Visual Artists' News Sheet - 2009 September October

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet ISSUE 5 2009 September – October Published by Visual Artists Ireland Ealaíontóirí Radharcacha Éire

Visual Centre for Contemporary Art & George Bernard Shaw Theatre, Carlow. Photo: Ros Kavanagh

Blasphemy & Art; PRSI and Artists; Visual Arts Resources & Activity in Limerick; The Red Stables Studios; Brian Henderson; The Social, Economic & Fiscal Status of Artists; Art and Humour; Introducing Visual; Altered Images; Achill artists in Cologne; No Soul For Sale – A Festival of Independents; iD Gorzów, Poland; In Search of Utopia; Marina Abramovic Presents … ; The Art & Heritage in a Rural Context at GMIT; Andy Parsons & Hidehiko Ishibashi.

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

2

Introduction

Welcome to the September / October edition of the Visual Artists News Sheet.

While this edition of the VAN – as per usual – has a wealth of vital and fascinating content, we’d particularly like to direct reader’s attention to three articles, which in light of the current economic situation are timely and important.

On page 9, Facing the Challenge outlines how we all, as artists and art-workers can challenge the serious situation now facing public funding of the arts by actively taking part in lobbying our local representatives and the government. Some vital facts and arguments to assist in this process can be gleaned from the report, published on page 15, on the key findings of the VAI’s major survey The Social, Economic & Fiscal Status of Artists. Likewise, in the CEO / Directors Report (page 33) – an account of the achievements and performance of VAI over the last financial year – is a similar resource.

In addition to this, we have the usual array of features that highlight the diversity, ingenuity and energy of Irish visual arts activity – both at home and in international contexts. Limerick is the subject of a regional focus – following up the VAN’s first visit in 2003. The Visual Centre for Contemporary Art and George Bernard Shaw Theatre, Carlow, which opens later in September, is introduced in an interview with the new institution director Carissa Farrell. Galway Arts Centre’s Visual Arts Officer, Maeve Mulrennan reports on curating the exhibition ‘In Search of Utopia’. Ruth McHugh discusses GMIT’s Art & Heritage in a Rural Context module. Andy Parsons discusses his Wolf on Arm project in Sligo. Cliodna Shaffrey reports on ‘Altered Images’ an exhibition, which aims to stimulate engagement with the visual arts for disabled people.

In terms of Irish art abroad, there are reports on the Achill Artist’s group showing in Cologne; thisisnotashop’s participation in ‘No Soul for Sale – A Festival of Independents in New York; and Irish artists contribution to ‘iD’ and an international collaborative project held in Gorzów, Poland.

On page 34 details can be found of 'Getting on With It' a seminar organised by VAI in association with the National Sculpture Factory, Cork. The event, which will focus on the practicalities of being an artist, takes place in Cork on 9 October. Information on our autumn programme of Professional Development Training Workshops can be found on page 35 – the workshops are taking place in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Portlaoise, Belfat, Derry, Down, Enniskillen and Omagh.

All this and more – along with the latest opportunities, news and roundups of recent projects, events and exhibitions!

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORM Name: Address:

Telephone: Mobile Phone: Website:

Category of Membership:

oProfessional

Contents

Contents

Introduction

Email:

September – October 2009

oAssociate

oFriend

*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.

o o o

o o

o

o

Degree or Diploma from a recognised third level college.

One-person show (including time based events) in a recognised gallery or exhibition space.

Participation in an exhibition/visual art event which was selected by a jury in which professional artists or recognised curators participated.

Work has been purchased by Government, local authority, museum or corporate client.

Work has been commissioned by Government, local authority, museum or corporate client.

Have been awarded a bursary, residency, materials grant or otherwise grant aided by the Arts Council/Arts Council of Northern Ireland or other funding body.

Have been awarded tax-exempt status by the Revenue Commissioners, or are on schedule

D as a self-employed artist in Northern Ireland.

FEE

All Ireland Standard Rate €50 / £35. Concessions Rate €25 / £18.

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

Payments accepted by cheque, cash or postal order. Cheques payable to Visual Artists Ireland. Cheques can be accepted in Euro or Sterling.

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

members only). We require a passport photo - please send to our postal address. An an

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

require a CV and four samples of work. Artist must also read, agree and sign the term

and conditions of participation in the Archive. See page 32 for futher details.

Visual Artists Ireland, 37 North Great George’s Street, Dublin 1, Ireland.

T: 01 8722296 F: 01 8722364 E: info@visualartists.i e W: www.visualartists.ie

3. Roundup. Recent exhibitions and projects of note.

3. Column. Seamus Kealy. Blasphemous Matters.

4. Column. Chris Fite-Wassilak. Remnants of Days to Come.

5. Column. Michael Burke. PRSI'ed Off 8. News. The latest developments in the arts sector.

9. Advocacy & Lobbying. Facing the Challenge. VAI encourages artists and artworkers to take the case for the arts funding to the doors of politicians.

10 . Regional Profile. Visual Arts Resources & Activity in Limerick 13. Institution Profile. Art Stables. Niall de Buitlear profiles The Red Stables, a studio facility managed by Dublin City Council Arts Office.

14. How is it made? Revisiting the Highway. Brian Henderson discusses the processes and origins behind his new series of paintings, which are currently on show at the Taylor Galleries, Dublin (3 – 24 Sept).

15. Advocacy & Lobbying. The Social, Economic & Fiscal Status of Artists. A report on some of the key findings of the important survey conducted by VAI. 16. Focus. Institutionalising Humour. Matt Packer discusses the relationship between art and humour.

17. Institution Profile. Introducing Visual. Carissa Farrell, Director of the Visual Centre for Contemporary Art and George Bernard Shaw Theatre, Carlow, discusses the venue's programme, aims & ambitions.

18. Project Profile. Altered Images. Cliodna Shaffrey reports on ‘Altered Images’ an exhibition, which aims to stimulate engagement with the visual arts for the general public and particularly for disabled people.

19. International. Achill to Cologne. John McHugh reports on ‘Aquila’ a showing of work by the Achill Artist Group at Kunsthause Rhenania Cologne, held in April this year.

20. International. Rubbing Shoulders. Edel Horan reports on ‘No Soul For Sale – A Festival of Independents’ an event held at The X-Initiative, New York 23 – 28 June.

21. International. Addressing Identity. Sarah Baume reports on ‘iD’, an international collaborative project held in Gorzów, Poland 5 – 12 June 2009.

22. Project Profile. In Search Of ... Galway Arts Centre’s Visual Arts Officer, Maeve Mulrennan reports on curating ‘In Search of Utopia’, held in Galway, May 2009.

23. International. Fugutive Experience. Michelle Browne reports on ‘The Symposium’, held in conjunction with ‘Marina Abramovic Presents’ at The Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester (2-19 July 2009), as part of The Manchester International Festival..

24. Art the Public Realm Roundup. Recent public art commissions, site-specific works, socially engaged practice and other forms of art outside the gallery.

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

30. Problems. The Problem page. Art queries and conceptual quibbles answered.

30. Artoons. Pablo Helguera's Artoons. The foibles, ironies, and occasional stupidity of the art world – captured with clarity and economy.

31. Project Profile. Landscape, Power & Heritage. Ruth McHugh discusses GMIT's Art & Heritage in a Rural Context module.

33. VAI Activities. CEO / Directors Report. Visual Artist Ireland’s CEO / Director Noel Kelly reports on the achievements and performance of VAI over the last financial year.

36. How is it Made? Visual Exchange. Andy Parsons discusses his ongoing collaboration with Hidehiko Ishibashi and their exhibition ‘Drawing Between’, shown at Wolf on Arm, the artist’s temporary project space on Wolfe tone street, Sligo in April.

Production Editor: Jason Oakley; Layout: Jason Oakley; News: Sabina McMahon; Roundup: Séan O'Sullivan.

Opportunities: Sabina McMahon; Proofing: Anne Henrichson; Invoicing: Bernadette Beecher.

Contributors Seamus Kealy, Chris Fite-Wassilak, Michael Burke, Niall de Buitlear, Brian Henderson, Noel Kelly, Matt Packer, Carissa Farrell, Jason Oakley, Cliodna Shaffrey, John McHugh, Edel Horan, Sarah Baume, Maeve Mulrennan, Michelle Browne, Pablo Helguera, Ruth McHugh, Andy Parsons, Alan Keane, Carl Doran, Marilyn Lennon, Michelle Horrigan, Sean Taylor, Shiela Deegan.

