed ‘The Big Jam,’ Saturday night’s event brought a vastly different feeling and atmosphere to Catalyst. As a collaboration with the Belfast performance group Bbeyond (consisting of members Brian Connolly, Alastair McLennan, Sandra Johnston, Sinead BhreathnachCashell, Christine Cadman, Brian Patterson, Rainer Pagel and Elvira Santamaria) all artists performed together improvisationally for two hours. Chosen materials were placed in the gallery, but actions arose spontaneously as the artists interacted with one another or with the objects they encountered.

The space was darkened to begin with, a clear line dividing assembled audience from ambling, dashing and dancing performers.

As the event pressed on, what I had perceived to be fellow viewers crossed sides to join in with the activity. I was enthralled by how

pedestrian everybody looked, no funky piercings or bleached dreadlocks or statement tattoos, the performing strangers could seamlessly have passed for my Aunty Pam or even my Granddad. This somehow lent a sense of seriousness and gravity to the occasion. As tea kettles boiled and drums were played, sand castles built, tomatoes hammered to a pulp and the legs sawed off unassuming chairs, I found myself unexpectedly compelled and moved all at once, lost in a succession of moments.

As Amanda Coogan later admitted, many artists improvising all at once is bound to be easier for an audience to endure. Lots of things happening simultaneously and involving multiple props will better sustain a 21st century attention span than any singular activity in isolation. ‘Big Jams’ do run the risk of preventing the serious spectator from wholly connecting with any one impassioned performer’s personal journey or struggle or absorption. But, on Saturday night, I found that the still and silent ones were not lost in the rabble. To the contrary, the instances that stayed in my mind were the fleeting beacons of calm: a very thin woman with no shoes moving around the space gently tasting other people’s hair, Frances Mezzetti and Alistair McLennan scuffling and shuffling awkwardly in tandem, heads bowed low onto chests.

Sunday’s concluding discussion was a great way for members of the Performance Collective and Bbeyond to thrash out and tie up some of the issues that had arisen from the weekend’s events. Hosted by Catalyst and open to the public, it also created a forum for interested viewers to gain insight and contribute feedback. The members of Bbeyond spoke in general terms about the group’s regular practice of choosing different locations around Belfast to meet and perform on given days. They explained how this keeps them thinking on their feet, adapting to circumstances and avoiding complacency. The Performance Collective talked about the challenge of negotiating a new physical space, as well as working with another artistic community and within a different historical context.

In the midst of ‘The Big Jam,’ an odd question popped into my mind “What if aliens were to land, right here right now, and this room, creaking at the seams with grown men and women prancing, gurgling and smashing, just happened to be their very first encounter with humanity?” But then, to aliens arriving with absolutely no preconditioned expectations, why would it seem in any way stranger than the things we ordinarily do, the ways in which we normally behave? Alex Conway summed it up beautifully during Sunday’s discussion, when he talked about the idea that the artist’s so-called ‘performance’ represents the only time that they are actually living.

Everything else, all of those mundane, formulaic, necessary rituals of everyday existence, they are what constitute the real performance.

Sara Baume Notes 1) www.theperformancecollective.com 2) Support for this event was provided as part of Visual Artists Ireland’s 2008 programme.

Visual Artists Ireland has a policy of collaborating with artists and other arts organisations on the delivery of projects such as symposia, exhibitions and seminars. Further details can be found at http://www.visualartists.ie/ap.html

20

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

May – June 2009

Career DEVELOPMENT

(Above) Martin Healy, Facsimile, 2008.

Single Channel video, HD Cam, 5.50 minutes looped, (video still) Courtesy of Rubicon Gallery, Dublin (Left) Martin Healy, Facsimile, 2008.

Single Channel video, HD Cam, 5.50 minutes looped.

Installation view, Rubicon Gallery, Dublin.

Courtesy of Rubicon Gallery, Dublin

Critical Mass Martin HEALY TALKS about recent developments in his art career.

Jason Oakley: In the last few years a kind of critical mass has developed for you in terms of your career as a professional artist.

MH: Yes, the last three years or so have represented a very concentrated period, in terms of my studio practice. I had a solo show in the RHA in July 2007. In the run up to that exhibition, I was awarded a three-year studio in TBG&S in late 2006 and in April 2007 I started the six-month residency in IMMA. And at the end of last year I did a residency at the Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris.

JO: Have concrete outcomes followed in terms of your career?

MH: I can’t really say. In terms of a ‘career’, I can never separate it from the projects that I am working on planning or hoping to do.

What I enjoyed about the RHA show, was the opportunity to see how I could physically and conceptually realise my video work for a large space – so that it became a nearly sculptural experience. In college I originally did sculpture, so maybe there was a throwback to that. I see the space between and in front of the projections – where the viewer operates – as a key part of the work. The show got me thinking in terms of more elaborate forms of installation of my video works.

JO: So the RHA show changed your way of working?

MH: Simply speaking, I do probably make more video now – and I have more of an interest in working with the moving image in terms of conceiving of and developing my work. In general, I’d say that I have learnt something from every piece or show I’ve done. So for ‘Facsimile’ my recent show at the Rubicon, Dublin (26 Feb –28 March), I just wanted a very clean installation of a single piece. It was pretty clear in my mind on how I wanted it to look.

JO: What about key developments earlier in your career?

MH: After I completed my MA at the Crawford College of Art and Design in Cork, I was awarded the PS1 International Studio programme residency in 2000. During that year in New York I learnt a lot about my own practice. I can’t really measure the benefits – it was great. I suppose there is nowhere better to be as an artist – just in terms of an exposure to so much art and the city's art scene and the other artists who were also on the programme were a great peer group.

JO: Where and how were you working before you got the studios in IMMA and TBG&S? MH: I worked mostly from home. My work existed – as much of it still does – on my laptop; or in the form of test strips and small-scale test prints. And my photography is not studio-based. It takes place on location, in a place or environment that has become significant to me for any number of different reasons. So a good portion of any of my projects is about getting physically to a place, to experience it myself.

The taking of photographs is just the next stage. That seems to be increasingly how I operate.

And there is always a kind of gestation period involved in my work. I’ll take photographs, get them scanned – and then they could sit on a disc for years, before I revisit them and decide what I want to do with them. Ideas for works and ways to show them, might exist in my head for any period of time; and I’ll have two or three things on the go all the time.

JO: So, has having a studio space changed your way of working?

MH: Well, I get to live with the actual work. Some of my work from previous shows is stored in my studio, so I can refer to physical examples, when I am thinking about the scale of pieces or how I might show them.

In the studio I’ve got space to physically put prints on the wall – where they might stay for a week, a month or a couple of years – in order to think about them on a ongoing basis. And I can try out video pieces. In fact, for all my recent video projects, prior to them being exhibited, I’ve projected them in the studio to get a sense of how they will look at a certain scale.

JO: Do you have any plans for when you have to leave TBG&S? MH: I’ve no definite plans. Things have moved on for me – but I could go back to working how I was before. It depends on what my plans for my work are in the next six to eight months. For instance, Facsimile marked a different approach for me, in that I worked with a lot of outside people on the project such as a camera person, an editor and a sound artist. So if it is the case that I end up working in same way for my next project, I won’t necessarily require a studio.

JO: What’s your approach to archiving, editioning and the storage of your works?

MH: I keep digital files of my photographs backed up on various hard drives. And I have boxes of transparencies that I haven’t scanned – which I might occasionally go back to as a resource.

The Rubicon also keeps an archive of everything I’ve done in terms of exhibited works. I mainly store the work in my studio, so I’m responsible for my back catalogue in that respect.

In terms of editions – with video, once I have the piece finished, I tend to produce the entire edition. But with photographs I don’t tend to make the whole run. If the prints are not mounted they have to be stored flat – and framing is expensive. On the whole, if there is something that people want to look at, or work is needed for art fairs, I tend to produce things as I go.

JO: Has insurance been an issue for you?

MH: I recently took out studio insurance. I was getting public liability insurance for a shoot – and studio insurance was available for only a minimal extra cost. I got it via the VAI website.

JO: Could you tell me a bit about your relationship with the Rubicon Gallery?

MH: The first solo show I did with them was in 2003. So I’ve had a six – seven year relationship with them. The Rubicon handles the dissemination of my work. By and large, if I want to have a dialogue with them about a project or application, they would be eager to help.

But essentially the choice lies with me, whether I want to bring them in on something or not. Also, if I were in the middle of making work, I would invite the directors over to have a look at it – to get their opinion. So there is also a creative and curatorial involvement, as opposed to a purely commercial or managerial relationship. My shows with them have come about organically. The ‘Facsimile’ show came from me finishing the piece towards the end of last year, and it being shown by the Rubicon at the Berlin Art Fair. We discussed the possibility of showing it in Dublin, and it turned out that they had a slot available. My work is promoted regularly by the gallery through various art fairs.

JO: Do you rely on sales of your work as an income?

MH: No. I would always tend to view sales as a bonus – I don’t take them for granted. I put whatever income I get from sales back into the work.

JO: What other sources of funding have you received and sought out?

MH: I’ve been fortunate to receive Arts Council bursaries over the last few years. The bursaries have suited my way of working – especially in terms of buying time and working with third party expertise, which was crucial for the making of Facsimile.

JO: In terms of information and opportunities, do you use resources like the VAN and the VAI’s e-bulletin and website?

MH: Sure. But most often, my information comes from other artists.

People will say to me “did you see this” etc. Or they’ll email me through things. And I’ll do the same for them. Other artists are a great resource. Also in terms of critique of the work – I have two or three friends who are artists whose judgement I would trust in terms of showing things to – who would be a good sounding board.

JO: What would you say are your future aims, ambitions and goals?

MH: There are two or three projects I have in my head at the moment that I would really like to see come to reality – my medium and shortterm ambition is just to get them done. Overall, it is based on the works – making more ambitious bigger projects really. www.martinhealy.net

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

21

May – June 2009

CONFERENCE REPORT

Underscoring Success Sara Baume Reports on ‘_Unit’ A residency project for Portlaoise town and surrounds (November 2008 – February 2009)

broader issues around living in urban society. Their findings and ideas came together in the form of an individual booklet.

Vera Klute gladly agreed to participate in ‘_Unit’, despite initial concerns that her practice was not socially or politically driven enough for what is normally expected of these kinds of site specific commissions.

But Cliodhna Shaffrey could see the glowing potential in Klute’s imaginative and intriguing body of paintings, drawings, installations and videos. Klute’s work appropriates aspects and apparatus of the everyday, reconfiguring them into strange new mechanisms and scenarios. It was her talent for acute observation and propensity for meticulous fabrication that appealed to Shaffrey in relation to ‘_Unit’.

Klute found Portlaoise Hospital to be the perfect environment in which to further explore her ongoing interest in biology and medical equipment. She found ways to examine the particular contexts of Portlaoise through the environments, instruments and machines of the hospital. Klute was engaged by how the hospital represented the entire cycle of life in small towns, "birth, reproduction, death, and all those ordinary, everyday situations in-between." (2) The work that developed, taking the form of three separate video-animation pieces, feels both light-hearted and unsettling. In Klute’s strange and wonderful world,

Ruth Lyons – schools workshop for _Unit

Ruth Lyons – work created for _Unit

ventilators puff vehicles through the streets, squirming caterpillars chomp through layers of cauliflower brain, and a tartan slipper sprouts its own toes and jiggles menacingly on the kitchen lino.

Ruth Lyons is a co-founder of The Good Hatchery, a unique artists settlement based in a 19th century hayloft in Co. Offaly. The building was renovated from scratch, and now successfully serves the needs of emerging innovaters and creators like the founders themselves. Lyon’s personal practice reflects this need to embrace contexts and forge communities wherever she finds herself. This natural penchant for connecting with peoples and places was what encouraged Sally Timmons to invite her to participate in ‘_Unit’.

Lyons is a habitual gatherer of the sights, sounds, ideas and information offered by her immediate surroundings. She works by

Ruth Lyons – work created for _Unit

Ruth Lyons – work created for _Unit

channelling the elements that interest or enlighten her into artwork.

Commissioned by Laois County Arts Office and instigated by Sarah

by the town’s iconic Montague Hotel, which is today used as a major

Lyons secured a studio space in the heart of Portlaoise town. For the

Searson, ‘_Unit’ was a refreshing and multi-faceted public art initiative

centre for asylum seekers. She could not help but wonder what went

duration of the project, it was important for her to go out and

for Portlaoise town, ran between November 08 and February 09. While

on behind the crumbling 1960s façade, what daily life was like and

communicate with the people of the locality, as well as inviting groups

previous projects for the area had been successful, the initial impact

what aspirations were harboured by the displaced inhabitants within.

into the studio to talk about the project in general and the progress of

always tended to be short-lived. It was with this in mind that Searson

Employing a list originally devised by W.H.Auden, she used his

her installation in particular. Using town maps as a starting point,

formulated ‘_Unit’, so called because it involved a network of

questions to determine individual ‘dreams of Eden’ from people who

Lyons made paintings that gradually changed shape into stop-go

individuals, audiences, places and organisations. These separate ‘units’

had all abandoned their homelands in pursuit of greener hills. The

animation pieces. In the large front window of her studio, she went

worked together to facilitate creative activities and processes designed

responses ranged from aimless monologues to childhood stories and

about constructing a three dimensional collage of coloured vinyl

to leave some kind of enduring legacy in their wake. Searson approached

traditional recipes. Nanigian brought her findings together in an

shapes, tiny sculptures, giant sketches and projections, all in full view

three other curators, and they each selected an artist to embark upon

intimate publication balancing the human voices with research and

of passers by. The finished piece was a tenuously beautiful and fragile

the project alongside them. The curator / artist couples were Padraic E.

data telling the factual story of recent immigration into Ireland. This

microcosm of the area, reminiscent of a stage set or museum diorama.

Moore and Theresa Nanigian, Sarah Searson and Hope Inherent,

thoughtful combination of practical and poetic, this ability to ‘couple

Timmons was able to take the experience as a kicking off point for

Cliodhna Shaffrey and Vera Klute, Sally Timmons and Ruth Lyons.

cold statistics with idiosyncratic information’ (1) is what initially drew

developing her own theories and writings on issues that had long been

Nanigian to the attention of Padraic E. Moore.

of relevance to her practice as a curator, examining how artists

For the duration of the project, the artists developed work that drew from their existing interests and lines of inquiry, but that

Through interaction and dialogue with his chosen artist, Moore

simultaneously responded to the specific contexts of Portlaoise. While

explored the impact that conceptual art of the 60s and 70s continues to

the town was relatively unfamiliar terrain for most of the artists and

have on contemporary practices, situating Nanigian’s methods within

As in the case of Timmons and Lyons, ‘_Unit’ proved beneficial for

curators, this allowed them to look anew and touch on details

an art historical framework. Nanigian felt that her practice was

artists and curators alike, with each feeding off the other to inform

otherwise unobserved or taken for granted. Their individual

enriched daily by having another person to bounce ideas off who was

their own personal practice. The artists found that working with the

explorations took them from the prison to the hospital to the asylum

as invested in the project as she was.

support of a curator and a County Council allowed them to access

depot, but avoided the temptation to become disengaged or

negotiate space whose original function contrasts vastly with the creation of artwork.