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

Board of Directors

Staff

Liam Sharkey (Chair), Therry Rudin (Vice Chair),

CEO / Director: Noel Kelly

Anya von Gösseln, Maoiliosa Reynolds, Richard

Publications Manager: Jason Oakley

Guiney, Paula Duffy, Tim Lloyd, Brian Fay, Roger

Membership Manager: Valerie Earley

Bennett, Susan MacWilliam, Sally Timmons, Kevin

Information Officer: Niamh Looney

O'Dwyer.

Administrators: Bernadette Beecher Information Assistant: Sabina McMahon.

The views expressed in this publication,

Advocacy Programme Officer: Alex Davis.

unless otherwise indicated, do not

Publication Intern: Séan O'Sullivan.

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

or Visual

Irelands’ Board of Directors.

Artists

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

3

September – October 2009

INTERNATIONAL COLUMN

Roundup

Seamus Kealy

Roundup

Blasphemous Matters The Blasphemy Bill created by Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern speaks high in volume but is likely to have little muscle. This is the opinion of Andrea Martin – an Irish solicitor and legal adviser for media, who spoke recently on RTE about the background and realities of this bill. But if the bill will not actually be implemented for prosecutions, the question begs itself: Why is a retrograde law such as The Blasphemy Bill in existence?

The Bill states: “A person who publishes or utters blasphemous matter shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable upon conviction on indictment to a fine not exceeding €100,000.”

Blasphemous material is defined as material “that is grossly abusive or insulting in relation to matters held sacred by any religion, thereby causing outrage among a substantial number of the adherents of that religion; and he or she intends, by the publication of the matter concerned, to cause such outrage.”

“Where a person is convicted of an offence under this section, the court may issue a warrant authorising the Garda Síochána to enter, if necessary using reasonable force, a premises where the member of the force has reasonable grounds for believing there are copies of the blasphemous statements in order to seize them.”

This essentially has given permission for the Garda to enter the exhibition ‘Medium Religion’ (1) and seize a number of artworks there – if a warrant were to be produced before mid August, that is. In the meantime, this Bill might provide empowerment for individuals of particular ideological persuasion to launch public assaults or dangerously condemn freedom of speech and artistic expression.

‘Medium Religion’ was intentionally brought to Ireland because of its content. The exhibition began in Germany and finishes in Montreal, but its stop here in Ireland is a significant step in its total formation. Irish audiences have repeatedly returned to the exhibition – some as many as 10 times – because they are interested in the discourses and issues that the exhibition examines.

However, an interesting development has been the exchange between the public and the exhibition: there have been and continue to be individuals and groups who have entered the exhibition to worship some of the icons in the exhibition – namely the two giant images of Jesus. This demonstrates that Irish audiences, even those who might have strong religious persuasions, are modern enough and educated enough to interact with the exhibition and have ownership over much of it. These audiences, who are often not in exact ‘agreement’ with an exhibition that is often critical of religion and has instances of what could be deemed blasphemy, are not the people who Dermot Ahern is in touch with. It would seem that our earnest minister is more in tune with an imaginary public – from decades and decades past. Therefore, this Bill is a greater insult to the public who it is supposed to be serving than it is to artists and those possibly creating ‘infractions’ under its terms.

To please everyone is not possible – and if art was pleasing everyone, we might be more concerned about how static and monotonous it is. Art should have a role – a central role – in shaping opinions and our geo-cultural landscape.

And when that is denied, then art will only speak louder – because good art and cultural practice are often instances of resisting and revealing the wrongs of this world.

One could list many examples of works of art, music and films that have scandalized the public – whether through appropriating religious imagery or not – from across the centuries. Provocation, scandal and iconoclasm have been the mainstay of most relevant forms of art. Outrage by large amounts of people has often been the reaction. From Sinead O’Connor’s spectacles to The Satanic Verses by Salman Rusdie to the Mohammed Cartoons in Denmark to a 2005 exhibition at the University of Toronto about Islam and femininity to The Last Temptation of Christ by Martin Scorsese, through art movements of Surrealism, Dada, Suprematism, modern classical music, and well before modernism, there is a bulk of cultural memory that we might associate with the potential targets of this Bill. If we were to imagine all the above list – and any art, music or film that has a kinship with the above – to be suddenly removed from memory, or from any kind of experience today, that is surely a crime. The logic of this new law would then enforce that Monty Python’s The Life of Brian be removed from video shops and banned from cinemas, through perpetuity. The Bill, thus, reaches the limits of absurdity. I think that some people might enjoy this absurdity, where like in a Kafka novel, we see the reverse adage of life imitating art.

The reality is that this bill places Irish law and cultural tolerance in a place resembling the era of Church-governed intolerance. The question remains however – if the lawmakers have effectively stated that, “we’re going to create a law, but let’s not use it to prosecute,” who will take it seriously? I suggest we don’t, and we concentrate on more pressing matters at hand. The rule of law may define a society in some capacity – but its lack of inscription into a population – already demonstrated by the audiences of ‘Medium Religion’ – is a far greater indicator of that nation and people.

(1) ‘Medium Religion’ ran 24 May – 16 Aug 2009 at the Model Satellite space in Castle House, 9 Castle Street, Sligo. See www.modelart.ie for further details.

light, video and temporary fragile structures”.

The exhibition ‘Seep’ (10 – 17 June) was the culmination of a one-year project

Capitalyst Arts

by artist Aine Macken. The show featured hundreds of small paintings of faces, each contorted, experiencing extremes of emotion. Macken invited a number of artists, including Michelle Considine, Catherine Harty and Gráinne Galvin’ along with theoretician/philosopher Carolyne Quinn, creative writer/curator Emma Dwan O’Reilly and burlesque performer Miss Bella A Go Go to respond to the

Martin Carter Burn the Banks

themes of the show.

‘Trace’ (18 – 20 June) was the inaugural

show

of

the

collective

Paul Butler International Collage Party at Context

screenings and music – as well as featuring contributions by guest artists: Rodney LaTourelle (Berlin / Canada); Louise Witthöft (Berlin / Denmark); Ruth Van Beek (Amsterdam); Benjamin De Burca (Berlin / Ireland); Erica Eyres (Glasgow / Canada). www.contextgallery.co.uk

10to12Artists – founded by recent IADT graduates. The show, selected by Niall Flaherty, featured work by Lorraine Byrne,

Alan Phelan at IMMA

Gráinne Brady, Pamela de Brí, Charles Henihan, Jacinta Hughes, Denise Kevany, John Murray, Joe Nagle, Roma Przedpelska, Ann Turpin and Mary Quinn.

Alan Phelan, Clubbed Baby Seals 2009

Rich White Vigilance

Catalyst’s arts described their summer project ‘Capitalyst Arts’ (30 May – 31 July) as “bringing art out of the gallery and into the city” and explained that the “various

Colm Desmond – work from 'Inelegant Formalism'

elements of the programme explore the theme of capitalism, touching on the environmental impact of greed, problems

Alan Phelan, Mosquito Man Arthur, 2007

of economic growth in China, the loss of cultural identity and much more”.

Highlights

of

the

Currently on show at Irish Museum of

programme

Modern Art, ‘Alan Phelan: Fragile

included The Light Surgeons audio-visual

Absolutes’ compirises 16 works inspired

performance at Waterfront Hall (25 July)

by the artist’s ongoing engagement with

and a showcase of the design work of the

political history, cultural theory, popular

German record label Raster-Noton (4 – 30

culture, masculinity and modified cars (22

July). Martin Carter’s Burn the Banks at Lawrence Street Workshops (20 June), offered participants a chance to burn of effigies of the major banks.

Rich White’s installation Vigilance on North Street (23 – 27 June), took the form of the replica of the bow of the Vigilant, a Vanguard class nuclear submarine built in Barrow, Scotland.

Jennifer Sykes’s

Blogcabin – sited in various location across the city (22 – 28 June ), was described as “a wilderness retreat that strives to be at one with nature while at the same time refusing to detach itself from technology”.

The Blogcabin functioned as an information point, a cinema, an internet location and a space for exchange.

The other participating artists were: Aisling

O’Beirn,

Slavek

Kwi,

Paul

Weirbinski, Charlotte Andrew, Ellie Harrison, Pedro Lagoa, Sinead O’Donnell & Deirdre McKenna,

Martin Boyle,

July – 1 November). Curated by Sean Aine Macken Pink Nightie

Dan Atkins ‘Say ‘ello to your Uncle Chop-Chop’ (24 – 30 June) was described as “a series of absurd pictures …stuck somewhere between the Far Side and Francis Bacon … a look at contemporary life and the knock on effect of our consumerism and s”.

Colm

Desmond’s

Contemporary Projects), Dublin was a summer

series

of

artist-initiated

exhibitions.

‘Latent Connections’ (4 – 6 June) featured work by Sinéad Curran, Elaine Hurley and Suzannah Vaughan. The show explored “the tensions between possibility and non action, presented by means of

described as traversing “numerous sources and time periods, from current affairs, popular fiction, boy racers, nationalist heroes,

world

war,

economics,

psychoanalysis and globalisation”. Goran’s Stealth Yugo a new IMMA-commissioned sculpture, created by Phelan to coincide with the exhibition, is located in the Museum’s Formal Gardens. www.imma.ie www.alanphelan.com

comprised assemblages of randomly found, recycled forms that were displayed in mirrored vitrines that offered , “discourses

around

formalist,

THe Sound Cast

post-

minimal and object-based art”.

Adrian Duncan’s show ‘Gooseberries’ (22 – 25 July) was described as “a visual investigation into the nature of meaning” which drew inspiration from Anton Chekhov’s short story of the same name. www.pallasprojects.org www.ainemacken.com 10to12Artists@blogspot.com www.danatkins.com|

www.catalystarts.org.uk

Recently on show at PCP (Pallas

‘in/elegant

formalism – continuing…’ (8 – 11 July)

Evelyne Leblanc Rouberge.

Artist Initiated Projects PCP

Kissane, the works in the show are

International Collage Party Paul Butler’s ‘International Collage Party’ was presented at The Context Gallery, Derry (24 July – 21 August). As the press release explained Butler’s premise is simple “come hang out, have a beer, bring some materials, or use what’s here, sit down and get to work”. The project included

various

events

including

Mick O'Shea performing at 'Sound Cast'.

‘Sound Cast’ (4 July) was a four hour sound art event held in sculpture galleries of the Crawford Gallery, Cork. The event was part of the first Avant Festival. ‘Sound Cast’ feature The Quiet Club (Mick O’Shea and Danny Mc Carthy) and the due Anthony Kelly and David Stalling duo. A CD of the event will be issued on the Farpoint Recording label later in the year. www.crawfordartgallery.ie http://theavant.wordpress.com www.farpointrecordings.com

4

Column

Chris Fite-Wassilak

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

September – October 2009

Roundup Coogan’s new performance The Fall. The

ALEX CONWAY

piece

Remnants of Days to Come

was

commissioned

by

Brian Duggan at The Hugh Lane

the

Manchester International Festival and was later presented at the Whitworth Gallery,

The town was covered in pandas, turtles, and trashmen. Blue plastic tortoises lined walls and pond-sides, created by the Cracking Art Group; while dozens of H.A. Schult’s life-sized human forms made of garbage stood ominously like Anthony Gormley-style zombies ready to dance to Thriller. Reworked junk bikes sprouting light bulbs lined the promenade, and 1,600 miniature pandas clustered a nearby square. A version of Seward Johnson’s gargantuan flailing, drowning man, The Awakening (1980), which famously rested beside the Potomac in Washington D.C. for almost three decades, now struggled weakly out of a pool of granite pebbles in the main piazza.

While preparations were underway for Venice’s red carpet Biennale—I can see Tobias Rehberger carefully shifting furniture in the cafeteria, while Liam Gillick sits po-faced, busy teaching his cat to speak—the carnival of art described above was several 100 kilometres to the South, on the southeast coast of Sicily. This all took place in April, for the benefit of a three-day meeting of the Environmental Ministers of the G8 in Syracuse. The summit itself was to discuss, or at least begin the semblance of agreements towards, the preservation of biodiversity and the storage of CO2, but what caught me was the dubious appropriateness of the efforts taken around the event. Espousing a ‘more is more’ ethos, the parallel sculptural programme was meant to highlight and mirror the issues of the meeting, and though several of the works were made from recycled and ‘right on’ methods, the money and energy spent on production and transportation surely outweighed any delusions of impact the planners thought the art programme would have. It also highlighted for me an industry that has long blind sighted its wastefulness and environmental impact in defence of the range of materials and effects artists must have at their command—i.e. everything.

Meanwhile, a free bicycle scheme had been set up around Syracuse just in time to be paraded in front of the visiting ministers. With several electronic lock-up points around the city, the easily accessible hundred-odd bikes made getting around seem relatively easy. By now, Dubliners will have a similar scheme just initiated (though lined with several more layers of cash and advertising), as does Paris, Copenhagen, and several other European metropolises.

Syracuse, on the other hand, is a city of 124,000, with small, thin streets, particularly in the ancient island quarter, Ortigia. It attracts its fair share of tourists with its extensive Greek archaeological site. But what seems to have been forgotten is not only the Italians’ deep attachment to the glamour of motorised transportation, but also their impatience and bravado in their use of space on the roads. The bikes sit, unused.

Saint Lucy is the martyr and patron saint of Syracuse, but it is only a small, unassuming church that houses Caravaggio’s Burial of Saint Lucy (1608). Created over three weeks while the painter was passing through on the run from his recent expulsion from the Knights of Malta, the dark scene is the altarpiece of the brilliantly white structure that houses it. The gravediggers, rather than the saint, dominate the canvas mid-action, and the reflected daylight of the church only serves to further obscure the huddled mourners in the background.

Several solemn, detailed faces the only visible detail, the cinematic immediacy (it’s an anachronism, I know) of the painting manages to cut through the crass remodelled Baroque of its surroundings.

Johnson’s Awakening, Caravaggio’s Saint Lucy, and one of the full free bike stations all sat within 20 metres of each other. Putting differences of medium aside, I find it interesting that each seem to fit into certain avenues of contemporary art, while each presenting a different method of interaction or engagement with its context. Caravaggio’s is, not surprisingly, in the more traditional role of a static image on the wall, drawing from local history, and most likely local personages in the faces depicted alongside his own in the painting’s crowd. Johnson’s large-scale public sculpture is a set of arms, legs, and face that appear to emerge from the ground, his attempt at mythical scale also playing dress-up as a site-specific gesture. For me, the bikes could easily read as expanded public sculpture à la relational aesthetics, not a far cry from Carsten Höller’s slides, with the ever-relevant question hanging over it, “Sure, it’s interesting that it’s there, but who’s going to use it?”

The Lucy painting stands out as the most open-spirited and inclusive of the three, not least because it draws from its surroundings rather than impose a structure or generalised solution upon them.

It’s food for thought that the artwork that had the greatest emotional impact around the G8 summit was a painting 400 years old. And, we could point out pedantically, Caravaggio’s carbon footprint for Lucy was probably a good deal more shallow than Schult’s recycled monstrosities. Of course, in one sense, in anticipating the eternal afterlife the church has already got its eye on the long view.

Rather than large-scale, short term bursts—as the art world is wont to do—perhaps the most appropriate gesture is to think far into the future, along the lines of Brian Eno’s Long Now Foundation (www.longnow.org); or, perhaps the most appropriate gesture is no gesture at all.

Manchester. Over a four hour duration, as the press released explained, The Fall featured Coogan “falling / jumping / leaping / flying on to a mound of mattresses, referencing Yves Klein’s Leap into the Void (1960)” The previous show at the Kevin Kavanagh gallery was

‘Sinéad Ní

Mhaonaigh – Paintings’.