Hope Inherent is the name assigned to the combined practice of

systems and institutions that would have been unreachable alone.

artists Tara Kennedy and Jennie Moran. Their artistic objective is to

Valuable relationships were formed, and all involved declared a desire

The participation of almost as many curators as there were artists

change the world in modest yet meaningful ways, approaching one

to work within this format on future occasions.

made this project stand out alongside more traditional public art

minor problem at a time and generally encouraging people to feel a

The project was a success, and Searson was keen to emphasise

commissions. ‘_Unit’ is the latest example of curators being innovative

little nicer about themselves. This could entail playing gramophone

that this was largely due to the openness and tolerance of each

with their job description, flexing the boundaries of what is understood

records for office workers, or inviting passing strangers to join them in

participant. The artists took great care to remain sensitive to the

by the term ‘curation’. The definition of ‘curator’ is something very

a game of hopscotch. While it all sounds a bit sweet and fluffy, Hope

locality and its inhabitants throughout. The curators were consistently

different today to when it was employed solely to describe the

Inherent approach their work on different levels. Behind the helpful,

respectful of the artist’s individual ideas, approaches and processes.

custodians of dusty cupboards full of painting and sculpture collections.

cheery facades, the artists research relevant theoretical texts and

Searson was unusually proud of the fact that ‘_Unit’ had accumulated

Searson explained that the task of the curator was to support, challenge

concern themselves with the structures and systems that underpin

in fragments, as opposed to any one definitive or predictable exhibition

and respond to their chosen artist, but at no point to instruct or dictate.

everyday habits and activities.

or event. She considers the human and environmental legacies to be of

condescending experiments in social science.

Throughout the project, the couples met at regular intervals to discuss

For ‘_Unit’, Hope Inherent naturally gravitated toward the town’s

far greater significance. The curatorial decision to bring so many

developments. The finished physical product was a publication,

ultimate icon of despair – Portlaoise Prison. After some time spent

contemporaries on board and allow them carte blanche to paddle in

completed in April. It includes a general outline of ‘_Unit’ and an essay

navigating the system, the artists found that the best way to make

their own direction was a courageous one. Alongside the ripples of

from each curator contextualising the relationships formed and

direct contact with prisoners was via the jail’s Education division.

fresh artwork, Searson has floated an important new framework into

examining each artist’s respective body of work.

Through casual chats and more structured questionnaires, they

the pool of public art projects.

Theresa Nanigian came to art via the most unconventional of

explored the prisoner’s daily coping mechanisms, the trivial tactics and

routes. She had established a successful career in Business

personal rituals that give shape to their lives in confinement. Sarah

Administration in America before coming to Dublin to study art. The

Searson described how the artists were interested in the significance of

meticulous, systematic, numerical approach stemming from her

tiny things, in taking the fragments of ‘hope’ in the prison system and

business brain has become the backbone of her practice as an artist.

projecting these outward. Kennedy and Moran also wanted to see how

During initial explorations of Portlaoise, Nanigian was fascinated

the prison and its occupants could act as a framework to examine

Sara Baume Notes 1. Padraic E. Moore, in correspondence 2. Vera Klute, in correspondence

22

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

May – June 2009

How is it MADE?

Ronan McCrea School Play installation view

Ronan McCrea. Study for School Play.

Ronan McCrea School Play. Castleknock Educate Together School, Castleknock, Dublin 15

Everything and Everywhere Ronan McCrea discusses the thinking and making processes behind his COMMISSION FOR Castleknock Educate Together School

School Play is a ‘Per Cent for Art Scheme’ commission for Castleknock Educate Together School, a primary school in Dublin 15, connected to the construction of a new school building. School Play consists of two elements: a design for a schoolyard, which is the permanent installation of a series of painted circles and arcs; and a series of colour photographs.

The work was developed over a number of years. I was engaged to make a work for the school in 2006 with quite a loose proposal to make a film work. After much trial and error, periods of research and fits and starts, the piece was finally put into production in 2008. Ruari O’Cuiv was the project manager for all stages of the commission.

From the start, I knew I wanted to continue with the concerns of my practice, exemplified at the time by the Sequences, Scenarios & Locations (2003 – 2005) an episodic series of projected slide installations.

However one of the concerns in using lens-based media in his context, was how to make an interesting work that was also somehow inclusive of a large school population and would be able maintain relevance for future generations of pupils. There are two classes in each of the eightyear groups from Junior Infants up to Sixth Class, with ages ranging from 4 to 12 years old, as well as a special needs unit for children with autism.

The school is an Educate Together school, a model of school governance and ethos that is child-centred, multi–denominational, co-educational and democratically run. The school has a relatively high proportion of ‘New Irish’, children of various backgrounds from Eastern Europe, Africa and Asia and the school is very proud of its multicultural character and inclusive ethos.

What was striking about spending time in the school is the huge range of creative activities that the children engage in and how busy, full and fun each day can be. All the staff were very welcoming and accommodating of my presence in the school, as well as being extremely patient as the plans of the project often changed and there were many delays in the process.

When I started work, the school was housed in temporary buildings. In 2006 work began on the new school building and everyone moved in to the new premises in April 2007.

Every school day is carefully scheduled and there are two breaks, one in mid morning and one lunch break later in the day. I became particularly interested in these playtimes, it is a huge release of collective energy – very noisy and vibrant. It is a time when the children can engage in self initiated and self organised play without adult direction; a time for daydreaming or highly concentrated roleplaying games. It can be very diverse: crowds and groups of all sizes, pairs and individuals, all mingling, coalescing and dissolving from moment to moment. The schoolyard can be inhabited by 20 minutes of intense, frenetic movement and noise followed by an hour of eerie silence after everyone had gone back to classrooms.

The Markings I resolved to work with the play aspect of school life for my project. I conducted some research by interviewing children about their games and playtime activities, recording the results. Concepts of play have a particular cultural resonance including many interesting artistic and

theoretical practices. It’s a great metaphor for lots of things. One interesting source was play theorist Brain Sutton Smith. His book The Ambiguity of Play focuses on play theories rooted in seven distinct ‘rhetorics’ – the ancient discourses of Fate, Power, Communal Identity and Frivolity and the modern discourses of Progress, the Imaginary, and the Self (1).

The new school had a new tarmac schoolyard. I saw that the yard was a more or less an empty space, in contrast to a park playground with its swings, slides and various play apparatus. I devised a series of markings as a permanent design for the schoolyard for use by the children during playtime. The markings are in the form of variously coloured circles and arcs. The markings do not signify any game or sporting code, but are used by the children in their own play they invent for themselves everyday. I stress the idea of design (as opposed to art) as the use value of the markings was my primary intention at this stage. I purposefully did not mediate or discuss this aspect of the project with the children or identify the markings as being anything in particular (particularly as being art.) They were just there one Monday morning. (A contractor of roadway markings laid the lines to my specification over the course of a weekend using a spray-painting machine) Graphically, the lines reference sports markings and the way lines of different sports codes often are overlaid each other in an indoor gym.

Some circles have a very large diameter, and extend into other tarmac areas of the school property such as the car park. Some are so large that in one’s imagination the circumference extends beyond the school and out into the hinterland of the neighbourhood. (This can be seen most clearly in the studies and drawings I made using the architect’s plan of the school building.) While a somewhat subliminal aspect to the design, the circles are linked in my mind with that great image of childhood, education and ego from Joyce’s bildungsroman: Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man “Stephen turned to the flyleaf of the geography book and read what had been written there: himself, his name and where he was: Stephen Dedalus Class of Elements Clongowes Wood College Sallins County Kildare Ireland Europe The World The Universe

The Photographs The second element of the School Play project was the production of a series of photographs. These photographs were all shot from various elevated positions looking down onto the yard during break time following the installation of the markings. This was achieved using a mobile elevated platform ‘cherry picker’ placed in different positions at the edge of the yard. No directions were given from me to the children.

I tended to fix a camera position before playtime began and then I relied on the random entrance and exit of figures into the frame of viewfinder, shooting more or less continuously for the duration of each break. In the first few days I often had to wait for the children to get bored by my presence, stop looking up at the camera and resume playing before I could begin shooting. From over 400 usable negatives, a final set of 30 images was selected to constitute a series. Twelve of these images where then selected to be printed 112 x 90 cm size. They are enlargements printed straight from negative by a lab in London that still make analogue / chemical (C-type) colour photographs. They were then framed and installed in the corridors of the school.

The circular markings now become a set – in the sense of a stage set, or a film set – a stage for everyday action. (It is from this idea I gleaned the title School Play.) The circles and arcs now mark out and bisect a pictorial frame. Random actions become relational. The play becomes choreography. Miniature dramas and moments, both individual and collective become related through spatial arrangement.

Everything seems simultaneously random and purposeful. While looking through the lens while shooting, I was often reminded of the Brownian motion of particles under a microscope The photographs also recall Rodchencko’s photography of city streets in the 1920s. On one level this is present in the composition of angles and elevated perspectives, but I also interested in the rhetoric and traditions of making representations of a new and collective subjectivity, which has an immediate resonance in the spheres of education and play. I often felt the school as being a type of city. The photographs offer a kind of impossible view, not a view available from anywhere in the school premises and quite separate from the experience at ground level, a kind of abstraction in that sense. As a series of photographs, the work also represents a continuation of my interests in photographic methodologies of sequencing, series and typology and an exploration of a space between moving (cinematic) and still (photographic) images.

I am glad to say that markings have become a part of the school environment and are used by many children in their playtime. The set of photographs now belong to the school and have become just one more element in the huge amount of children’s artwork and images that are everywhere on the walls of this vibrant and energetic school.

Ronan McCrea

[…] Then he read the flyleaf from the bottom to the top till he came to his own name. That was he: and he read down the page again. What was after the universe? Nothing. But was there anything after the universe to show where it stopped before the nothing place began? It could not be a wall but there could be a thin, thin line there all around everything. It was very big to think about everything and everywhere.” (2)

www.ronanmccrea.com www.cetns.ie www.educatetogether.ie Notes 1. Brian Sutton-Smith, The Ambiguity of Play, 1998, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass.; London 2. James Joyce. Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (1916) 1987, Penguin Classics, London.

St. George’s Terrace, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim T: 071 9650 828 E: info@thedock.ie W:www.thedock.ie

Gillian Lawler City Stack 2 oil on canvas 75 x 80 2009

24 April – 19 June

The Dock Presents Two Solo Exhibitions New Work by Gillian Lawler Memory’s Dark Room New Paintings by Denis Farrell

27 June – 11 September

John Walker

The Dock Galleries are open from 10am-6pm Tuesday to Saturday.

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

May – June 2009

25

Art in the public realm: roundup

Art in the Public Realm: Roundup

Recent public art commissions, site-specific works, socially engaged practice and other forms of art outside the gallery. landscape with videos from over 50 artists. The

Vortex Chandelier

international and local artists in the festival engaged with the distinct social and architectural character of each site, creating videos that relate directly to the place and its inhabitants. www.igvfest.com

The Sweet Fantastic

Michael Disley Moville Benches

Artist: Michael Disley Title of work: Moville Benches Location: Shorefront, Moville Description: Six limestone benches feature local scenes carved by the artist; nine more benches feature designs carved by local schoolchildren and the local community.

Redmoon Company The Sweet Fantastic

Artist: Redmoon Company

Shane Holland Vortex Chandelier

Title: The Sweet Fantastic

Elizabeth Caffrey The Three Fates

Artist: Shane Holland

Commissioner: Donegal County Council on

Artist: Elizabeth Caffrey

Title: Vortex Chandelier

behalf of The National Roads Authority.

Title: The Three Fates

Location: Church of St Peter and Paul, Portlaoise.

Dates sited / completed: October 2008 – January

Location: Herrons Field, Ardara

Date of Installation: Nov 2008

2009

Description: These three welded bronze rod forms

Budget: €38, 000

Budget / Commission Value: € 20,000

fuse the influences of Ardara’s weaving heritage

Commission Type: Invitation

Type of commission: Direct Invitation

and the twists and turns in the flow of the

Project Partners: John O’Connell Consulting

Project partners: Donegal County Council and

Owentocker river. A universal theme of birth, life

Engineers, Quinn Reddin, and Fr John Byrne

Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny

and death, is also at the heart of the work, with its

Portlaoise Parish

Description: To mark the 80th Anniversary of the

reference to the three Fates, figures from Greek

Oatfield Sweet Factory in Letterkenny, the Chicago

mythology.

Description: Designed by Shane Holland, this chandelier is the largest lighting fixture this far undertaken by Shane Holland Design Workshops.

The piece measures 5.2 meters (17ft) in diameter and with a drop of approx 7 metres (23ft) and is fabricated in brass and aluminium. The lighting element of Vortex is CFL A energy rated using twelve 20 watt and 7 watt lights – with a total power of 324 watts. The piece was constructed in Duleek Co. Meath with collaboration of companies in Meath, Dublin and Cork – includubg Turner Glass in Cork. Vortex and was transported in seven sections to Portlaoise. The design was supervised

by John O’ Connell Associates, Portlaoise and Fr John Byrne. Shane Holland Design Workshops are an Irish company who design and build lighting, furniture and sculptural elements in Ireland and abroad. www.shanehollanddesign.com .

International Guerrilla Video Festival

based Redmoon Company were invited to work with three Letterkenny Primary Schools to explore children’s wonderfully creative response to sweets and a sweet factory, culminating in 'The Sweet Fantastic', an exhibition adventure of six

Denis O'Conor Morning Star

whimsical artwork installations and performances, each one representing a famous Oatfield Sweet.

Artist: Maurice Harron Title of work: Earth Mother

Patefaction Patefaction, a major large-scale sculpture created by the leading British sculptor Angela Conner was installed on Grafton Street in Dublin on 27 March 2009. Organised by Solomon Fine Art, this is the latest sculpture to appear as part of the street’s temporary public art space programme, organised in conjunction with Dublin City Council. The

Location: The Diamond, Raphoe Cod Steaks Three Coins

Artist: Cod Steaks Title of work: Three Coins Location: The Roundabout, Lifford

steel frame. Each individual panel gently swings in the wind. Patefaction will be installed on Grafton Street for a period of 12 months.

HEART PROGRAMME Commissioners: Donegal County Council &

Project budget: 7 x €50,000 commissions

The International Guerrilla Video Festival (IGVFest), a mobile exhibition of video art, was held in three distinct areas of the Dublin: Talbot Street, Parnell Street & Rathmines (19 Feb – 20 Feb).

Using a converted rickshaw, the moving festival navigated the city, stopping to project films directly on to buildings, monuments and temporary structures, illuminating the urban

Brian Connolly Art Benches

Artist: Brian Connolly

Commission type: Open Competition

Title of work: Art Benches

Project partners: Donegal County Council &

Location: New Park Ramelton

Strabane District Council HEART programme

Description: Five benches feature imagery and

Artist: Cod Steaks Title of work: The Matrimonial Tree

her hands raised to form a mid-day shadow cast upon a bronze strip on a rock at her feet.

marking the town’s past, present and future.

four stainless steel units suspended on a stainless

Strabane District Council HEART programme

of Beltany Stone Circle, this figure of a woman has

Description: Three coins decorated with emblems

work is approximately 18ft high and is made of

Dates sited: Summer/Autumn 2008

Description: Referencing the local prehistoric site

information from six periods of Ramelton’s rich history

Location: The Bridge, Ballybofey/Stranorlar

Artist: Denis O’Conor

Description: At the bridge linking the twin towns,

Title of work: Morning Star

this stylized tree references local folklore’s tale of

Location: Ballyshannon Bypass

tree’s being grafted together when a couple were

Description: The stylized form of a ship upon

married. The handprints of local schoolchildren

waves looks out towards the Atlantic, and marks

are embedded into the sculpture.

the town’s historic and contemporary links with the sea.

YOUR WORK HERE !

If you have recently been involved in a public commission, a percent for art project, socially engaged practice or any other form of ‘art outside the gallery’ we would like you to send us images and a short text (no more than around 300 words) in the following format – Artists name.

Title of work.

Commissioning body.

Date that the commission advertised.

Dates project was sited / carried out.

The project budget (NB artwork / site work).

What type of commission was is? (eg direct invitation, open competition, limited competition, did you have to prepare a submission at a short-listing stage?).

Who were the main partners for the project? (eg did you work with a local authority arts officer, community representatives, architects, engineers, project managers?).

Brief description of the work

26

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

May – June 2009

Visual Artists Ireland Western Representative

Stepping Out Aideen Barry, VAI's West of Ireland Representative reports on visual arts activity in Donegal.

Donegal is an area that seems to fall between two regional cracks, in terms of myself and Daniel Jewesbury’s remit (Daniel is the VAI’s Northern Ireland Representative). It is not provincially ‘west of Ireland’, nor is it politically ‘North of Ireland’. I decided to tentatively step outside my ‘border’ to investigate visual arts practices in this in-between space. For this report I looked at some of the interesting projects and possibilities taking place in the northern tip of the country.

One of the more curious curatorally driven projects I have come across is An Gailearaí, a professional gallery, run by Gailearaí nag Croisbhealaí Teo. The project is located in the Donegal Gaeltacht and exhibits contemporary visual art practices. The notion of being a functioning gallery and mediation centre for contemporary visual arts, sited in a Gaeltacht; and in one of the remotest parts of Ireland, presents many challenges. An Gailearaí engages in some interesting discourses around the preservation of language and culture; and how that impacts on visual culture both in Ireland and beyond.

An Gailearaí provides opportunities and support for artists to make and exhibit their work as part of an annual exhibition programme. It also has a special interest in developing and commissioning work that draws on traditional cultural sources – and / or reflects a Gaeltacht sensibility. Also, An Gailearaí works to extend and promote this experience to other venues and localities by touring nationally and hopefully internationally in the future.

This initiative conjures up some interesting curatorial juxtapositions; programming work informed by the Gaeltacht community both nationally and internationally. They are also interested in expanding the notion of Gaeltacht in the wider sense of the word too, inviting contemporary practitioners from Scottish and Welsh Gaeltachts.

I spoke to Sarah-Louise Kernan (Curator and Creative Assistant) and Úna Campbell (Director) at the centre about how An Gailearaí functions and possibilities for the future in light of economic difficulties. What is exciting about An Gailearaí, is that engaging with international projects with a similar ethos is quite possible – for example, Gallery101 in Ontario Canada, an artist run initiative and gallery space that openly engages with discourse around the preservation of aboriginal identity. (2) Another interesting initiative is the artist-led group Art-Link. Their project international residency programme Edge Centring, of an international residency programme for artists from coastal regions of Iceland and Norway and the Inishowen Pennisula. I spoke to one of the participants, Maire McKinney, about this project which was run from the unusual site of an old IRA training centre in Dunree, right on the North West coast of Donegal. The artists were invited to reflect on the notion of ‘edge centring’ (3) and invited artists were asked to explore themes which centre on art made on or about “edges”. The project was r supported by the Cultural Councils of Eastern Iceland and Vesteralen and Donegal County Council, Reflecting on Art-Link and An Gailearaí, begs the question whether Donegal benefits from its remoteness? In one way it has been the poor cousin of the counties of the North West, but in other ways, its uniqueness has enabled to facilitate some flag ship curatorial and visual art projects and initiatives that other parts of Ireland have not been able to do.

RADIO VAI Radio VAI is a mobile Q&A session on arts programmes on local radio stations. If you are a listener of Noel Molloy’s Arts Programme on ROS FM (94.6 fm 7.30 – 8.00pm) and you have a question that you wish me to answer in relation to my role with Visual Artists Ireland; or any concerns you may have or issues you would like raised on the arts programme, simply email me aideenbarry@gmail. com (before 19 May) and I will do my best to answer your queries. Ros FM, covers the areas of Roscommon, Leitrim and parts of East Galway. www.rosfm.ie

Donegal VAI Information Clinic I will be running a VAI information Clinic at An Gailearaí on the weekend of 12 July during the Earagail Arts Festival. I welcome anyone involved in the arts to come along and meet me at the clinic.

Details will be announced on the Arts Festival Website, on An Gailearaí’s website and through the Visual Artists Ireland e-bulletin.

Networking & UPSKILLING Only on rare occasions are the inner workings of the art world opened up for scrutiny and reflection by to the wider art audience. One such occasion was the talks and networking event ‘The Role of the Curator in the Artists Career’ organised by VAI and Galway City Arts Office, that took place 3 April at Galway City Museum. A full report will appear in the next issue of the VAN (July / August), but here are my thoughts on what were the key points and issues raised by the event.

In particular, the notion of ‘up-skilling’ cropped up a lot during group discussions and the networking event. Some of the participants that I spoke with after the networking session were taken aback by some the lack of presentation skills on the part of some artists.

There seemed to be a skill gap between recent graduates and more mature artists. On the whole recently emerging artists where aware of the importance of websites, catalogues, business cards etc – whereas artists who had left college some years ago (or who had founded an art career through other means) did not have the same range of professional practice skills and knowledge.

One artist I spoke to, thought that the event had made clear that the notion of ‘up-skilling’ courses should be provided by arts institutions in the west, and overall a philosophy of the artists as a professional encouraged. This is a philosophy that could called ‘the artist as a constant learner’ – an acknowledgement that education for an artist does not end with a accreditation from a institution, but rather that the artist adopts on an ongoing basis many skills and adding new tools to their bag of tricks along the way.

‘Up-skilling’ and ‘retraining’ should be more than buzzwords during these recessionary times.

Artists living in the west could certainly benefit from business courses, professional practice courses.

These could be run by institutions such as Galway / Mayo Institute of Technology, The Burren College of Art (Clare); arts centres such as The Linen Hall (Mayo), Roscommon Arts Centre; as well as by group studios.

In answer to this need and demand Visual Artists Ireland’s 2009 professional development workshops are running Galway, Limerick and Cork.

Aideen Barry Notes (1) http://www.angailearai.com (2) http://www.gallery101.org <http://www.gallery101.org/> (3) www.artlink.ie

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

27

May – June 2009

Opportunities

Opportunities COMPETITIONS/ awards / AWARDS competitions

Critical Writing on Craft The Critical Writing in Irish Craft Award 2009 is a Crafts

Aesthetica Works

Council of Ireland and Irish Arts

Competition 2009 is now open.

Review initiative to provide a

It is a competition of three parts:

platform for new critical voices

Artwork (including photography

in Irish craft. The winner will

and sculpture), Fiction and

receive €500 and their essay will

Poetry, and one winner in each

be published in ‘Irish Craft 2009’,

category will be awarded £500.

the annual craft edition of the

Aesthetica

Creative

Winners and runners-up will have their entries published in the Aesthetica Annual 2010 edition. Entry to the Creative Works Competition costs £10, which allows artists and writers to submit a maximum of either 5 images, 5 poems, or 2 short stories. Further details of the competition are available online Website www.aestheticamagazine.com submission_guide.htm Deadline

Irish Arts Review. They invite submissions of unpublished essays (max. 1,200 words) by writers, craftspeople and those with an interest in Irish craft who are based in Ireland or Northern Ireland on ‘Craft as visual culture’, ‘The missing link - craft, cultural heritage and identity’, ‘21st century craft - the shape of things to come’ or a critical essay on the work of an Irish

craftsperson.

Further

information on the award is available online. Entries should

31 August 2009

be

Threadneedle Prize Artists living or working in Northern Ireland are invited to submit representational and figurative sculpture or painting

submitted

as

a

Word

attachment by email with a cover page including the writer’s contact details to: Email awards@ccoi.ie Website

(No photography or video) that

www.ccoi.ie

is based on observation rather

www.irishartsreview.com

than concept or abstraction for

Deadline

the Threadneedle Prize. Seven

30 June 2009

artists will be shortlisted for the prize from 60 exhibiting artists

Fred Conlon Bursary

at the Mall Galleries, London, in

As part of Sligo Arts Service’s

September 2009. Each of the

Grants, Awards and Bursaries

seven finalists will receive at

Scheme 2009 national and

least £1,000, with the overall

international artists are invited

winner receiving the £25,000

to apply for the 3 Month Fred

grand prize. A £5,000 Emerging

Conlon

Artist Prize is also availalable.

Bursary, an opportunity for an

This year’s jusding panel includes

individual visual artist to reside

artists Michael Leonard, Cathy

for two months in the residential

Lomax, Jock McFadyen, last

studio Easkey, Co. Sligo and one

year’s winner Nina Murdoch and

month in the Leitrim Sculpture

Daphne Todd, plus guest selector Desmond

Shawe-Taylor,

Surveyor of The Queen’s Pictures.

Artists may submit up to 3 pieces and an entry fee of £15 per work applies. Registration forms are available online.

Email threadneedleprize@ mallgalleries.com Website: www.threadneedleprize.com Deadline 1 June 2009

Residential

Studio

Centre. This award is offered by Sligo Arts Service in partnership with the Leitrim Sculpture Centre. Further information and application forms are available to download from the Sligo Arts Service website or by contacting: Address Sligo Arts Service, Sligo County Council, Development Centre, Cleveragh Road, Sligo Telephone 071 9111826 Email sleavy@sligococo.ie Website www.sligococo.ie

Deadline

photo capitals of the world.

Council and the Arts Council of

sessions that will take place in

27 May 2009

Student prizes also available. To

Northern

and

their studio at Distillery House

download entry forms and for

administered by the Arts and

every Saturday. The ‘Open

RDS

more infroation please visit the

Disability Forum (ADF). For

Access’ facility is open to

The RDS, in association with the

Hahnemuehle website.

more information on application

members of the public who have

Crafts Council of Ireland, is

Email

procedures and the A&D Awards

completed a 2009 Graphic Studio

pleased to announce the 2009

ukmarketing@hahnemuehle.de

Scheme 2009 contact The Arts

Dublin etching course. Attendees

RDS National Crafts Competition

Website

and Disability Forum at:

will have access to presses for

open call for submissions. The

www.hahnemuehle.com/site/

Address

printing (no access to acid room).

prize fund is in excess of €30,000,

en/1897/photo-award-2009.html

Ground Floor, 109/113 Royal

Open Access runs from 10am to

with 20 categories ranging from

Deadline

Avenue,

1pm every Saturday (excluding

contemporary

30 June 2009

Northern Ireland

Bank Holiday weekends and

Telephone

Saturdays in July and August).

ceramics

to

furniture design. This year

Ireland,

Belfast

BT1

1FF,

categories and awards have been

John O’Leary Award

0044 028 9023 9450 (048 9023

Each Open Access session will

updated. An exhibition of work

As part of Sligo Arts Service’s

9450 from ROI)

cost €25. All sessions must be

by category winners will take

Grants, Awards and Bursaries

Textphone

booked and paid for in advance.

place during the annual Fáilte

Scheme 2009 final year Fine Art

0044 28 9032 5744 (048 9032

To find out more and to book

Ireland Dublin Horse Show from

students (Level 8) studying at

5744 from ROI)

your place please visit:

5 to 12 August 2009. The

Sligo Institute of Technology are

Email

Website

exhibition will then travel to Birr

invited to apply for The John

gillian@adf.ie

www.graphicstudiodublin.com

Theatre and Arts Centre, Offaly

O’Leary Fine Art Graduate

Website

gsd/artists/member

(September

Regional

Award. Further information and

www.adf.ie

html#openaccess

Cultural Centre, Letterkenny

application forms are available

Deadline

(October 2009), and Sirius Arts

to download from the Sligo Arts

18 May 2009

Centre, Cobh (November 2009).

Service website or by contacting:

Entry fee of €10 applies (€5 for

Address

STEP Beyond

Dawson Street, Dublin 2, will be

students/apprentices).

Full

Sligo Arts Service, Sligo County

The STEP Beyond Mobility Fund

running a 12 week illustration

application

2009),

Illustration Course Independent

on

Council, Development Centre,

supports

cross-border

course with facilitator Adrienne

procedure are available online

Cleveragh Road, Sligo

movement of artists and cultural

Geoghegan from 2 June to 25

from the RDS website.

Telephone

workers to experience diversity

August 2009. The course will run

Website

071 9111826

and cross-cultural cooperation

every Tuesday evening from 6.30

www.rds.ie/crafts

Email

between all European countries,

to 9pm (except Tuesday 4

Deadline

sleavy@sligococo.ie

including those that are not

August), and the course fee is

5pm, 18 May 2009

Website

currently

the

€380 (materials not included).

www.sligococo.ie

European Union and countries

Suitable for practising visual

Wellcome Trust

Deadline

of the South Caucasus (Georgia,

artists with an interest in

The Wellcome Trust Arts Awards

27 May 2009

Armenia and Azerbaijan). STEP

illustration (graphic designers,

details

of

the

the

Colleges

members

of

beyond offers grants to young

fine artists, and animators). The

and Ireland and they aim to

Szpilman Award 2009

artists and cultural practitioners

course will include discussions,

support

and

Entries for the Szpilman Award

(both individuals and those

themed projects and critiques.

experimental arts projects that

for ephemeral art will be

representing organisations) who

For more information and

investigate biomedical science.

accepted from now until the

wish

booking please contact Adrienne

All art forms are covered by the

closing date. The prizewinner

participating countries in order

at:

programme, including dance,

will

to explore, experience, gain

Telephone

drama, performance arts, visual

Stipendium, a challenge cup and

inspiration

01 6776032 or 087 9919211

arts,

craft,

10 days accommodation in

innovative creative connections.