(2 – 25 July

2009) www.kevinkavanaghgallery.ie

Alex Conway – performance from Would for the Twee

Would for the Twee performance artist Alex

Richard Gorman

Brian Duggan Step inside now step inside (installation view)

Conway’s installation at The Black Mariah, Cork (12 June – 4 July) incorporated works created over the last three years by the artist. The press release noted Conway’s interest in “capturing and utilizing what resonates from temporal oppositions or confrontations

between

observer,

performer, and object and the spaces or situations which they cohabit”. www.mariahtheblack.blogspot.com

Brian Duggan Step inside now step inside (detail)

Experience Essential

Brian Duggan’s installation Step inside now

Richard Gorman – work from 'Shuffle'.

step inside is currently on show at Dublin

Highlanes Gallery, Drogheda, is showing ‘Shuffle’, an exhibition of new paintings

by Richard Gorman at (3 July – 22 Sept).

Gorman says of the work “the paintings I am making at the moment explore the Economic Thought Facility performing at 'Apply Within: Experience Essential', Ard Bia, Galway.

‘Apply Within: Experience Essential’ curated by Jennie Guy, was a series of semiimprovised

temporal

interventions

executed within the context of an Ard Bia / Nimmo’s restaurant, Galway (13 - 19 July). The participating artists were Sven Anderson,

interrelationships with overlapping flat shapes and in turn those relationships with the edge of the picture plane”.

‘Shuffle’ will also be presented at the Millennium Court Arts Centre in October and the Ashford Gallery (at the RHA), Dublin in March 2010.

economicthoughtprojects,

City Gallery The Hugh Lane, as part of ‘The Golden Bough’ series of exhibitions (13 June – 13 September). Curated by Michael Dempsey this series of shows has been devised as “an underlying support structure for showcasing innovative new art practices”.

Duggan’s work is described in the gallery notes as “experimenting with sound, sculpture and light in the gallery; juxtaposing risky adventure with belief and the uncertain expectation of that which is unlikely can be made possible”. www.hughlane.ie

www.highlanes.ie

Jennie Guy, Sarah Hurl, Áine Ivers, Bea McMahon, Isabel Nolan and Susan

IT’S ABOUT TIME

Mark McGreevy

Thomson. www.jennieguy.com www.ardbia.com

OFFCENTRE

Work by Hank Willis Thomas from 'It's about Time'

‘It’s About Time’, Hank Willis Thomas’s

Mark McGreevy

Higher Bridges Gallery, Enniskillen, Fermanagh presented an exhibition of large-scale landscape painting by Mark McGreevy (31 July – 26 August). The press release noted that McGreevy’s work “falls into a hybrid form of painting containing real, imagined, abstracted energetic

first solo exhibition in Europe was shown at 126, Galway (15 July – 15 August). As the press release noted the works in the show ranged from “vinyl and cardboard cut-outs to video and manipulated photobased works … together they trace AfricanAmerican history through visual culture in an attempt to dissect, reinterpret, and

compositions from a collected archive of

re-imagine iconic moments from the

personal and found imagery drawn from

‘black past’ and to investigate the

Curated by London based Tamar Arnon

personal experiences, the media and the

complexity of race in the United States in

and Dublin based Helen Carey, ‘Offcentre’

everyday”.

the 21st century”.

Yuko Naso – work from 'Offcentre'

at the Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, Dublin (30

Previous shows at the gallery included

Previously on show at 126 was Kelly

July – 29 August) brought together works

‘Time’s Window’ a collaboration between

Richardson’s show ‘Twilight Avenger’ (7 –

by George Young, Yuko Nasu and Nevan

Qatar based US artist Kathleen Ferguson-

12 July).

Lahart. The curators described the show as

Huntington and poet Patty Paine Gibbons

126 is a voluntarily run, artist led

“fragile yet strong and bold ... this

(3 July – 29 July); along with Nuala Clarke’s

initiative now three years old and has

exhibition examines how three separate

show ‘What’s the Matter?’ (5 June – 1

developed a reputation as an organisation,

oeuvres work in a space to suggest

July).

which

stretched tensions and boundaries both spatially and conceptually”.

On 25 July the gallery hosted Amanda

www.fermanagh.gov.uk

supports

traditionally

unrepresented artistic projects. www.126.ie

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

September – October 2009

5

Roundup Prospect Obtained

emotional and physical effects of economic

Dawning of an Aspect

change, consumerism, and architecture in relation to function and human activity within commercial environments.”

Also showing at Four was ‘Plant Dreaming Deep’, an exhibition by Sara Barker (8 August – 1 Sept). The exhibition was described as a “precarious sculptural grouping in the gallery, pushing material

Work by Andrew Blackwell and Joe Beattie.

to a point of fragility and slightness of form.”

The Arts & Disability Forum Gallery,

www.fourdublin.com

Belfast presented ‘Prospect Obtained’ a two-person show featuring work by

Reading Room

Andrew Blackwell and Joe Beattie (25 June – 25 July). The works in the exhibition were described as seeking “to illustrate

Sonia Sheel Do you think anyone will come?

dimensions of the landscape as a procedure to recall and transmit … nature informs the

‘Dawning of an Aspect’ At the Green On

work and creates a visual transporter for

Red, Dublin was a group show featuring

imagination and reflection”.

painting and sculpture by Niall De Buitléar, www.adf.ie

Damien Flood, Laura Lancaster, and Sonia Shiel (9 July – 15 August). The press

the stars look very different ...

release outlined the themes of the show in terms of “the twofold nature of our perception” and explored ideas “taken from both Wittgenstein’s and Wollheim’s philosophical writings on the fundamental distinction between our perception and plain seeing.” www.greenonredgallery.com

'Reading Room' installation view, Sligo Art Gallery.

Sligo Art Gallery recently showed ‘Reading

Eoin Mc Hugh at the Kerlin

Room’ an exhibition of artists’ books, organised by Floating World. (11 June – 17

Gillian FitzPatrick 'And the stars look very different today'

July). As the press release noted “the of

curators explore the three interconnecting

installation, sculpture and video works,

issues of gallery, audience and display …

entitled ‘And the stars look very different

whilst art objects in museums and galleries

today’ was presented on the evening of 29

are generally not for touching, by their

July at Unit H, The Market Studios, Dublin.

very nature, an artists’ book, whether it be

The exhibition was devised to mark the

a unique object or a multiple, asks to be

Gillian

Fitzpatrick’s

exhibition

40th anniversary of the first moon landing in 1969. The press release described how

handled. Without this interaction it is a

Eoin McHugh Reconstruction. Watercolour. 2009

mute and inanimate object”.

“using waste packaging and found objects,

The Kerlin Gallery, Dublin recently

Fitzpatrick creates the appearance of

presented ‘All cognition is recollection’ the

futuristic space age technology thus

gallery’s first solo showing of work by Eoin

highlighting the 21st century concern for

Mc Hugh (24 July – 5 Sept). The press

recycling in contrast to the ideal of the

release described McHugh’s work in terms

new, at the height of space exploration in

of “working predominantly in watercolour

the 60s”.

on found or old paper, he conceives http://themarketstudios.wordpress.com

www.sligoartgallery.com www.floatingworldbooks.com

Small World

enigmatic, representational vignettes that quietly compel the viewer to question the

Remote Control

image presented. More recently his oil paintings demonstrate an affinity with the Dutch Masters of the 17th century”. from the work.

Jill McKeown 'Small World'. Installation view MCAC. www.kerlin.ie

Jill McKeown’s exhibition ‘Small World’ at

On at Four

the Millennium Court Arts Centre, Portadown, (2 July – 15 August) was the outcome of the artists residency at the venue. The show featured a series of prints and artists books, which as the press release noted examined “the relationship between

David Beatie Fog after rain seeding, Nevada.

memory, the passing of time and associations with place”.

The Butler Gallery, Kilkenny presented ‘Remote Control’, a solo exhibition of sculpture and installation by David Beattie

www.millenniumcourt.org Fiona Marron For who knows what (still)

(20 June – 26 July). The press release

Four, Dublin presented For who knows what,

explained that Beattie “researches and

a

investigates the physicality of space,

installation by 2009 DIT graduate Fiona

substance and time through the use of

Marron (8 August – 1 Sept). The show was

elementary physics and lo-fi aesthetics,

presented as part of Launch 09, an initiative

and highlights how the language of science

now in its fourth year that supports

has evolved by way of our attempts to

emerging Irish artists at an early stage of

understand human existence.”

their professional practice. The press

www.butlergallery.com

three-part

single

channel

video

release stated that the work explored “the

Browne and Bri Brown & Bri is a new curatorial initiative who describe their focus as “collaboration and development of new work – there are four strands to the work we do: 1) Exhibitions and Related Events; 2) Support and Advocacy for local arts professionals; 3) Resource Base; 4) Intern Programme”.