Email

photography, creative writing

Cimochowizna, Poland. For work

The

adriennegeoghegan@gmail.

and digital media. Small to

to be eligible for entry it must be

Foundation’s mobility fund also

Medium-Sized Projects Awards

created between 1 October 2008

aims to promote diversity and

fund projects up to and including

and 20 September 2009. To enter,

cohesion. For more information

Body/Landscape

£30,000. For further information

send a completed application

see:

A week-long Body/Landscape

and to download an application

form (available online) plus

Website

Workshop will take place from

form for the Small to Medium-

significant documentation of

www.eurocult.org

13 to 19 September 2009 in the

Sized Projects Award visit their

your work by postal mail only

Deadline

remarkable landscape of the

website or contact the Arts

with SAE for return of same to:

8 weeks before intended date of

Burren in Co. Clare. The

Awards Office at:

Address

travel

workshop proposes strategies to

Telephone

Szpilman Award, Brunnenstrasse

0044 (0)207 611 7222

10, 10119 Berlin, Deutschland

Email

Website

arts@wellcome.ac.uk

www.award.szpilman.de

Website

Deadline

www.wellcome.ac.uk/Funding

30 September 2009 (postmark)

are open to residents of the UK imaginative

music,

film,

collect

the

Jackpot

Public-engagement/Grants/Arts FUNDING FUNDING:

Awards/index.htm Deadline 16 July 2009

Arts & Disability Awards The Arts and Disability Awards provide financial support for

Hahnemuehle Award 425th

individual disabled artists living

anniversary of Hahnemuehle,

in the Republic of Ireland and

amateur

professional

Northern Ireland, working across

photographers alike are invited

all artforms. The scheme aims to

to take part in the international

challenge and inspire creativity,

Hahnemuehle

Anniversary

experimentation and artistic

Photo

Prizes

To

celebrate and

the

total

excellence. Each applicant can

€36,000. Winners become part

apply for a maximum of £5,000

of an international touring

or the Euro equivalent. The

exhibition which will visit the

Awards are co-funded by the Arts

Award.

to

travel

and

Eurpoean

between

stimulate Cultural

com

confront our bodies with the WORKSHOPS / COURSES: Workshops / courses

multiplicity, unpredictability, directness and autonomy of the

Painting in France "Stay, paint and be merry at Le Moulin D'Annepont, Charente maritime, Western France. Your Irish hosts, Nigel and Sue welcome you to their lovely old water mill in Annepont. 45 minutes from La Rochelle (Ryanair): Beginner and intermediate levels in oils/ acrylics. Groups and nonpainting partners welcome, Details Website www.moulinannepont.com Printing Sessions Graphic Studio Dublin is now running supervised printing

natural environment and the aim is to explore and develop consciousness of the body itself being an ever evolving landscape within a greater surrounding landscape. Training is lead by Dutch dancer and choreographer Frank van de Ven and is aimed at artists and advanced students working

in

the

fields

of

performance, dance, landscape art, sculpture, photography, architecture, theatre, visual arts, biology and natural history.

Fee: €320/€280 (concessions).

For more information see the article ‘emptying the body’ in the Jan-Feb issue of the VAN, or contact Seamus Dunbar at:

28

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

May – June 2009

Opportunities Telephone

or

071 9856148 Email

Email

Finnish visual artist Helene

of professionals in the fields of

Recollection (late 2010). To apply

Course cost: £95. To apply,

openhouse

Schjerfbeck lived and worked in

art, architecture and urban

for any of these group exhibitions

contact Ovenden Contemporary

architecturefoundation.ie

Ekenas. The commission is

design.

send 6 images (print/CD), CV

seamusd62@eircom.net

or visit their website.

Deadline

worth €30,000 and the work

shortlisted entries will be held

and artist statement to Ruth

Website

Email

15 May 2009

must be completed before 2011.

when the winner is announced.

Owen at:

http://bodyweatheramsterdam.

enquiries@ovendenart.com

For more information on the

For more information please

Address

blogspot.com

Website

Freelance Art Tutors

commission and Schjerfbeck,

contact:

Chapel Gallery, St. Helens Road,

Deadline

ovendenart.com/page22/page22.

RUA RED, South County Dublin’s

visit:

Email

Ormskirk L39 4QR, Lancashire,

31 July 2009

html

new arts centre in Tallaght,

Website

situate@dca.wa.gov.au

England

Deadline

Dublin 24, is looking to expand

www.proartibus.fi/english/

Website

Telephone

30 June 2010

its database of freelance arts

schjerfbeck_en/

www.situate.dca.wa.gov.au

0044 (0)1695 571328

tutors

Deadline

Deadline

Email

15 January 2010

20 May 2009

chapel.gallery@westlancsdc

LENS-BASED /new media LENS-BASED NEW MEDIA:

Career Development

semi-professional

artists.

Career Development Workshops with Padraig McCaul. 1. ‘Creating

VACANCIES JOBS:

and

are

currently

accepting CVs from teachers

a business from your Art’ is a 1

An

exhibition

of

gov.uk

across all art forms including

day workshop aimed at visual

MAC Exhibitions Officer

visual arts, dance, drama and

Ballyea National School

artists which shows how basic

Millennium Court Arts Centre

music. If you would like to be

In line with national guidelines

business

Website www.chapelgallery.org.uk

marketing

in Portadown is currently seeking

considered for future projects

on public art, the Public Art

Video Screening, Sweden

Deadline

principles can help develop and

to recruit a full-time Exhibitions

run by the centre, please email or

Commissioning Sub-Group of

Artists and MA Fine Art students

31 May 2009

grow your practice. Aimed at

Officer. Remuneration up to

post a CV and a description of

Ballyea

people who intend on working

£22,000

any specialist skills you have to:

Management

full time as visual artists. The

successful applicant will be

Address

workshop will take place on 6

required to organise and deliver

Opportunities, RUA RED, South

under

May 2009 in Bewleys Hotel,

innivative visual arts exhibitions,

Ballsbridge (Cost: €95). 2. ‘Getting

engaging and relevant auxiliary

your work online’, a half-day

programmes

workshop aimed at visual artists who want to create their own

and

Board

of

are invited to submit film and

wishes

to

video work for Art Video

TotalKunst, Edinburgh

commission a piece of public art

Screening, an annual showcase

TotalKunst, an artist-run gallery

of

of videoart from international

in Edinburgh,

Dublin Arts Centre, Civic Square,

Education & Science's PerCent

artists that will take place at Bio

proposals for their ongoing

Tallaght, Dublin 24

for Art Scheme at Ballyea

Roxy in Orebro, Sweden, on 17

‘Suitcase

Email

National School in Co. Clare.

October 2009. Entries should

project that plays with notions

organisational schemes which

opportunities@ruared.ie

Situated at the heart of the

be

committed

of distance, space, location,

are integrated with MCAC's

Website

Ballyea Community on the

and suitable to show as single-

interpretation and interaction.

website. A practical workshop

artistic strategies. Applicants

www.ruared.ie

banks of the Cláirín River the

channel

More

The work consists of instructions

that shows how to set up and

should have relevant 3rd level

school dates back to the 18th

information and entryforms are

sent to the gallery for altering or

manage a professional website

education, 2 years experience in

century when it began its life as a

available online.

using

using third party template

contemporary

hedge school and is soon to

Email

which they will undertake, set

providers. The workshop will

environment, experience in arts

Artists Taking The Lead

re-open for 180 pupils in a new

info@artvideoscreening.se

up and interpret according to the

take place on 7 May 2009 in

admin and financial record

Artists of all kinds from across

building.

Website

parameters

Bewleys Hotel, Ballsbridge (Cost:

keeping, initiative, creativity and

Northern Ireland are invited to

shortlisted and selected through

www.artvideoscreening.se

artist. Documentation of the

€75). Further details of both

self-motivation. Interviews will

use Northern Ireland as a blank

an open competition process.

Deadline

process will then be sent back to

workshops can be found online,

take place on 25 May 2009 and

canvas for one of 12 major

Total budget of €15,000 to cover

5 June 2009

the

or for booking and more

interviewees will be expected to

commissions that will showcase

artist’s fees, design, fabrication,

information contact Padraig at:

present a 10-15 minute proposal

the arts in the UK and Northern

materials,

Rotoreliefs, London

that

Telephone

to the panel. For application

Ireland to the world as part of the

insurance and all other associated

Artists working with video and

participation.

086 8801733

details please see:

London 2012 Cultural Olympiad.

costs including VAT. Further

performance are invited to

welcome. For more information,

Website

Website

12 commissions will be awarded

information and full artist’s brief

submit work for Rotoreliefs, a

please email with ‘Suitcase

www.padraigmccaul.ie

www.millenniumcourt.org

to create works of art; one in

may be obtained from Monica

platform for emerging artists that

Series’ in the subject header to:

Deadline

each of the nine English regions,

Spencer, Project Manager, at:

hosts a monthly event at Vibe

Email

4pm, 15 May 2009

and in the nations of Scotland,

Telephone

Bar in Brick Lane. They are

mk@m-kop.org.uk

Wales and Northern Ireland. The

087 9930553

looking for artworks based in

Deadline Ongoing

Drawing & Painting

per

annum.

The

and

key

visual

COMMISSIONS COMMISSIONS:

arts

Masterclasses in Drawing and

NS’s

the

Department

Artists

will

travel,

be

transport,

art-form

projections.

is inviting

Series’

the

artist.

gallery

gallery

set

space,

by

the

TotalKunst

is

particularly interested in work involves

audience All

media

Painting using a variety of

Stone-Carvers Wanted

Northern Ireland commission

Email

video and performance by

mediums including oil and

Work available for skilled stone-

will be worth up to £200,000,

spencermonica@eircom.net

contemporary artists (video art,

acrylic will be held from 29 May

carvers.

your

including development grants

Deadline

video dance, video performance,

7.9 Cubic Meters, London

to 1 June and from 3 to 6 July

income with occasional work.

for shortlisted proposals. Open

12 noon, 22 May 2009

performance,

2009 in the scenic surroundings

Good daily rates. Wide varitey of

to individuals, collectives and

of Coney Island in Sligo Bay.

skills

including

organisations. Projects will be

Learn new drawing and painting

lettering, masonary, hand and

techniques from artist Neal

Supplement

a

7.9 Cubic Metres is a free-

preference for short pieces with

standing structure within the

Situate – Perth

minimal set-up requirements. To

Stanley

completed by June 2010, but

Proposals for ‘SITUATE’, an

submit your work, videos can be

Kingston upon Thames, London.

pneumatic carving. For more

should also have a legacy for

International

Sculpture

sent, along with completed

7.9 Cubic Metres operates as an

Greig. (Max. places per workshop:

information contact:

artists and communities beyond

Competition for Forrest Place in

application form, as a PAL DVD

autonomous gallery within the

3-4). More information on class

Telephone

that date. Successful projects will

Perth are currently being invited

or weblink, to:

public gallery, and submissions

content available online. To book

087 8286462

celebrate London 2012 and

from artists worldwide by the

Address

are currently invited from artists

reflect the values and vision of

Australian

of

Nacho Bailon, Rotoreliefs, 77

for a series of themed exhibitions

the Cultural Olympiad, the

Culture and the Arts. Forrest

Shacklewell Lane, London E8

that will be programmed in the

Olympic

the

Place, a civic space within the

2EB, England

space. Through the development

required

a place email:

Department

etc),

with

Picker

Gallery

in

Email

Marketing Intern

eileenfneal@eircom.net

The

Website

Foundation

Further

city of Perth, is due for a multi-

Email

of the series of 12 exhibitions

www.nealgreig.com

applications for a Marketing

information on Artists Taking

million dollar upgrade, and

nacho@rotoreliefs.com

throughout 2009/10, the 7.9

Intern to assist them in managing

The

AU$1 million has been allocated

Website

Cubic Meters space and its

the marketing section of Open

information is available online

to the development of an artwork

www.rotoreliefs.com

archive will become a fully-

Course

House Dublin 2009, Ireland’s

Website

that will represent a new

Deadline

formed artwork, in and of itself,

'Self-Promotion For The Artist' is

largest architectural event which

www.artiststakingthelead.org

challenge to public art and its

Ongoing

exploring the gallery as a

a distance learning course

draws over 15,000 people to

uk/en/northern-ireland

interaction

designed for visual artists of all

Dublin over one weekend in

Deadline

environment

descriptions who are ready to

October. The internship is an

29 May 2009

Australia.

take determined steps towards

unpaid position that will run

process

building a successful, fulfilling

from June to October 2009. If you

Helene Schjerfbeck

career in their chosen field. The

are a marketing/public relations

The

Artibus

course, written by a successful

graduate or have experience in

self-promoting artist, would be

Self Promotion Distance

Learning

Irish

Architecture is

seeking

Games

Paralympic Lead

and

Games. and

application

with The

in

built

Western

culturally INTERNATIONALExhibitions EXHIBITIONS INTERNATIONAL

competition

series of exhibitions is broken

multidisciplinary team that

Artists working in any media are

‘Voids, Corners, Plentifolds’,

brings originality and design

invited to submit work that

‘SLASH: Artist/Curator/Artist?’,

Foundation, in association with

excellence to the project, as well

relates to themes of the following

‘Disembodying the Who’, and

the area and would like to work

The Schjerfbeck Society in

as the technical capacity to

upcoming exhibitions at the

‘Warehouse A-Z’. To submit work

useful for new and emerging

on one of the biggest cultural

Ekenas and City of Raseborg

deliver an artwork of this scale

Chapel Gallery in Ormskirk,

for consideration, send an

artists (newly graduated students,

events in Ireland, then please

have

open

and complexity on time and

Lancashire: ‘Unique Perspectives’

exhibition proposal (max. 1 A4

hobbyists

contact

competition to commission an

within budget. The competition

(Sept/Oct

Hidden

PDF page), image/video samples

artists) who are ready to move

artwork of permanent character

will be run in three stages,

Meanings (March/April 2010),

of proposed/previous works, and

towards becoming professional

to commemorate the time that

assessed by an independent jury

Line & Form (late 2010), and

artist CV with contact details

and

recreational

the

IAF

at:

announced

an

a

and

down into four thematic parts:

Pro

identify

charged

symbolically loaded site. The

West Lancashire

Finnish

will

the

2009),

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

29

May – June 2009

Opportunities and

website,

if

any,

to:

Street,

Liverpool,

L8

5RN,

England

Email

Wiels, Belgium

Deadline

Fellows will be provided with

m.brereton@photographer.net

Wiels,

Ongoing

accommodation in Chicago from

an

international

20 to 26 September 2009, and

Email

Email

Website

laboratory for the creation and

e.tan@kingston.ac.uk

arenastudios@btconnect.com

www.markbrereton.co.uk

the diffusion of contemporary

Armenia

Website

Website

Deadline

art,

Art

www.stanleypickergallery.org

www.arenastudiosgallery.com

1 June 2009

Deadlines from 1 April 2009 to 12 March

will attend 27 hours of closed Studies

seminars with Institute faculty.

practitioners with minimum 3

Laboratory (ACSL), a non-profit

Funds are available for travel

Deadline

years prefoessional experience

organisation based in Yerevan,

expenses. Public events are taped,

31 December 2009

‘Oh, Francis’ Magazine

working with drawing, painting,

Armenia, invites applications for

and will form the basis of a book.

‘Oh, Francis’ magazine is looking

film, media art, multimedia or

its ongioing artist in residence

Applications are invited from

photography, to apply for their

programme. The aim of the

faculty and advanced graduate

4th

residency

organisation is to act as a site of

students. To apply, please go

programme. Artists are provided

cultural exchange that supports

online for further information,

with individual studios (45 sqm)

the develpment of contemporary

then send an informal 2 page

and access to post-productions

creativity, carries out projects

letter of intent stating your

facilities and resource centre.

and fosters discussion and

interest in, or knowledge of, the

The residency is accompanied by

research. Research, curatorial

topic, along with a CV and any

a programme of weekly meetings

and visual arts AIRs are provided

pertinent texts (published or

with professional artists, along

with accommodation and access

unpublished), as a single PDF file

with field trips and meetings

to 3 large open-plan studios,

to:

with the public. In addition to

computers and video editing

Email

developping their own projects,

equipment, and 3 ceramics

conference@

AIRs can participate in the core

ovens. To apply, send CV, 500

stonesummertheoryinstitute.org

activities of Wiels (exhibitions,

word

Website

researches, meetings, educational

application

programs and socio-cultural

documentation of your work to:

stonesummertheoryinstitute.org

exchanges). The residency will

Address

Deadline

run from 4 January to 31

8 Roubinyants, apt.17, 0069

15 June 2009

December 2010, and the selected

Yerevan, Armenia

artist

Telephone

Seacourt Residency

00374 10 24 42 13

As part of an ongoing programme

2010 Halifax Turn-Berlin Gallery

Welcoming submissions from

Turn-berlin gallery in Berlin-

all student and professional

Mitte is requesting submissions

artists for the final show at

from artists for a series of large

Temporary Art Space in Halifax,

group shows, each with between

England, an unfunded, artist-run

20 and 27 exhibiting artists, that

project with a lifespan of six

will run at the gallery between

months,

March and August 2009. Featured

magnificent Grade I listed Piece

artists will be a mixture of turn-

Hall and co-directed by Alice

berlin members and selected,

Bradshaw, Bob Milner, Tom

unconnected

German

and

Senior, Kevin Boniface and

international

artists.

More

Georgia Boniface. How many

information on submitting work

pieces of art can they fit in a 53

for consideration is available

foot room in August 2009? Help

online.

them by sending images of your

Website

work (file size under 10MB) or

www.turn-berlin.de

weblinks to:

situated

in

the

for submissions for the next issue. ‘Oh, Francis’ is a non-profit magazine run on a voluntary basis whose aim is to showcase young emerging talent; be it written, visual or aural. The first issue is available online now and in selected outlets around Dublin City. If you’re interested in submitting work or working with ‘Oh, Francis’, please contact Emma Dwyer at: Email ohfrancismag@gmail.com Website www.ohfrancis.com RESIDENCIES: RESIDENCIES

Email

invites

visual

international

arts

and

Cultural

statement,

completed

form

and

www.

Crypt Gallery

info@temporaryartspace.co.uk

The Crypt Gallery is an old

Website

consecrated burial site positioned

www.temporaryartspace.co.uk

Artists who are at an early stage

contribute to the overall cost of

Email

researching

within the bowels of St. Pancras

Deadline

of their career (within 5 years of

the residency. Accommodation

info@acsl.org.am

approaches to printmaking,

Church, London, and its previous

10 July 2009

graduation) are invited to apply

not

Website

Seacourt

for the meltdowns 2009 artist in

procedures are available online,

www.acsl.org.am

announces a call for applications

residence programme which will

and applications should be sent

Deadline

for their 12 week Artist in

run for four weeks (17 August to

Meltdowns, Ramsgate

life is reflected in its narrow passageways, low ceilings and

PUBLICATIONS: publications

intimate subterranean spaces.

or

their

organisation

sponsoring

will

included.

have

to

Application

non-toxic

Print

Workshop

to:

Ongoing, 1 month prior to start

Residence Programme 2009 (7

The Crypt is currently accepting

Soanyway Magazine

11 September 2009) at meltdowns

Address

of residency

September to 27 November

proposals from

Soanyway is an international

in Ramsgate, England. Supported

Wiels, Avenue Van Volxem 354,

established artists working in

project

words,

by The Fenton Arts, the residency

Brussels, Belgium

LSC Residencies

artist-printmaker with at least 2

any media for artworks that are

pictures and sound that tell

aims to encourage new and

Email

Leitrim Sculpture Centre and

years’ professional experience

capable of forming an intimate

stories. The idea of a 'story' is

emerging talent in a supportive

devrim.bayar@wiels.org

Leitrim County Council are

who has worked with one or

relationship with the fabric of

interpreted very openly, in

and inspiring environment. The

Website

offering artists the opportunity

more of the following techniques:

the building fro an exhibition

relation to fact and fiction,

selected artist will undertake a

www.wiels.org

to apply for 5 residencies in 2009

Galv-etch,

from 24 August to 9 september

narration or implication, and

period of research or studio-

Deadline

and 2010. Each residency is based

etching, copper sulphate etching,

2009. Ideally the work should

structure or a lack of it. Soanyway

related activity during their

31 May 2009

at Leitrim Sculpture Centre and

water based screen printing or

connect with the buildings

also regards most history, theory

placement and the expected

is valued at a total cost of €4,250.

waterless lithography. The artist

historical

and critique as stories about

outcome will be the generation

Kitchen Budapest

The

programme

in residence will receive a £3,000

of a body of work or research.

Kitchen Budapest, a new media

includes 2 residencies to support

stipend and access to workshop

lab for young researchers who

artists in developing their

studios to create a body of work,

are interested in the convergence

technical skills and/or practice,

part of which will be exhibited at

of

communication,

and 3 residencies to support

the end of the residency. The

online communities and urban

artists in leading engagement

participating artist must present

space, invites proposals for its

with

places/people/industry/

a talk on their practice to

ongoing

researcher

groups/communities in Leitrim

Workshop members and engage

programme in 2009. Dedicated

(to be suggested by the artist in

with the local community

professisonals interested in the

their proposal). For an application

through

convergence of new media and

form and guidelines on how to

programme

actual spaces who are highly

apply, email:

partnership with North Down

motivated and wish to collaborate

Email

Community Network. Further

in the production of cross-

info@leitrimsculpturecentre.ie

information and application

disciplinary,

Website

forms are available by request

projects, will be provided with

www.leitrimsculpturecentre.ie

from Seacourt Print Workshop

studio/work

Deadline

at:

5pm, 18 May 2009

Address

emerging or

context

either

centred

New

on

physically or metaphorically.

stories.

additions

Individual payments will be

Soanyway online are made

made to participating artists

regularly and the editors are

based on the number of artists

hoping to publish the magazine

exhibiting. To apply, please email

in printed form in the near

current CV, artist statement and

future. Soanyway welcomes

up to 10 .jpeg images of your

submissions

work to:

medium and format. Material to

Email

be considered for inclusion and/

sclifty@hotmail.com

or enquiries about possible

Website

submissions should be sent to:

www.cryptgallery.org.uk

Email

Deadline

submissions@soanyway.org.uk

15 June 2009

Website

in

any

to

form,

soanyway.org.uk The Arena Gallery in Liverpool is

The First Time Project

currently accepting proposals

The First Time Project will be an

from

groups,

annual hardback publication

curators,

designers

pm weekdays) for a minimum of 3 days per week. a series of contact meetings with highly trained members of staff at Meltdowns to discuss progress, technical issues or to receive informal

tutorials,

and

a

materials award of £500. To apply, please send completed application form, recent CV, images of current work (slides,

artist

50 sqm project space (10am to 11

equal opportunities form and 5

Arena Gallery, Liverpool

artists,

The AIR will have access to the

CD or photographs) to: Address Artist in Residence 2009, Meltdowns, Unit 2 St Lawrence

mobile

guest

experimental

accommodation,

space, internal

2009). Seacourt are seeking an

residency

Ferric

a

short

Chloride

outreach

arranged

Seacourt Print Workshop, Unit

workshops and project budget in Budapest. To apply, send a project

Theory Institute

33 Dunlop Industrial Units, 8

proposal, CV and letter of

Stone Summer Theory Institute

Balloo Road, Bangor, Co. Down,

motivation to:

at the Art Institute of Chicago is

BT19 7QY

Address

currently accepting applications

Telephone

HU-1463, PO box 824, Budapest,

for 15 Fellowship places at the

0044 (0)28 91460595

and

showcasing creative artwork

illustrators for exhibitions and

from around the world. Each

events as part of their upcoming

publication will be a themed,

gallery programme from May

limited edition artists’ book. The

England

2009

is

project invites submissions for

Telephone

Hungary

Institute in September 2009. The

Email

committed to the support of

its inaugural publication from

0044 (0)1843 580083

Telephone

theme for 2009 is ‘What Do

info@seacourt-ni.org.uk

emerging and developing talent.

recent graduates, emerging and

Website

0036 1303 6189

Artists Know?’. The programme

Website

To submit work post your

established artists. The first

www.meltdowns.co.uk

Email

will focus on the theorisation of

www.seacourt-ni.org.uk

application and any relevant

publication is scheduled for June

Deadline

info@kitchenbudapest.hu

artistic

Deadline

supporting documentation to:

2009. For application form please

29 May 2009

Website

comprehensive reconsideration

Address

contact

www.kitchenbudapest.hu

of theories of studio art education

onwards.

Arena

Arena Gallery, 27 Parliament

Mark

Brereton

at:

Industrial Estate, Manston Road, Ramsgate, Kent CT11 0QZ,

in

education

and

a

and knowledge at all levels.

29 May 2009

30

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

May – June 2009

Opportunities Address

Bridge Guard Art

art environment in the city with

Telephone

EGILSSTADIR, Iceland

PVA, The Old Library, 51 East

Bridge Guard Art aims to support

exhibitions,

0044 1954 718881

Telephone

applications from interested

Street, Bridport, Dorset DT6 3JX,

artists, scientists and people from

arrangements etc.

Email

00354 471 2990

visual artists for the 2009

England

other professions who work on

Address

andrew.hunter@wysingarts.org

Email

residency programme at The

Telephone

projects which place emphasis

Rådhusgata 16, Service box 417,

Website

klaustur@skriduklaustur.is

Curfew Tower in Cushendall, Co

0044 1308 459071

on uniting, connecting, and

4604 Kristiansand, Norway

www.wysingarts.org

Website

Antrim. The Tower was built in

Email

bridging. The residency is a

Telephone

Deadline

www.skriduklaustur.is/ensksida/

1871, is four storeys tall, topped

admin@pva.org.uk

sojourn in the Bridge Guard

0047 38 07 51 50

Ongoing

klaustrid/klaustrid.htm

by modest battlements and has a

Website

residence with the right to work

Email

murder-hole

www.pva.org.uk

in complete freedom on a project,

post.kultur@kristiansand.

Schloss Bröllin eV

projecting windows in each side.

Deadline

and with only minimal duties,

kommune.no

Schloss Bröllin is a former

The Curfew tower is now owned

Ongoing

for 3 to 6 months. Those duties

Website

country manor estate located on

Artists in Prisons

consist of observing the bridge

www.kristiansand.kommune

the secluded northern edge of

The Arts Council of Ireland in

The Curfew Tower Void

is

currently

inviting

beneath

the

by Bill Drummond and will be

professional

Deadline 15 June 2009

used for short-term artists’

Experimental TV Centre

every day and recording the

no/gjesteleilighet

Uckermark in the Mecklenburg-

partnership with the Irish

residencies supported by the In

The Experimental Television

observations in the Bridge Log.

Deadline

Vorpommern region, close to the

Department of Justice, Equality

You

Further

Center supports the creation of

This chronicle will be published

1 August 2009

town of Pasewalk. It is now an

and Law Reform calls for

information on the application

work using new electronic media

periodically. In addition, the

interdisciplinary network of

applications from visual arts

process and residency 2009

technologies, by providing space

Bridge Guard is expected to work

Casa de Velasquez

experimental artists, scientists,

practitioners interested in being

timetable are available by request

and time to artists for personal,

one afternoon with children in

Casa de Velasquez’s objective is

producers and organisers and a

placed on the panel of shortlisted

from:

self-directed

creative

the public art school, be available

to enable guest artists to working

location where projects of an

artists for participation in the

Telephone

investigations, and by providing

for discussions with the high

with drawing, paintings, media

international

be

Visual Artists in Prison Scheme.

0044 28 71308080

funding and other administrative

school students at least once and

art and sculpture to spend some

realised, which offers production

This scheme allows artists to

Email

support directly to makers.

communicate with the general

time developng their practice in

and conference rooms, a variety

work with prisoners in one of the

hello@derryvoid.com

Applications are now being

public, thus building bridges to

Spain and meeting other artists

of

studios,

country’s prisons or detention

Website

accepted for residencies from

the people in the town. Payments:

and curators. Residencies may

accommodation and catering

centres for a period of 8/10 days

www.derryvoid.com/news.htm

September 2009 to January 2010.

500 CHF per month stipend plus

culminate in the production of

facilities.

organisation

with a €1,600 fee payable to the

Deadline

AIRs have access to experienced

up to 50 CHF for telephone and

an exhibition, performance, or

establishes contact between

artist (€2,000 if the participating

Ongoing

assistants, computers, digital

internet

the

partial

artists and other fields of cultural

artist lives over 80kms from the

video editing equipment and a

Accommodation with studio,

publication of a work of literary

production and is interested in

prison or detention centre they

hearing from artists who would

are working in). Artists interested

We

Trust.

charges.

complete

or

scale

can

workshops, The

The Drake Hotel, Toronto

recording

studio.

storage room, living room and

research or artistic criticism.

The Drake Hotel is a third home,

Accommodation is also provided.

bedroom provided. To apply,

Artists in residence are provided

like to focus on and develop their

in being placed on the panel of

a communal respite offering

Application forms may be

send a brief CV, samples of

with 2 studios of around

practice and colaborate at Schloss

short listed artists should contact

comfort, ease and an inspiring

downloaded

the

previous work, description of the

40-70msq. A small maintenance

Bröllin. Artists are provided with

Veronica Hoen, Co-coordinator

environment to live and work in

Experimental

Centre’s

project that you plan to work on

fee of about €8 is payable per

studios but must pay for

of AIP Scheme, at:

Toronto’s Queen West Art &

website.

during the residency, including

day. Application details are

accommodation themselves. For

Email

Design district. The Drake Hotel

Address

its relevance to the aims of the

available by contacting:

more infromation contact:

veronica_hoen@eircom.net

provides residencies of up to 1

The Experimental TV Centre,

Bridge Guard project, the reason

Address

Address

month duration to national and

109 Lower Fairfield Road, Newark

for the application and why your

Calle Paul Guinard 3, Ciudad

Dorfstraße 3, 17309 Bröllin,

internation artists working with

Valley, NY 13811, America

project should be carried out in

Universiatria, 28040 Madrid,

Germany

drawing, painting and media art.