Two of their recent projects include shows at the Third Space and Place architecture

ColumN

Michael Burke PRSI'ed Off

When I left college and set-up a studio, I was advised to register for VAT. Back then, VAT on most things was 35% (that’s not a typo!) and on fixtures and fittings it was 5%. It was a no-brainer, VAT on my studio rental, materials and almost everything I bought was 35% – whilst I was required to charge only 5% on almost all of my work. I made my VAT returns bi-monthly and I usually got money from back from Revenue. I occasionally let things slip, but for the most part I kept my VAT returns up-to-date.

The other piece of no-brainer advice I got when setting up my studio, was to apply for the Artist’s Income Tax Exemption. It is a condition of the Artists Income Tax Exemption that you complete an Income Tax Return each year.

While the annual VAT return is time consuming, it is straightforward. The tax return I find far more petty and painful – but it must be done.

The other interaction ‘Tax Exempt’ artists have with Revenue pertains to PRSI. It feels like a tax, but we are assured that it is – more-or-less – a pension scheme. Pretty much everyone in the country pays it. If you are paying PAYE, your PRSI is deducted at source and your employer also makes a considerable contribution to the states coffers in your name. If you are a self-employed, a plumber, a window cleaner or an artist, you make Class-S contribution – usually about 3% of your total income.

The amounts of money involved and the erratic nature of artist’s income mean it is too much hassle for Revenue to collect PRSI from self-employed artists.

Instead, the Department of Social & Family Affairs, to which PRSI contributions ultimately go, is the collection agent for artists’ PRSI. If an artist works on an exhibition or a commission for a number of years, happily spending money on the necessary services, equipment and materials – with little or no income, registering a loss on the Annual Income Tax Return and therefore paying no PRSI – you are up-to-date and everyone is happy. When the commission is finalised and installed and you have submitted your Tax Clearance Certificate or when all the work in the exhibition has sold and you get paid a shed-load of money, Revenue then wants 3%, on the basis of it being one year’s income. Revenue does not want to know about it being your reward for three or four years work.

So What? If you have gaps in your PRSI contributions – too many years when you have insufficient income – you will be denied a Contributory Old Aged Pension when the time comes (1). I can cope with the notion that I am denied the safety net of ‘Job Seekers Allowance’; I am annoyed that I am denied dental and optical benefit, but I am seriously ‘PRSI’ed off’ that they will continue taking 3% from me knowing that they will later deny me the Contributory Old Aged Pension (2). Financial institutions, which sell inappropriate products to people, have to answer to the Financial Ombudsman – Revenue can do as they like.

While I have kept up-to-date with my VAT and Tax returns, I have been very lax with PRSI contributions. So I recently contacted the relevant section in the Department of Social & Family Affairs in order to remedy this situation. Once I eventually got talking with an individual in the appropriate section, I gave them my PPS Number and I was asked to confirm my address. It turned out that they had neither my current or previous address on file – the address they did have was 20 years out of date. I was also informed that according to their records I hadn’t made a tax return since 1994! I politely pointed out that their records were inaccurate – my tax returns were so up-to-date that I had already submitted returns, which were not officially due until the end of October. The best defence they could offer was that Revenue don’t keep them up-to-date. I pointed out that I had communicated directly with them in the intervening period – so it wasn’t down to Revenue.

My contact details were updated and I was informed that they would contact Revenue to see for which years, and for how much I was liable. Some weeks later I got notice, that in respect of five specific years they were looking for more than €7,000. Their figures for three of the five years were grossly inflated and did not concur with the figures I had in my accounts.

When I was last in contact with what was then called the Social Welfare Services Office, I had been advised to make PRSI payments at least every three years. I was further advised that if I was working on a long-term project, that I could make an advance payment, which could be deducted from the subsequent year. I’ve since been advised that this is not permitted.

They want over €7,000 and I’ve been blatantly told that I’ll get nothing for it – now do you see why I am so totally PRSI’ed off!

What do I want done? I want Revenue to acknowledge that artists often work for a number of years on commissions or exhibitions; and that the resulting income can come much later. I don’t mind what they call it – income averaging or income smoothing.

This may impact on only limited number of visual artists – those who have no other income. But overall, the number of individuals is significant as it also impacts artists across cultural disciplines, eg. writers, composers, poets and so on. So I want to see a common approach to this common difficulty – this common injustice.

1. This issue has also recently been covered in the Sunday Times. John Burns. Artists told they can draw anything except the dole. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/ireland/article6719247.ece 2. Most of you reading this are probably okay. If you are a self-employed artist who also works full or parttime in a PAYE job – eg. two days a week in a gallery or a few hours a day teaching – you are covered. You get all the benefits and will qualify for a Contributory Old Age Pension on the basis of your PAYE job. But if like me you are a full-time professional artist with no other form of income, you are probably, like me, SCREWED!

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

6

September – October 2009

Roundup gallery in Belfast.

Other recent shows included Sarah

‘In Over Head, Butterfly in Tummy’

Wilson’s ‘Don’t You Know Everything Is

at the Third Space was an exhibition of

Alright’ (28 May – 12 June) and Jennifer

painting, installation and performance

Coady’s ‘Enter flora’ (9 – 31 July).

by Donough Mc Namara (4 – 27 August).

Wilson’s exhibition of paintings explored

The press release noted that Mc Namara

the concept of rebirth; while Coady

will be “isolated in creating a ceiling

described her work as dealing with “the

painting in the gallery”. The exhibition

vulnerability of the body – exploring the

was guest curated by Brown and Bri.

process of healing as the body attempts

At the Place Architecture Gallery, Brown and Bri curated ‘Place’s Garden’, a

Roberts (22 – 25 July).

www.westcorkartscentre.com www.theresananigian.com

ON AT SIGNAL

www.bookcubegallery.com

Scribble Box

Promotional poster for 'Givva he a sandfella last day wild'

‘Givva he a sandfella last day wild’ was an exhibition at Project Space, The

Goldfinch

Market Studios, Dublin featuring Deysed collective and other artists (3 July – 5 July). The event took place over three days and consisted of three consecutively run exhibitions. The project drew inspiration from the sci-fi novel and film Logan’s Run examining issues of freedom, subversion, society and conspiracy.

Isabela Basombrio-Hoban 'Goldfinch' at PS

‘Goldfinch’ was shown at PS2 Belfast (25 June

http://themarketstudios.wordpress.com

'Scribblebox' promotional poster.

Isabela Basombrio-Hoban’s installation – 12 July). The press release

described the work as “a dreamlike but also critical installation; a small museum of gold, where social and economic realities both in Peru and Ireland are transformed through alchemy … the artist uses the space for a large scale collage and assemblage, complex and interwoven with narrative connections and sculptural expansion”. www.pssquared.org

Childhood Space

contemporary Irish life”.

deteriorates from disease.”

brownandbri@gmail.com

2

provides the backdrop for allegories of

to gain control while it slowly

showing of newly commissioned work from Aisling O’Beirn and Catherine

last day wild

Bombhouse Gallery/Studios presented ‘Scribble Box’ (2 – 16 July). The press

Saskia Vermeulen – work from 'Fictitious Interudes'

Signal Arts Centre, Bray recently showed ‘Shades Of Introspection’ an Exhibition 30 August). The press release noted that the works were “inspired by such ordinary activities as walking the streets of Paris, spending time in a café or simply watching people … Calleja’s work is intuitive, expressing his emotional,

At West Cork Arts Centre

impressionistic

response

to

his

surroundings”.

release described the exhibition as

Previously on show was ‘Fictitious

stemming from the “visuals conjured up

Interludes’, an exhibition of video and

by the clues of a cryptic crossword,

photographic

attempted in the midst of a creative lull

works

by

www.signalartscentre.ie

was asked to respond with work that was square and wall mountable.” The

The Ivy House, Dublin is currently showing ‘Childhood Space’ an exhibition of new paintings by Gib (27 July – 2 November). As the press release notes, this show “marks the 40th anniversary of man’s first landing on the moon – these paintings are a way of commemorating that incredible event and a celebration of a child’s imagination and a sense of wonder”. http://www.theivyhouse.ie/the-arts/art-exhibitions/

Saskia

Vermeulen (5 – 16 August).