Telephone

Stúrovo, Slovakia, requirements

Spain

Telephone

Arts & Conflict

Experimentation

form TV

CONFERENCES: CONFERENCES

01 607 687 43 41

for special equipment, desired

Telephone

0049 39747 50235

The Arts Council of Northern

re-invention are encouraged, and

Email

length of stay and preferred dates

04 91 455 1580

Email

Ireland is pleased to announce

AIRs have access to computers,

etc@experimentaltvcenter.org

for beginning and end of stay, to:

Email

info@broellin.de

‘Art and Conflict’, a one-day

digital video editing facilities and

Website

Address

info@casadevelazquez.org

Website

conference that will take place

media studio. Accommodation,

www.experimentaltvcenter.org

Infogem AG, Rütistrasse 9,

Website

www.broellin.de

on Wednesday 17 June 2009 at

board and food is included.

Deadline

CH-5401, Baden, Switzerland

www.casadevelazquez.org

Deadline

The Grand Opera House, Belfast.

Application

infromation

15 July 2009

Email

Deadline

15 June 2009

The conference will explore the

available

online.

Karol.Fruehauf@infogem.ch

Ongoing

and

is

Send

reach and importance of the arts Klaustrid, Iceland

in the process of healing and

Wysing Arts, Cambridge

Klaustrid (the Monastery) is a

supporting

Deadline

Wysing Arts, a rural arts centre

residence for artists, writers and

transformation, and how artists

16 November 2009

based near the village of Bourn in

scholars,

and

represent conflict and its legacy.

Cambridge, England, provides

international. The residence is

Chaired by writer and broadcaster

Kristiansand Kommune

low-cost residencies of between 1

managed by The Institute of

Feargal Keane, the conference

programme is open to artists

The City of Kristiansand offers 3

and 12 months to emerging

Gunnar Gunnarsson and includes

will include presentations by

Email

working in all disciplines and

month residencies to professional

national and international artists

a small apartment and workroom

keynote speaker Justice Albie

jessica@thedrakehotel.ca

includes

accommodation,

visual artists in an attempt to

working

with

multimedia,

in

Sachs;

Website

workspace, meals, some materials

strengthen, promote and develop

sculpture

and

architectural

Skriduklaustur, in the Fljotsdalur

architect;

www.thedrakehotel.ca

and a $500 stipend to be used for

collaboration and networking

practices. Set on an 11.5-acre site

valley in East Iceland (40km to

photographer Jenny Matthews;

Deadline

the artists’ airfare. To apply,

between

and

which currently offers outdoor

the nearest town) which was

Zoe Lippett, Wolverhampton

Ongoing

please send a maximum of 15

international

in

exhibition areas, 26 artists

built in 1939 by the famous

Museum; Sean Hillen, artist,

applications by post to:

Stuttgart

Website

Address

d. fleiss & east west artists invite

www.bridgeguard.org

The Drake Hotel, 1150 Queen

applications

Street West, Toronto, Ontario

international artist residency

M6J 1J3, Canada

that will run from 25 August to 3

Telephone

September 2009. The residency

01 416 531 5042

for

a

0-day

national artists

the

Icelandic

unique

farmhouse,

societies

Vanessa

in

September,

Magnum

war

images of your work on slide or

Kristiansand, south Norway.

studios, a gallery, various spaces

Icelandic

Gunnar

Omagh memorial sculpture; and

PVA, Dorset

CD, stamped SAE, CV and

Artists are provided with access

for meetings and workshops

Gunnarsson. Residencies are

Belfast poet Michael Longley in

PVA MediaLab has an ongoing

€15/$20 review fee to:

to a small studio with wi-fi, with

including

open to visual artists working

conversation with novelist Glenn

residency programme designed

Address

the possibility of using a larger

ceramics and sculpture studios,

with

sculpture,

Patterson. Cost per delegate is

to support new media art projects.

d. fleiss & east west artists,

project space if necessary, and

Wysing Arts aims to support and

drawing and painting, as well as

£110 + VAT. Arts practitioners

PVA have experience of all areas

Gänsheidestr. 19, D- 70184

accommodation in an apartment

encourage artists who are at the

writers. Residencies are for

£70 + VAT. Registration closing

of new media production and

Stuttgart, Germany

is situated in Posebyen, the city s

beginning of their career. On-site

periods of between 3 and 6 weeks.

date is 4pm, 12 June 2009.

can develop individual proposals.

Telephone

old quarter with white wooden

residential accommodation is

Accommodation and studio

Bookings for this event may be

Their ‘self build’ programme,

0049 172 7321550

houses. The programme would

provided in a recently renovated

space are provided. Projects

made online at:

called ‘encrypt’, enables artists to

Email

particularly like to receive

grade II listed farmhouse, and

concerning Gunnar Gunnarsson,

Website

access training and production

fleissd@dfewa.eu

applications from artists who are

artists also have access to

his life and his works, have

w w w. a r t s c o u n c i l - n i . o r g /

facilities. Artists can apply for an

Website

part of international networks,

darkroom

performance

priority, as well as any project

news/2009/new26032009.html

Individual Learning Account or

www.dfewa.eu

larger projects or programmes;

facilities. For more infromation

concerning East Iceland, its

contact their regional arts

Deadline

projects linked to artists, groups

contact Wysing Arts at:

nature and culture. Applications

Catholicism & Culture

authority for funding. To enquire

1 June 2009

and/or

Address

forms are available online.

An interdisciplinary conference

institutions

in

fully

and

equipped

writer

media

art,

about PVA residencies contact

Kristiansand; and applicants who

Fox Road, Bourn, Cambridge CB3

Address

on ‘Catholicism and Public

them at:

are planning to take part in the

7TX, England

Skriduklaustur i Fljotsdal, IS 701

Cultures in Ireland, France,

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

31

May / June 2009

Opportunities United Kingdom, and North America’ will be held from 17 to 19 June 2009 at IADT, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin. The aim of the conference will be to investigate the Catholic Church as institution and as text in the context of the public cultures of Ireland, France, United Kingdom, and North America, and the ways in which the framework of beliefs and practices associated with Catholicism have impacted such areas as the relationship between individuals and the state, cultural identities and practices, public space, visual cultures (cinema, art, television, new media), popular cultures, and literary representation.

Bookings and enquiries should be forwarded to conference sponsors at: Email andrew.auge@loras.edu paula.gilligan@iadt.ie eamon.maher@ittdublin.ie exhibitionsIRELAND: ireland EXHBITIONS Nano The Science Gallery at Trinity College is seeking ideas for ‘NANO’, a major festival and interdisciplinary exhibition exploring nanotechnology which is scheduled to take place from 25 September to 18 December 2009. The Science Gallery is inviting ideas and proposals from scientists, engineers, artists, designers and creative thinkers that investigate nanotechnology and its implications for our future.

Proposals may by for events, talks, debates, films, workshops, live experiments performances, competitions, exhibits, interactive installations or demonstrations exploring nanotechnology, its applications and implications. Suggestions may be based on previously existing projects or may be entirely new and specifically designed for ‘NANO’. A list of

key areas of interest and an Expression of Interest form are available to download from the Science Gallery website, and initial proposals and enquiries should be emailed to: Email nano@sciencegallery.com Website www.sciencegallery.com/nano Deadline 15 May 2009 Courthouse Arts Centre The Courthouse Arts Centre in Tinahely, Co. Wicklow, is currently accepting proposals from visual artists working in all media for its visual arts exhibition programme 2010. The exhibition space consists of approx. 175 running feet of wall space distributed between the main, ground floor and the first floor balcony. Large windows, halogen track and spot lighting. Artists interested in being considered for an exhibition in 2010 should send their CV and a letter of application, along with work samples (up to 12 slides, images on CD, or other photographic documentation of their work) with SAE for return of same, by postal mail or email to Shelley Hayes, Artistic Director, at: Address Courthouse Arts Centre, Tinahely, Co. Wicklow Email info@tinahely-courthouse.ie Website www.tinahely-courthouse.ie Deadline 31 May 2009 Quartier 21, Austria Quartier 21 is residency programme that is open to all media with the objective of expanding the role of the MuseumsQuartier Wien in Austria as one of the world’s largest contemporary cultural complexes through the active and continuous involvement of international visual artists. It

promotes cultural exchange, in particular with Austria’s direct neighbours and other European countries. Residencies are available for 2 to 6 month periods, and artists are provided with studi space and accommodation, as well as a €1,050 stiend per month during the residency period. Application forms are available online, and applications may be sent to: Address MuseumsQuartier E+B Ges Elisabeth Hajek, Koordination quartier21, Museumsplatz 1, A-1070 Wien, Austria Email ehajek@mqw.at Website quartier21.mqw.at/Artist-in Residence Deadline Ongoing Blue Pottery Trust, India Potters of any nationality who speak English or Hindi are invited to apply for residencies at the Delhi Blue Pottery Trust in New Delhi. Visiting potters may self-fund their stay and work towards a body of work for 4 to 8 weeks, culminating in an open house exhibition, while funded visiting potters are hosted for 6 to 8 weeks (incl. boarding and lodging) by the Trust but they pay their own travel expense.

Funded AIRs conduct one workshop of 7 days or two workshops of 4 days each during their time with the Trust. Special residencies for potters wishing to work with traditional potters may email their requests to the trust. There is a minimum booking time of 6 months in advance. For further information contact the Administrator, Delhi Blue Pottery Trust, at: Address Delhi Blue Apartments (Basement), 2 Safdarjang Ring Road, New Delhi 110029, India Telephone 0091 11 26190223

Email infodbpt@yahoo.co.in Website www.delhibluepotterytrust.com Deadline 1 January 2010 The Back Loft The Back Loft, the multipurpose space of La Catedral Studios, would like to hear from artists with original and innovative ideas for using the space over the coming year. Applications are welcome from artists working with multimedia and live art/ performance as well as those with imaginative ideas for visual art exhibitions/installations and fringe theatre/dance projects.

The Back Loft is available for hire to groups and individuals on a rental or commission basis. Other arrangements for availing of the space are possible depending on the type and quality of the proposals; however preference will be given to projects that are financially self-sustainable.

Project ideas and proposals should be emailed to: Email lacatedralstudios@yahoo.com Website www.myspace.com lacatedralstudios www.thebackloft.blogspot.com Deadline Ongoing Crow Gallery, Dublin The Crow Gallery, a volunteer, artist-run gallery space in Temple Bar, Dublin 2, has some slots available in its exhibition programme for 2009. For more information please ring Dermot on: Telephone 086 8063618 Website www.crowgallery.net Dunamaise OPEN The Dunamaise Arts Centre invites submissions from artists for its open submission

exhibition, ‘Dunamaise OPEN’, which will be on show from 27 August to 10 October 2009. The exhibition will be guest curated by artist Martin Gale, and work submitted for inclusion may be in any medium. Dunamaise Arts Centre also welcomes submissions from artists for its ongoing exhibition programme.

Postal submissions including artist CV, CD with image(s) of proposed work and a stamped addressed envelope, or email submissions (file size limit: 5MB) should be forwarded to: Address Dunamaise Arts Centre, Church Street, Portlaoise, Co. Laois Email exhibitions@dunamaise.ie Deadline 19 June 2009 Artsquad Anniversary City Artsquad will be 20 years old in 2010. To celebrate this achievement Artsquad is calling on all former members to contribute to a publication and exhibition that will commemorate its participation in community arts. If you have been involved with City Artsquad at any point from 1990 to 2010 and would like to contribute to the 20th anniversary celebrations, please contact Fiona Clarke, Programme Coordinater, on: Telephone 01 4547026 Email cityartsquad@hotmail.com Deadline Ongoing The Couch Gallery, Cork The Couch Gallery in Cork City is currently accepting submissions from artists who are interested in being included in their future exhibition programme. Submissions should include: name, address, contact details; images of work (attachment size under 2MB); dimensions of work; and

statement / CV. Submissions may be sent by post or email to: Address The Couch, 2nd Floor, 85 North Main Street, Cork Email thecouch85@live.ie Deadline Ongoing STOP PRESS Granite Symposium Sculptors are invited to submit proposals for a granite carving symposium to be held in Killanne Enniscorthy Co Wexford, at Niall Deacon's yard, for two weeks (29 August – 12 September 2009). A site-visit / walkabout will be held at 2.00 pm Saturday 6 June, for artists to familiarise themselves with the setting and facilities.

Closing Date 30 June Telephone Niall 0872426172 Cliodna 01 8322509

Don’t forget Do remember to look at the advertisments in this VAN, also check our web site & subscribe to our e-bulletin for further opportunities.

WATCH OUT While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of our information we strongly advise readers to verify all details to their own satisfaction before forwarding art work, slides or monies etc.

Thanks VAI exchanges with and sources information from: A-N:The Artists’ Information Company; The International Sculpture Centre (New Jersey / USA) and the National Sculpture Factory Cork.

32

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

May – June 2009

CONFERENCE REPORT

VAI CEO Noel Kelly (left) speaking at the Artists European Convention at La Maison Des Artistes

Delegates at the Artists European Convention

Delegates at the Artists European Convention

Speakers at the Artists European Convention

Delegates at the Artists European Convention

Speakers at the Artists European Convention

Activation NOEL KELLY VISUAL ARTISTS IRELAND CEO, REPORTS ON a gathering of EUROPEAN visual artIStS representative organizations, ORGANISED IN December 2008 by Maison des Artistes, PARIS. In December 2008 the French representative organisation for visual artists, Maison des Artistes gathered the executives of the representative organisations of visual artists in Europe to look at social, economic and fiscal systems for visual artists in Europe. The purpose of this meeting was to build a coherent and current picture of social systems, as they exist in the EU member countries; and to prepare a dossier of facts and recommendations, that will be published and presented to the EU and to national governments. The event was hosted as part of the cultural programme of the French Presidency of the EU, and Ireland was represented by Visual Artists Ireland.

In total, 27 invited delegations took part, with a further five observers from EU candidate countries, five from the cultural area of UNESCO and several other non-EU observers (1). The timing for this convention proved interesting. As we see national governments now working in a time of new global economic realities, there is more and more need for us to find ways of lobbying for, protecting and defending social and fiscal systems specific to artists and authors of graphic and visual original works. To this end, each participating representative country provided a picture of systems that currently exist within their own borders. In these presentations, a comparison could be made as to the artists’ social status, and examples of best practices were explored in detail.

It soon became apparent that many disparities exist across Europe. Ireland was held high in terms of funding opportunities, with specific appreciation of the Percent for Art Scheme and the Artists’ Tax Exemption. However, it was very clear that other countries were far advanced in identifying artists specifically within their social welfare systems. For example, in some countries a form of artists’ pension exists. The means of funding these varied from state funding to a levy on art sales that directly feeds into a central fund.