… each artist received a cryptic clue and

Gib – work from 'Childhood in Space'

of Drawings by Christophe Calleja (18 –

Escapade

everything must change

featured artists were Phillip Dunne, Brian Gallagher, Sean Breithaupt, Ella Burke, Debbie Cheevers and Peter Theresa Nanigian, Wild Garlic, 2008

Fitzgerald. www.bombhouse.ie

Elegies

Linda Hunt Vanessa Daws – work from 'Escapade'

The Courthouse Gallery, Ennistymon, Clare presented ‘Escapade’, an exhibition of painting, sculpture, drawing and animation by Vanessa Daws (15 July – 7 August). The press release described

Work from 'West Cork Artists 2009'

Linda Hunt – work from 'Natural Rhythms'

West Cork Arts Centre recently showed

Daws’ Jacinta Lynch Water Spirit (video still)

Eoin MacLochlain - work from 'Elegies'

Eoin Mac Lochlainn’s exhibition ‘Elegies’ was shown in the cells of Crumlin Road Gaol, Belfast (25 August – 5 Sept). The press release noted Mac Lochlainn’s interest in using “the personal stories that lie behind media images of victims of conflict as the subject of his painting … the work explores how photography and painting differ and compete as modes of representation.”

urbanism – highlighting the beauty,

Voices Cecily Brennan’s exhibition ‘Voices’ at Ballymun Civic Centre (10 July – 28 August) presented works exploring five unique life stories and images resulting from her commission with Breaking Ground. Comprising of photographs and an accompanying audio guide, the works are based on interviews, that as the press release notes “demonstrate each individuals capacity to love and to

difficulties,

survive hardship”.

Edel O’Reilly’s solo show ‘Beauty and Banality’ at the Bookcube Gallery, Dublin (6 – 28 August) presented a new body of work devised for three interlinked exhibitions taking place in Portlaoise, Dublin and Cork. As the press release noted “The concept of this project is to document, investigate and process the perpetual and ephemeral qualities of

inertia”.

nuances,

growth

and

www.breakingground.ie www.cecilybrennan.com

into.”

artists living and working in West Cork (27 July – 24 August). The show, which

Experience, Strength & Hope

was presented in association with

‘Experience, Strength & Hope’ an

Skibbereen Arts Festival included works

exhibition featuring work by Brian

by David Bickley, Fin Costello, Kevin

Maguire, Michael McLoughlin and the

Kevin Mooney Twister. Oil on Canvas.

was shown at Draíocht, Dublin (3 Jul – 3

‘Nothing stays the same everything must

Oct). As the press release explained “Over

change’ at The Talbot Gallery, Dublin

the last two years Brian Maguire and

featured work by Michelle Considine,

Michael McLoughlin have facilitated

Hiroto

Halpin,

weekly workshops in Ashleigh House,

Jacintha Hughes, Maggie Madden, Kevin

Coolmine. Both artists and a core group

Nanigian’s ‘two souls in one breast’, (12

Mooney and Emma Roche (10 – 31 July).

of 10 female participants collaborated

June – 18 July) comprised a series of

Curators Roisìn Russell and Lourdes Viso

large scale photographic works and

described their concept behind the show

artist’s book. The press release noted that

as “the fact that we live in an ever-

“This work was conducted during a

changing world and that change is

critical juncture in Ireland’s recent

unavoidable – this leads us to question

history – with the Celtic Tiger on the

how the different sectors, organisations

wane and the recession beginning to

and individuals must respond to this

pick up steam”. Using the village of

rapidly and unpredictably changing

Enniskerry in Wicklow, but echoing any

climate to survive”.

Farnell, Sheila Hooks, John Kingerlee, Tess Leak, Brian Lalor, Axel Miret, Nealie Sullivan, Nell Kruger, Wendy Dison, Finola Cooney, Gert Van Maanen.

The preceding show, Theresa

Bookcube Gallery

and

can manipulate, manoeuvre or peer

photographs, prints and sculpture by

Tim Goulding, Cormac Boydell, Terry

“interactive

discover aspects of the work that they

exhibition of paintings, drawings,

Cadogan, Sinead Fagan, Marie Cullen,

as

“inspired by art where the viewer can

‘West Cork Artists 2009’ a group Linda Hunt, showed new collograph and dry point prints in ‘Natural Rhythms’, her solo exhibition at the Linenhall Arts Centre, Castlebar (3 July –1 August). As the artist stated in the press release “process is an important element in making the work and it is one of continuous discovery and communication with the medium … the resultant work observes the formal elements of visual rhetoric and reflects my personal connection to my immediate environment”.

work

participatory” and notes that she is

beautiful rural landscape in Ireland, the artist has created a series of large-scale photographs where the landscape

Hakamada,

Claire

www.talbotgallery.com

through experience to create the resulting body of work. The exhibition aims to explore this body of both audio and visual work through a variety a mediums”. www.draiocht.ie

From the Water Sirius Arts Centre, Cobh presented ‘From the Water’, an exhibition of paintings by Eithne Twomey (6 June – 12 July). The works, based on photographs of Cork

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

7

September – October 2009

ROUNDUP Harbour, Cobh and Creekside in

003D

metaphorical, that opens up an

visual art practice is explored by artists

Ciaran Murphy, Corban Walker, Isabel

Deptford, London, were described by the

‘003D’ at Galway Arts Centre, Galway

opportunity for seeing the architecture

using a diverse range of media (painting,

Nolan, Jo Anne Butler, Kevin Atherton

artist as reflecting “a journey through

(22

– 27 June) showcased the

and history anew in what for us has

drawing, text, film sculpture, image and

and Mick Wilson.

paint of images of a landscape I grew up

collaboration between Galway based

become otherwise familiar. A possibility

sound). Together, the works form a

in and still have a hankering for”.

artists collective Expanded Draught and

opens for thinking about the relationship

repository of fictions, recollections and

‘I Spy’

masters students from Louisiana State

between history and actuality.”

recreations.

and

Duncan Ross and Miguel Martin

imagination are central to how the

presented ‘I Spy’, an exhibition of

narratives are related and configured,

animation and sculpture at the Project

but the transformation occurs in how

Space, Golden Thread Gallery, Belfast (2

(and to whom) the tales are told”.

July – 19 July). The press release described

http://www.iol.ie/~cobharts/

University. Working in pairs the artists Artist’s Proof

Remembrance

www.kilkennyarts.ie

in the show examined “the concept of

Different Things

people and ideas being placed and

‘Different

displaced in and out of contexts and

International Contemporary Art from

environments”. The participating artists

the IMMA Collection’ was shown at

were Lindsey Maestri, (Arkansas) and

Artlink Gallery, Buncrana, Co Donegal (4

Joanne Dolan, (Galway) Cody Arnall,

July – 2 August). The exhibition included

(Oklahoma) and Colin O Brien, (Dublin)

work by Carlos Amorales, Tom Molloy,

Kit French, (Virginia) and Dave Callan,

Garrett Phelan, Michael Craig-Martin,

Previously on show was Deirdre

(Dundalk) Tyler Mackie, (Oregon) and

Franz Ackermann and Fred Tomaselli.

McKenna’s ‘This Might Work!’ (4 June –

Breege Hynes, (Galway) David Carpenter,

Dúscáthán-Dún an Rí: On the Lake of

21 June).

(Arkansas), Alwyn Revill, (Dublin)

Shadows, a film work made by local

Allison Regan, (Galway).

primary school children in response to

Gráine Cuffe - work from 'Artist's Proof'

www.galwayartscentre.ie

Things:

A

Flavour

of

www.templebargallery.com

the show as an “invitation to watch the watcher, observe those observing us and glimpse into alternative visions and

At Monster Truck

versions of our lives.”

www.goldenthreadgallery.co.uk

the exhibition was shown alongside

Solas

these works. The exhibition marked the

Naas General Hospital, Naas is showing

‘Artist’s Proof’ at Wexford Arts Centre

Glendarragh 10 Years On

first collaboration between IMMA’s

‘Solas’, an exhibition of artworks curated

(23 June – 2 Sept) presented 24 specially

‘Glendarragh 10 Years On’ Mermaid Arts

National Programme and Donegal’s

by Sally Timmons and selected by staff

commissioned printworks by members

Centre, Bray (8 Aug – 12 Sept) celebrated

Artlink.

at Naas General Hospital from the

of the Graphic Studio, Dublin along with invited

international

artists.

The

participating artists were: Norman Ackroyd RA (UK), Christopher le Brun RA (UK), Arno Kramer (Netherlands), Elaine Leader (Ireland), David Lilburn (Ireland), Mary Modeen (USA), Lars Nyberg (Sweden),Barbara Rae (UK), Hayashi Takahiko (Japan), and Graphic

the 10-year anniversary of Glendarragh

Niamh Flanagan, Desmond Kenny, Brian Lalor, Jennifer Lane, Stephen Lawlor, Sharon Lee, James McCreary, Niall Naessens, Ruth O’Donnell, Tom Phelan, Robert Russell and Katherine Van Uytrecht. www.wexfordartscentre.ie

will include works by the current artists in residence – Chiara Browne, Dara Clear, Jean Clyne, Fiona Coffey, Riain Darcy, Fergal Flanagan, Fiona Flinn, Michael Gemmell, Cathy Henderson, Joanna Kidney and Yanny Petters.

a painting installation by Louise Neiland (27 June – 18 July). The gallery notes described Neiland’s practice as being “engaged with the challenge of depicting

‘Ealaíon At Lunasa’ was an exhibition of painting, print, sculpture, drawing and video works by Galway based artists presented across three venues – Galway Arts Centre, Galway University Hospital and Galway City Museum (30 July – 29

Declan Holloway, Seán Ó Flaithearta and Joan Hogan and also emerging artists Maravillas Cunningham

Sola

Lopez,

and

Jennifer

Eimear

Jean

McCormack. www.galwayartscentre.ie

John Byrne: Documentation

.

‘Misneach: A monumental celebration

Nuala O’Sullivan

of youth’ at Axis Arts Centre, Ballymun, Dublin (11 June – 26 June) was an exhibition of documentary photography relating to the creation of John Byrne’s Breaking Ground commission. Byrne’s commission, an equestrian sculpture, references

classical

equestrian

monuments, but subverts the tradition by placing the figure of a teenage girl as the rider of the horse. The sculpture is due to be unveiled in autumn 2009. www.breakingground.ie Nuala O'Sullivan – work from 'All Fall Down' (detail)

Black Church Print Studio, Dublin awards third level arts students the display cabinet located beside the programme, which run 23 July – 16 September, will feature pieces by two NCAD students – Clare Breen and Thomas Lawton; and work by IADT

of mixed media and painting by Limerick artist Nuala O’Sullivan (16 July – 6 August). The press release described the exhibition as “relating to identity and self-image

through

painting

and

photography”. www.limerickprintmakers.com

encompass over one hundred artworks

The Multiples Cabinet at Monster Truck.

including contemporary works in new Recent shows at Monster Truck, Dublin Undergraduates’ (16 – 27 July) an exhibition featuring NCAD, DIT, and IADT students. The show included the work of Ella Bertilsson, Cormac Browne, Cristina Bunello, AJ Doyle, Helen Horgan,

student Lynda Reynolds.

Behind Smoke & Mirrors

‘Multiples Cabinet Series 1 - True + False’

Prior to this the space showed

‘Behind Smoke Mirrors’ an exhibition and residency project hosted by Limerick City Gallery, featured the work of Aideen Barry, Bernardine Carroll, Carl Giffney, Garvan Gallagher and Emma Wade. The residency ran 15 June – 10 July and the 17 July – 30 August. A seminar entitled July. The press release for the project explained that “the artist’s studio is thought of as a mythical place where creativity is inspired, closeted from the world. ‘Behind Smoke and Mirrors’ presents an alternate view, allowing you direct insight into the spaces where art is made and to the processes artists employ”.

Previously on show at the gallery was ‘A Place To Stay’ (12 June – 12 July) an exhibition of new paintings by Gillian Kenny exploring the subject of urban spaces

and

other

constructed

landscapes.

work of Claire Bonnie, Ian-John

■■ To have your exhibition or

Coughlan, Gemma Geraghty, Damian

event considered for inclusion

Magee, Jenny Moran, Jane O’Sullivan,

in the round-up section, simply

Alex Pearl, Sheila Rennick, Gail Ritchie,

e-mail text and images to the

and Leda Scully. This was the first event

editor (jason@visualartists.ie).

in a monthly series, specially created low price artists editions.

■■ Your text details / press release

should include: venue name,

GAZAPARADISO

location, dates and a brief

The Black Mariah, Cork presented

description of the work / event.

‘GAZAPARADISO’ a showing of work by

Note that ‘hard-copy’ cannot be

Limerick based artist Tom Fitzgerald (11

accepted due to the volume of

July – 8 August). Curated by Sean Lynch,

material that needs to be

the exhibition includes new and recent

collated for this section of the

publication. Inclusion is not

guaranteed, but we aim to give

everyone a fair chance.

www.monstertruck.ie

work by Fitzgerald, which juxtaposed Sandro Botticelli’s illustrations for Dante’s

Paradiso

(1490-5)

with

journalistic accounts of 2009 bombings of

Gaza

by

Israel.

FitzGeralad,

commenting on the show noted “the installation is an attempt to highlight the disparity between man’s aspirations and the reality of his actions”. www.mariahtheblack.blogspot.com

www.limerickcitygallery.ie

exhibition, entitled ‘Interludiun’ at Newman House, Dublin (5 – 28 August 2009). Curated by Michael Dempsey Shanahan’s works were displayed through out the 18th century building.

Commenting on the show, Dempsey noted “the installation operates in a series of parallels, both direct and

Compendium Temple Bar Gallery and Studios, Dublin (31 July – 12 Sept) is currently showing ‘Compendium’, a group show of new and recent work by Colin Crotty, Dan Hays, Anne Kelly, Dennis McNulty, Padraic E. Moore, The Otolith Group and Peter Saville. The gallery notes outlined “the place of narrative in contemporary

Get into The Roundup

(July) a fundraising show featuring the

Work by painter Sean Shanahan was recently installed in a special site-specific

media and technologies.

have included ‘NEU! – New Emerging

Sam Keogh, Serena Teehan.

Sean Shanahan presented ‘All Fall Down’, an exhibition

and has since been developed to

a outdoor exhibition initiative of the

In Site: Residencies in Public was held 17

time through the use of still images.”

Limerick Printmakers Studio and Gallery

Collection was established in the 1970s

Now in its second year ‘Curiosity Cabinet’

resulting exhibition was on view from

the nebulous and intangible nature of www.thelab.ie

Kildare County Council’s Municipal

Curiosity Cabinet

entrance of the studio. This year’s Ealaíon At Lunasa

established artists such as Siobán Piercy,

The Lab, Dublin presented ‘366 Moons’,

Collection (July 2009 – January 2010).

opportunity to create work for a poster

www.mermaidartscentre.ie

August). The show included work by Louise Neiland, ‘366 Moons’

Kildare County Council Municipal Art

Studios, Co. Wicklow. The exhibition

Studio Dublin members included are: Gerard Cox, Gráinne Cuffe, Cliona Doyle,

www.artlink.ie www.imma.ie

Kilkenny Festival Kilkenny

Arts

Festival

presented

‘Something Else’ (7 – 16 August). Curator Aisling Prior described it as “an exhibition of Irish contemporary artists whose practice is not confined to a singular mode of expression, or concerned with a definitive point of view.” The show featured artists Gary Coyle, John Byrne,

■■ 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

September – October 2009

NEWS

News CLAREMORRIS OPEN 2009

LONDON 2012 COMMISSIONS

ACNI REVIEW 2008 – 2009

provides them with €20,000 to assist in

IMOCA GRADUATE RESIDENCY

On Friday 14 August 2009 the Arts

The Arts Council of Northern Ireland

the publication of a catalogue and to

In

announced the names of the artists

Council

in

has compiled and published its Annual

facilitate the production of new work for

Contemporary Art (IMOCA) announced

selected from over 200 submissions and

association with Arts Council England

Review 2008 – 09. The review of the year

an exhibition in the Limerick City

that Ella Burke is the recipient of the

proposals who have been selected to

and London 2012 announced the

in the arts in Northern Ireland is

Gallery of Art, Limerick.