Taking each presentation into consideration, countries were broken in to three main classifications. The first of these contained countries, such as Ireland, who have strong systems of social protection, but don’t specifically recognise artists in this context. There was a move to examine the veracity of adapting these systems to recognise artists specifically, and to understand more the realities of the life of artists. The second group have welfare systems that are less specific, however they reveal themselves to be sensitive to the particularities of artists, with a willingness on behalf of their governments to improve the systems. Finally, the third group have poor systems in place for the population as a whole, and a complete absence of specific provision of any support for artists. They occupy a space wherein full construction of a social system is required. From these classifications emerged a proposal for a law reference / framework that all participants would use to lobby for a form of harmonisation in the EU, and in practical

terms, bring it back to their own national governments as a primary research document of what can be done for artists at a national level.

Further thoughts and discussion took place about what we mean by ‘improving the status of visual artists in Europe’. Whilst it was recognised as an objective, the question was raised as to how and by what means? In this, four topics were considered. The preliminary discussion looked at the question of who is an artist. Whilst many dismissed this as being as indecipherable as trying to define what is art, the discussions surrounding the definition of the artist revealed weakness in the implementation of the UNESCO definition (2) – of which significant number of signatory countries have not adopted this into their legislation or support systems. As with all definitions on the subject of art and artists, there was much heated philosophical and ideologically driven debate. As artist representative organisations, it was mooted that we should deny the validity of the placing of limitations as to who is an artist – on the basis of the freedom of expression that being an artist should represent. However, it was seen as extremely important that we be able to use some form of formal definition, so as to provide a basis for dialogue with bureaucratic systems. This importance was identified specifically, so that administrative frameworks could define effectively and legitimately the scope of social protection and taxation for artists. In the absence of any other definition, it was concluded that the UNESCO definition would provide sufficient clarity and members will move to have their respective governments and the EU to recognise it in a practicable manner.

Following this discussion, a further time for reflection was taken on the social condition of visual artists. In light of the previous presentations, and the disparities between protection systems, it became apparent that with such wide gaps unification may be inappropriate at this stage. The workload is simply too high for any one single approach – however, the concept of unity must still hold, albeit as an aspiration. Instead, it was proposed that we focus on the minimum that was required to put in place in each country of the European Union concerning social security; and to reflect together on a harmonisation of financing social protection, calculation of contributions and coverage of social benefits. It was also agreed that as a second objective in this area, we must find a framework for social security in the form of a common model that incorporates compliance with the possibilities of each, taking into account the structures related to the work of the artist.

This instantly led to further discussion in the area of taxation. The series of initiatives and schemes across Europe for artists are limited.

The Irish tax exemption was used as one example relating to income tax. Also included were the reduced VAT levels across Europe on the

sale of works of art. It was shown that investment in the arts is often facilitated by the allocation of reductions or tax credits.

Specifically addressing the latter, it was recognised that although not a key feature in our definition of the artist – and placing ideological posturing aside, that in order to speak to governments, we must continue to make the artist an economic agent, while taking into account the particulars of artistic activity. With the combination of both points of the taxation discussion, it was agreed that we need to have our governments recognise the following: the irregular collection of income by artists; the precariousness of artistic activity; and also a requirement to continue to encourage investment in the arts and expand the allocation of tax cuts to individuals who invest in art.

Following on from these two days of discussions, a range of suggested actions is currently drafted, that will be submitted to the representative bodies of all European organisations. Once validated these will be published and circulated to the EU representatives and also to local bodies, such as Visual Artists Ireland, for presentation to national and local government and to the Arts Councils. There are still many issues that could not be tackled, but fortunately, because this was a first time at bringing this group together, a strong foundation of solidarity was built within the participating network of artists in Europe.

It is worth noting that this meeting fitted closely with work that is being undertaken by Visual Artists Ireland. At the discussion we were able to provide a first glimpse of the results of the VAI’s survey The Social, Economic, and Fiscal Status of the Visual Artist in Ireland. As we continue to become aware, the treatment of artists across Ireland is uneven. We also see more and more likelihood that the systems that are in place, will come under pressure through a lack of understanding and implementation. It is our intention to supplement the findings of our survey, with the publication emerging from the Maison des Artistes meeting, as we continue our work on behalf of visual artists in Ireland. To quote from one of our French colleagues, we need activation on the ground, as well as through networks such as the French convention.

Noel Kelly Notes (1) Germany: IGBK - Internationale Gesellschaft der Bildenden Künste; United Kingdom: The British National Committee of IAA; Austria: IG Bildende Kunst; Belgium: Conseil National Belge des Arts Plastiques; Bulgaria: Union des Artistes Bulgares; Cyprus: Chamber of Fine Arts; Denmark: BKF-Billedkunstnernes Forbund; Spain: UAAV - Union de Asociaciones de Artistas Visuales; Estonia: EAA - Estonian Artists’ Association; Finland: AAF - The Artists’ Association of Finland; France: La Maison des Artistes; Greece: Chamber of Fine Arts of Greece; Hungary: Association of Hungarian Fine and Applied Artists; Ireland: Visual Artists Ireland; Italy: Comitato Italiano de la AIAP; Latvia: The Artists’s Union of Latvia; Lithuania: Lithuanian artists’ association; Luxembourg: Comité National de l’AIAP; Malta: Ambassade de Malte en France; The Netherlands: Federatie von Kunstenaarsverenigingen; Poland: The association of Polish artists and designers; Portugal: Ministry of Culture; Czech Republic: UVU CR; Romania: Romanian Artists’ association; Slovakia: Slovak Union of Visual Arts Slovak; Slovenia: Cultural Chamber of Slovenia; Sweden: KRO&KIF - The Swedish Artists’ National Organization (2) The General Conference of UNESCO, at its 21st session held in Belgrade, adopted on 27 October 1980 the following definition of the artist “Artist is taken to mean any person who creates or gives creative expression to, or recreates works of art, who considers his artistic creation to be an essential part of his life, who contributes in this way to the development of art and culture and who is or asks to be recognized as an artist, whether or not he is bound by any relations of employment or association”.

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

May – June 2009

33

project profile

Exploring Creativity and Technology Mags Walsh reports on ‘Insight Open’ (17 Jan 2009) A SEMINAR exploring technology and art practices for young people, held at sligo art gallery.

Andrew Livingstone Exploring Manual Actions.

Work created in relation to the artists residency at Strandtown Primary School, Belfast,

Andrew Livingstone Tacit. Work created in relation to the artists residency at Strandtown Primary School, Belfast,

On 17 January Kids’ Own Publishing Partnership (1) presented ‘Insight Open’, a seminar exploring current practice and creativity between children, artists, educators and technology at Sligo Art Gallery. For the past 12 years Kids’ Own have been supporting and facilitating engagements between young people and artists. The increasing use of technology – both as a creative and as a communication tool – has been a feature of many of their residencies and projects. Insight Open set out to explore, discuss and celebrate the range of current practice using technology in this creative arts context.

‘Insight Open’ coincided with a retrospective of Kids’ Own work at Sligo Art Gallery. The exhibition was curated by Sarah Searson and commissioned by the gallery, with Sligo local authorities’ arts service, as part of their ‘Primary Colours’ arts and education programme. The exhibition and seminar event offered attendees an opportunity to view finished work created in Kids’ Own residencies; and also to engage in the course of the seminar with artists who currently use technology in their work with young people.

Vine Haugh, Director of Amma Creative Learning Centre, Armagh, began the seminars proceedings. Haugh spoke about Kids’ Own’s role in nurturing the creativity of both the artists and the young participants. Sarah Season, as curator also introduced the event and spoke of her connection with the work of Kids’ Own. A recurrent theme during the day, was that Practice.ie (2) – a Kids’ Own project documenting and supporting work by artists with young people – would provide a space to continue the conversations began at ‘Insight Open’.

The early part of the seminar featured presentations by artists Ann Henderson and Andrew Livingstone. Ann Henderson focused on her current residency, ‘Space and Place’, which is taking place via remote communication tools, between her studio on Rathlin Island and Ballydown Primary School in Banbridge. The project involves four classes and four teachers, exploring ideas together with the artist in six-week blocks, over a one-year period. The participating children are aged between five and nine years old. Henderson had an existing relationship with the school, having participating in more traditional residencies there in the past. The technology aspect of the project was facilitated by C2K, a programme of information and communications technology for schools in Northern Ireland. Specifically, the web conferencing software Marratech was utilised an effective tool both for communication, but also to enable artistic collaboration – as the artists and the children could share images, video and text easily.

Ann Henderson and her partner teacher are working closely together on both the planning and delivery of the residency. The

teacher’s role was seen as crucial and it was explained that such projects can only really flourish when there are shared goals and good communication are present. Henderson outlined how she approaches schools residencies in a very open way, allowing the project to develop over the course of the time with the children and teachers. In Henderson’s process-based residency, at least half of the contact time is spent talking. Together the artist and children discuss a course of action for their time together and decisions are taken through an agreed voting system.

Ann Henderson elaborated on some of the specific activities that took place – for example, using a square metre matrix both Ann and the students documented changes in their gardens. Ann and the students were able to share the findings and the images and subsequently collaborate to create new images. Of course, these outcomes were generated as a result of the process rather than established as a goal in the beginning.

Andrew Livingstone described his practice as being concerned with the juxtaposition of digital media and ceramics. He talked about his residency in Strandtown Primary School, Belfast, which was an exploration of the linen industry. Livingstone, teachers and students worked together with ceramics, digital photography, video animation, fabric, puppetry and weaving – which incorporated a diverse range of materials including plates, tiles, jelly, fabric and Perspex. The process of making linen was echoed in much of the work, including new interpretations of the bleaching and smoothing of linen. The project culminated in an open-day in the school attended by parents, teachers and students.

As was the case for Henderson’s residency, time for planning and contact between teachers and artist was absolutely essential. This ensured contact time with the children was adequately planned – but more importantly, it strengthened the relationship between teacher and artist. Some aspects of Livingstone’s residency took place outside of the classroom – of which the school were supportive of the project included field trips along with visits from guest speakers. Also connections were made across the school’s curriculum, with parts of the project delivered without the artist’s presence. As part of the project, Livingstone had time solely with his own practice, and was not expected to work with the school for the full duration of the threeyear project. This was deliberately planned to allow for the artist to reflect on his findings from contact time. The works created from this studio time were included alongside the collaborative pieces in the retrospective exhibition at Sligo Art Gallery.

The seminar featured three roundtable discussions that reflected upon and extended discussion around the issues raised by the artist’s presentations. Roundtable one – ‘Technology and the Rural’, explored creative approaches to utilising technology as a tool for remote communication. Much of the discussion followed directly from Ann Henderson’s presentation and focused on the details of the how the residency and the facilitating technology operated. Participants also contributed details of other projects facilitated by technology and the consensus was that the new tools offered new opportunities to many different audiences in developing creativity although the skill and commitment of both artist and teacher remained paramount to the success of the project.

Round Table Two – ‘From Private to Public’, explored the virtual studio and blogging – and posed the question how much do you share of your work in the public domain? It was felt that documenting work in an open forum, like the web, allowed artists the opportunity to reflect on their own work and that of others. But there were also some concerns that sharing might facilitate others to use ideas, concepts or artwork without permission. For some, the most important aspect of their work was in the experience of it – thus it was felt that documentation in whatever form, could never fully convey to a wider audience the true value of a project. Overall, benefits of documentation and public exchange were acknowledged as necessary and valuable.

Round Table Three – ‘Seeing beyond the technology’ examined the use of technology as a medium for communication, engagement and creation. Andrew Livingstone’s work was discussed – in terms of both the wide variety of materials and media involved, but also in terms of the importance of trial and error.

Each of the round tables reported back in the final plenary session chaired by Martin Drury, Arts Director at The Arts Council. The key issues arising included a concern regarding the consequences of cuts in funding and resources. However there was considerable optimism that collaboration and in particular, sharing information and expertise could overcome many of the issues created by reduced funding.

Furthermore, several delegates noted that ongoing opportunities to meet and discuss practice would be very welcome.

The final event of the seminar was the formal opening of the retrospective exhibition of Kids’ Own projects. The seminar had provided delegates with a deeper understanding of the opportunities of technology in a creative context and the exhibition a wonderful chance to enjoy the exceptional outcomes of many of the projects. All in all ‘Insight Open’ was a powerful testament to the success of children, artists, teachers and technology working together to explore creativity.

Mags Walsh Notes 1. www.kidsown.ie 2. www.practice.ie

Visual Artists Ireland Professional Development Training for Visual Artists 2009 Clare, Cork, Dublin, Galway, Laois, Limerick, Northern Ireland and Waterford Tutors: Jerome O’Drisceoil, Conor McFeely, Eilis Lavelle, Kerry McCall, Heli Rekula (and others TBC) UPCOMING TRAINING

Autumn 2009 TRAINING

Autumn 2009, Belfast.

Waterford Presentation Skills – Communicating your Practice with Kerry McCall Fri 22 May. Old Market House Arts Centre, Dungarvan.

Cost: €60 / €55 (VAI & ArtLInks Members) Places: 8.

Further training planned for Autumn 2009 is being developed and delivered in conjunction with regional training partners, including – The National Sculpture Factory, Cork; Belfast Exposed and CAF, Northern Ireland; Limerick City Gallery; Galway Arts Centre; ArtLInks, Clare County Council and Midlands Masterclasses.

'Dead or Alive ?

Midlands* Working with Public and Private Galleries, October 2009 .

(Tutors and dates tbc) Dunamaise Theatre and Arts Centre.

Places: 25 * In association with Laois, Offaly, Westmeath & Longford County Councils.

The proposed programme for Autumn 2009 includes business skills training and practical issues for visual artists, peer critique and more specialist workshops aimed at mid career artists. Topics will include.

Galway Working with Public and Private Galleries, Jerome O’Drisceoil and Eilis Lavelle Wednesday 6 May 2009 (10.30am to 4.30pm) .

Galway Arts Centre (Nuns Island), Galway.

Cost: €60 / €55 (concession rate VAI members) Places: 8

Practical Issues. Presentation Skills & Communicating your Practice; Understanding Your Accounts; Funding proposals and sources of funding; Working with Public & Private Galleries; Technical & Installation Skills for Artists; Setting up an artist led space or studios; Earning Opportunities – making the most of your practice.

Peer Critique - Sculpture & Installation with Conor McFeely Monday 11 May 2009 (10.30am to 4.30pm). Galway Arts Centre (Nuns Island), Galway.

Cost: €70 / €65 (concession rate VAI members)Places: 6.

Engaged Practice – Best Practice (Northern Ireland). General Facilitation Tools /Skills (in association with CAF); Group Dynamics; Working with Children & Young People; Reminiscence & Cross Generational Work; Evaluation Tools; Artists Contracts for collaborative projects.

Presentation Skills - Communicating your Practice with Kerry McCall Friday 12 & Saturday 13 June, 2009, 1.5 days (10.30am to 4.30pm). Galway Arts Centre.

Cost: €65 / €60 (concession rate VAI members). Places: 8,

Peer Critique. Alternative approaches to Art in Public; Lens Based Media; Sculpture and Installation.

Creating a profile for your work. Displaying and promoting your work online. Publishing and having your work reviewed Lens Based Media Ethical Questions for Photographers and Artists; Theory and Lens Based Media; DIY Photography with groups.

Visual Art & New Technologies. Pod casting; Blogging; Copyright and the Internet; Web design for visual artists.

– Artists Working with Archives' A seminar event organised in partnership with Belfast Exposed.

For further information on the current programme of training see: www.visualartists.ie – or join the Visual Artists Ireland Professional Development Facebook group for regular updates on Professional Development Training and to raise issues relating to professional development.

Visual Artists Ireland welcomes contact from other organisations involved in supporting the career development of visual artists, with a view to building future partnerships for the professional development training.

Visual Artists Ireland 37 Nth Great George’s St, Dublin 1 T: +353 (0)1 872 2296 E: info@visualartists.ie www.visualartists.ie

TheLivingArtists'Archive The VAI Living Artists' Archive is intended as a central point of research for curators, artists and researchers looking at current practice across visual art disciplines in Ireland. The archive is stored electronically on a computer based at the offices of Visual Artists Ireland.

Artists can choose to be part of the archive when joining Visual Artist Ireland or renewing their membership. At the time of taking up or renewing membership, artists may provide a CV and four images of current work for the Archive on a CD. Artists must be members of Visual Artists Ireland in order to be included on the Living Artists' Archive.

The Living Artists' Archive has a partnership agreement with NIVAL (The National Visual Arts Library) at NCAD – on an annual basis material from the archive will be deposited in NIVAL's files.

To register with the archive, simply cut out and complete this page; and send it with your visualS and CV (on CD) to:

Living Artists' Archive, Visual Artists Ireland, 37 North Great George's Street, Dublin 1.

! w o N

Register

About Your Work

Submissions – TECHNICAL SPEC

Please complete the following tickboxs, in order to indicate the materials used, methods, style of work and your main activities.

Artists must be members of Visual Artists Ireland in order to be included on the Living Artists Archive Artists should submit an up-to-date CV and 4 work samples.

These must be submitted on a CD and posted or handed in to the Visual Artists' Ireland office.

Work samples can comprise of 4 digital images or a combination of images, sound pieces and/or video.

The digital images must be in .jpg format. Video show reels must be in either .mov or .avi formats and limited to 15 minutes total.

Sound pieces can be in .mp3 format and again limited to total running time of 15 minutes.

All work provided on the CD must have accompanying titles / captions – as per international / best practice guidelines.: Artists Name; Title of Work; Year made; Material(s)/ media; Dimensions (if applicable); Edition (if applicable).

Your CV must be submitted as a Word document. CV may be saved on the same CD as your samples. Ideally your CV should include up-to-date information on solo/group exhibitions as well as awards and academic qualifications.

Please write your name on the CD and send a stamped self- addressed envelope, if you would like your CD to be returned Submit your CD to: Living Artist's Archive, Visual Artists Ireland, 37 North Great George's Street, Dublin 1.

Updating Your Information. It is up to members to ensure that information on the archive is up-to-date. Unfortunately we do not have the resources to chase members for new / updated information. If membership of Visual Artists Ireland lapses, entry on the Archive will be set as inactive and images/clips of their work will not be part of the live database.

Queries. email: archive@visualartists.ie

Style of Work o Abstract o Conceptual o Documentary o Expressive o Environmental o Ephemeral o Figurative o Live o Issue-based – please specify o Other Main Activities o Art in Architecture o Art in Nature o Artists’ books o Artist as Curator o Artist as Writer o Arts and Disability o Arts and Health o Art Therapy o Award Pieces o Collaborations o Community Art o Context-related o Corporate Commissions o Environmental o Functional o Gallery-based Art o Interior o Interventionist Art o Land o Lens-based

o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

Multidisciplinary Participatory Performance Photography Portraiture Printmaking Public Art Residencies Screen-based Site-specific Art Text-based Work Time-based Work Working with children / schools Other

Materials Used o Bronze o Ceramics o Computers o Digital images / video /sound o Fibre/Textiles o Fibreglass o Found Objects o Glass o Gold o Light o Mixed media o Mosaic o Organic o Paint o Photography o Plaster o Plastic

o o o o o o o o o o

Print materials Self/Artist’s Body Silver Sound Steel Stone Text Video Wood Other

Method of work o Carving o Casting o Computer-based o Craft o Design o Electronic media o Fabrication o Graffiti o Illustration o Installation o Mixed-media o Modelling o Murals o Painting o Performance o Photography o Printmaking o Site-specific o Other

Living Artist’s Archive Agreement Artists participating in the Living Artists' Archive must agree to and sign the Artists Archive Agreement.

Artists must be members of Visual Artists Ireland in order to be included on the Living Artists Archive.

1. By submitting images, videos, soundpieces or other artworks (hereinafter referred to as Content) either electronically, digitally or hard copy to the Artist’s Archive, you authorise and grant Visual Artists Ireland (hereinafter referred to as VAI) a license to use and display your Content and to make such copies thereof as we deem necessary in order to facilitate the storage of the Content on our database.

2. Furthermore you understand and agree that the information and Content which you submit to VAI will be forwarded to the National Irish Visual Artists Library (NIVAL) for inclusion in their Artist’s Database. This will be carried out in accordance with the regulations laid out in the Data Protection (Amendment) Act 2003.

3. By submitting Content you are guaranteeing that you are the sole author of the artworks, that the works are original and do not infringe any existing copyright, that you are the exclusive owner of the rights conveyed, and that you have not previously assigned, pledged or otherwise encumbered the rights granted under the agreement.

4. You may not submit Content that you did not create or that you do not have permission to submit. You understand and agree that VAI may delete or remove (without notice) any content from the database, for any reason or no reason, that in the sole judgment of VAI violates this Agreement or which might be offensive, illegal, or that might violate the rights of others. You are solely responsible for creating backup copies and replacing any content that you submit or provide to VAI. 5. VAI may from time to time request your permission to use, copy, publicly perform, publicly display, reformat, excerpt (in whole or in part) and distribute the Content that you have submitted.

The situations will be for the promotion of your work and that of VAI at such events as, but not limited to, the Irish Pavilion at the Venice Biennale 2009.

6. By submitting Content to the Artists Archive you represent and warrant that you have the right to grant, to VAI an irrevocable, non-exclusive, transferable, fully paid, worldwide license (with the right to sublicense) to use, copy, publicly perform, publicly display, reformat, translate, excerpt (in whole or in part) and distribute the work for the purposes laid out in article 5.

7. VAI will endeavour to ensure all information contained in the database is correct however

artist subscribers are responsible for the provision of up to date information and artwork and VAI is not liable for any errors or omissions.

8. At any time you may request removal from our database of the Content and data that you have submitted after which point the above licence you have granted will be terminated. However you acknowledge that VAI may retain archived copies of your work but may not display, distribute or make available such copies.

Indemnity VAI does not assert any ownership over your content; rather, subject to the rights granted to us in this Agreement, you retain full ownership of all of your artwork and any intellectual property rights or other proprietary rights associated with your artwork. VAI will not make commercial uses of the content in the Artist Archive. VAI is a nonprofit organization and not a commercial entity.

VAI’s sole objective in creating and making available the database is to benefit visual artists and to provide a research tool for local and international artists, students, curators and critics.

Researchers using the database will not have access to any personal information other than the names of the artists contained in the database.

VAI warrants that it will keep personal data secure from unauthorised access, disclosure, destruction

or accidental loss and will never share personal information with third parties without the prior consent of the artist.

Limitation of Liability You agree to indemnify and hold VAI, its subsidiaries and affiliates, and each of their directors, officers, agents, contractors, partners and employees, harmless from and against any loss, liability, claim, demand, damages, costs and expenses, including reasonable solicitor’s fees, arising out of or in connection with any submitted Content, or any violation of this Agreement or of any law or the rights of any third party. o Please tick here and complete the following to confirm your acceptance of the terms and conditions set out above in the Artists’ Archive Agreement.

Name: Address:

Signed: Date:

Blanchardstown Centre, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15.

T: +353 1 885 2610 F: +353 1 824 3434 W: www.draiocht.ie

Paul McAree Crowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Nest (work in progress), 2009

17 April - 27 June The Habit of Remembering Marie Connole & Mary Noonan

17 April - 27 June Sounds Like Art Group exhibition featuring work

by David Bickley, Jenny Brady & Andrew Fogarty, Maeve Collins, Michael Doocey, Aileen Lambert, Paul McAree & Fiona Reilly

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

May – June 2009

39

Problems

The Problem Page Our consiege / curator of agony responds to a selection of queries and conceptual quibbles – offering in return, nothing less than life-shattering, dilemma-inducing, paradigm-shifting nonsense.

Is there a Doctor on the Plane?

An Editor’s Concerns

Dear Concierge of Agony,

Dear Concierge of Agony,

I don’t want to be a prophet of doom, but I truly

Help me please; I am an editor at the end of my

foresee a problem of global consequence brewing

tether.

– one that will not only make the current implosion of the western capitalist economic

What am I to do? Just what is up with artists and

‘system’ seem puny, but one which will serve to

curators when they indicate the title of their

exacerbate this general collapse and enfeebling of

shows and artworks with ugly and ungrammatical

our culture as we know it.

clusters punctuation marks and text stylings – italics, boldings, underscores, random case changes

With the preponderance of visual artists who are

and the like?

either researching on PhD programmes, alongside those who have gained their doctorates, our

I’ve always subscribed to the wise maxim of the

culture is about to be flooded with ever growing

philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889 – 1951)

populous of near-to-useless doctors. And the

“what we cannot speak about we must pass over in

terrifying consequence is this – eventually there

silence”. Which means, that when I come across

will be no able to actually do anything. Certainly,

one of these ghastly hieroglyphs in a press release,

there will be plenty of para–discourse and meta–

I pass over whatever lame allusions they are

activity, but next to no useful or constructive

struggling to make in typographic form, and

action taking place.

render their crude symbols with actual words of God’s own English. And this is a system, which has

Imagine the scene, you’ve strolled out of your

served me well for years.

studio for a mid-morning latte and yes, you’re not ashamed to admit it, you are going to have a bit of

For example an exhibition might be fancifully

natter with your ‘bezzy-mates’. You instruct the

titled unHome–ly/urges Re-Present_ed – and

barista as to your requirements, and anticipate the

keep in mind it isn’t beyond the realms of

arrival of your milky beverages. Needless to say

imagining that some smart-alec might claim the

you are somewhat stunned and dismayed by the

bolding and the colour of the text is part of the

response your request elicits “Make coffee? Sorry

identity of the show.

bud, I was appointed chair of bean-studies for this faculty last semester and I’m buggered if I actually

What I do, is to manfully take hold of this effete

know how to operate this stream-belching

and flaccid confection and translate into what is

contraption. Now if you get comfortable I’m going

more proper, correct – ‘Unhomely Urges

to dim the lights and show a few slides and do a

Represented’. Now isn’t that better and more

read through of a 40 minute paper I’m preparing

upstanding? Note as well my virile and robust

for a conference – I must warn you it’s quite

convention of putting the titles of exhibitions in

Deluezian”.

single quotes. Individual artworks are italicised – eg "in the exhibition ‘Unhomely Urges

Ooo-weee. That has put the frighteners up me –

Represented’ there was a work called Abject DIY".

no doubt. As you may be aware, as part of international agony duties I regularly fly to

Tell me then, ‘language cop’ what exactly is

foreign spots for various art knee’s ups and

your problem? You seem to have found a

biennales and what knots. I am now

perfectly reasonable remedy to the malady of

contemplating my next air journey with

stupid names for exhibitions and artworks. Ah

growing apprehension.

– but do you doubt yourself? Are there fearful thoughts lurking at the edges of your already

I can see something like this happening. On a

paranoid consciousness?

plane, bound for Venice, packed with art world types, a young archivist / curator has a

Suppose an artist or curator pre-empted your

hiccupping fit in row C – over a glaring typo in

concerns and titled a show ‘Bold; Italicised Un

her galleries double page Artforum

Home; Long-dash Ly; Backslash Re; hyphen

advertisement. The cry goes up from a

Present; Underscore; Italicised Ed’. Or what

concerned travelling companion / intern “Is

about an exhibition title comprising quotation

there a doctor in the house?”. Pandemonium

marks, or a conflation of double and single

ensures – culminating in a frenzy of violence

quotes that you would have to put in quote

as the many PhD wielding art-persons on the

marks? It would look like this on the page –

plane argue about which fundamental methodologies and ontology’s of being and existence they should commence the meta-

‘“‘’”’

Oh I am sorry, does that trouble you, does it?

para discourse / treatments from. I get up from the seat, stroll down the aisle, my hand raised to administer all that is actually required – a slap to the face … an air-marshal is called.

Rendition follows – a life in chains and an orange jump suits beckons.

My advice – build that bridge and get over it.

All forms of Metalwork and Sculpture commissions undertaken

Bronze Foundry

Anthony Scott Labharcarn

John Behan Ghost Boat

e.

5 Jun ch. un a n L PP11 j discussio a r a I RO Mah NI & Sarat at the e, Venice t n e ev spac tion ition ssocia exhib . In a le nd a la n Bien re Ire Cultu I h it w N & AC

Brian King Convergance

CAST BRONZE FOUNDRY Located in the Liberties area of Dublin, we provide a total sculpture service to artists and commissioning bodies. We pride ourselves in providing a comfortable, welcoming working environment. Our multi-skilled team brings personalised attention to every bronze casting project.

Printed Project : Issue 11 'Farewell to Post-Colonialism' (Querying the Guangzhou Triennial 2008) Curator/Editor: Sarat Maharaj. Co-Editor: Dorothee Albrecht. In collaboration with the GT-Curators: Johnson Chang Tsong-Zung and Gao Shiming. With the GT08 Research Curators: Sopawan Boonnimitra, Stina Edblom, Tamar GuimarĂŁes, Steven Lam, Khaled D. Ramadan. Contributors: Avi Alpert, Maria Thereza Alves, Saleh Barakat, Ulrich Beck, Ecke Bonk, Conrad Botes, Zoe Butt, Lyn Carter, Amy Cheng, Amy Cheung, Chen ChiehJen, Joseph DeLappe, Johnson Chang Tsong-Zung, Paul Gladston, Khaled Hafez, Huang Xiaopeng , Du Keke, Michael Lee, Simon Leung, Trinh T. Minh-ha, Paul O'Kane, Annie Paul, Hans Hamid Rasmussen, Gertrud Sandqvist, Stuart Sim, Gilane Tawadros, Hu Xiang-cheng, ChenYun, Yi Zhou.

Farewell to Post-Colonialism is based on a series of reflections, extensions and musings emerging from and around the Guangzhou Triennial 2008. The critical thinking and lines of inquiry explored include the global shifts in political and

Bob Quinn Bird song

Paul Ferriter Seve Ballasteros

Paddy Campbell La Vespa

Liz O Kane John McCormack

Cast Ltd, 1a South Brown St, Dublin 8.

Ph 014530133, fax 01 4735029 www.cast.ie email: info@cast.ie Contact Leo or Ray for your next project

economic focus, and how this relates art practice and theory in China and beyond.

Published by Visual Artists Ireland.

Available June 2009 onwards. www.printedproject.ie