2009 Graduate Residency Award. The

exhibit at this year’s Claremorris Open

shortlist for Artists Taking the Lead, a

published as a calendar style review of

Exhibition (5 – 26 September).

series of 12 major commissions being

the ACNI’s combined Exchequer and

awarded throughout the UK as part of

National Lottery-funded activities for

the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad.

the financial year 2008-2009. The

Claremorris

Arts

Committee

has

The Claremorris Open Exhibition has been taking place in Co. Mayo for

of

Northern

Ireland

over thirty years, and this year 37

The shortlisted projects for the

participants were selected from an open

Northern Ireland commission are The

call by Tom Morton, Curator at the

Nest by Brian Irvine / John McIlduff

Hayward Galleries Project Space and

(DUMB); Thaw by Rita Duffy; Inspire

co-curator of the next British Art Show.

Poetry 2012 by Verbal Arts Centre and

He has curated numerous international

Northern Ireland poets; The Big Deep

exhibitions and is also Contributing

Breath by Paul Hutchinson and Rural

Editor of Frieze magazine. As well as

Sports Exploration by Helen Sharp and

selecting the exhibiting artists for COE

the Northern Irish Contemporary Arts

2009 Morton will be curating the

Collective. Each shortlisted artist will

exhibition, selecting prizewinners and

receive a development grant of up to

presenting awards totalling €8,000 in

£2,000 to develop their proposals for

September.

presentation to the panel in late

The artists chosen to exhibit at COE 2009 are Olive Barrett, Cecilia Bullo, Peter Cabocky, Kieran Carey, Judy Carroll

September and the final commission will be announced in October 2009.

The panel for the commission

David

comprised of Paul Seawright (visual

Cochrane, Monica Collins, Loretto

artist), Damien Gorman (playwright),

Cooney, Colm Desmond, Lisa Fingleton,

Simon McWilliams (visual artist),

Karen Forde, Michael Fortune, Edel

Damien Smyth (Head of Drama &

Gelston, Steph Goodger, Fiona Hackett,

Literature, ACNI) and Cian Smyth

Marie

(London 2012 Creative Programmer for

Deeley,

Elizabeth

Hannon,

Cleary,

David

Kavanagh,

Laurence Kavanagh, Monika Laskowska,

Northern Ireland).

TBG&S NEW STUDIO AWARDS

Margo McNulty, Nicos Nicolaou, Sarah

Temple Bar Gallery & Studios has

O’Brien, Maureen O’Connor, David

welcomed 14 new artists to the

O’Kane, Magnhild Opdøl, Tom Ranahan,

organisation over the 2009-2010 period

Catherine Roberts, David Theobald,

as part of TBG&S’s annual awards for

Saskia Vermeullen, Ian Wieczorek and

three-year Membership Studios and

Ann Wingfield.

Project Studios of up to one year.

extensive

Three Membership Studios for a three-year period were awarded to artists

Following a period of reflection, examination

and

refurbishment, Riverbank Arts Centre in Newbridge, Co. Kildare has been re-launched under new management.

Along with the fresh energy and programme of visual arts events that accompanies the new staff team at Riverbank comes the commissioning of two new artworks for the foyer of Riverbank. The works, ‘My Butterfly Home’ by Sinead McGeeney, an installation of 100 Perspex butterflies

David Godbold, Seamus Nolan and Sarah Pierce. Project Studios offer artists the opportunity to work on a specific project for shorter timeframes of up to one year. In 2009, one-year Project Studios were allocated to nine artists including Declan Clarke, Colin Crotty, Cora Cummins, Anita Delaney, Damien Flood, Stephen Gunning, Atsushi Kaga

Moran entitled ‘Dream Series’ in the café space at the centre, have recently been installed.

The autumn visual arts programme at Riverbank Arts Centre began with ‘Experiments in the Persistence of Vision’, an exhibition of mixed media work including photography, projection and digital video by Kildare-based artist Oonagh O’Brien, which is on show until 30 September 2009. www.riverbank.ie

prize, who each received an award of €1,500, were Sinéad Ní Mhaonaigh (Sligo Art Gallery, Sligo), Sonia Shiel (Temple Bar Gallery & Studios, Dublin) and Louise Manifold (Galway Arts Centre, Galway).

DUNGARVAN PLAZA COMMISSION

KCAT (Kilkenny Collective for Arts

In July, Dungarvan Town Council, in

Talent) Art & Study Centre in Callan, Co.

association with Glanbia, has announced

Kilkenny, has celebrated its 10th

that the commission of a new artwork at

anniversary

of

the Plaza in Dungarvan, Co. Waterford

celebrations in August coinciding with

has been awarded to sculptor Patrick

the launch of the 2009 Kilkenny Arts

Barry.

with

a

weekend

Festival.

KCAT Art & Study Centre was established in 1999 after a pilot phase under the EU Horizon Programme as an open access Arts and Life Long Learning initiative promoted by the Camphill Communities. Over the years KCAT has built a new centre that delivers full and part time art and theatre courses and a studio

programme

that

provides

workspace to artists with learning

KCAT is strongly involved in the arts community

both

locally

and

internationally, with links to similar projects in Europe, Japan and Australia To mark the 10th anniversary of KCAT, Kilkenny Collective for Arts Talent hosted ‘K-Ten’, an evening of music and fireworks at the Abbey Meadow in Callan on Saturday 8 August 2009, where they also launched ‘Art & Inclusion - The Story of KCAT’, a research project exploring the relevance of inclusive arts practice and arts education as part of lifelong learning. ‘Decade’, an exhibition of work by studio members, ran at KCAT as part of the celebrations from 8 to 16 August 2009. www.kcatkcat.blogspot.com

A national competition managed

by Waterford County Arts Office was launched earlier in the year to select an appropriate work for the area on the approach to Dungarvan Shopping Centre which is on the site of a former creamery. The four shortlisted proposals House Arts Centre in Dungarvan during April and May 2009 and the public were invited to give their comments.

Patrick Barry, a sculptor from Belgooly, Co. Cork, was awarded the commission for his figurative limestone piece entitled Daily Balance. The work depicts a man with a churn and its selection has been welcomed by Dungarvan Town Council representative Cllr. Teresa Wright and Liam Herlihy, Chairman of Glanbia. It is envisaged that the commissioned piece will be installed before the end of 2009.

3-YEAR KILDARE ARTS STRATEGY Kildare

County

Council

recently

launched three significant three-year arts policy and strategy documents in Áras Chill Dara, Naas, Co. Kildare. The documents are intended as companion documents to Making Inroads: An Arts Development Plan 2006­­ – 2011. Cllr.

Colm Purcell, Mayor of Co. Kildare,

2009 AIB PRIZE

formally launched the documents with

to artists Niall de Buitlear, Seoidin

At a reception at AIB Bankcentre in

Lucina Russell, Arts Officer for Kildare

O’Sullivan and Holly Pereira.

Dublin on 3 June 2009, AIB’s Group

County Council, acting as MC at the

Chief

launch event.

NEW BURSARY AWARD DEADLINE The Arts Council has announced that the deadline for the next round of Bursary awards has been extended.

Originally set for 5 November 2009, the new deadline is 21 January 2010. The Arts Council has advised that revised application forms and guidelines will be available in the near future.

The Arts Council’s Bursary Award is focused on individual artists and the primary purpose of the Bursary Award is to support professional artists in developing their art. It aims to provide artists with the time, resources and freedom to think, research, reflect and develop their practice. www.artscouncil.ie

Executive,

Eugene

Sheehy,

Irish

Museum

of

four other artists shortlisted for the 2009 award were Niamh Ferris, Lyndsey McDougall, Jason Deans and Siobhan McGibbon.

The IMOCA Graduate Residency Award, now in its 2nd year, includes a one-year work studio residency at Moxie facilitated and sponsored by IMOCA in 2010. Entry for the award was open to art

students

graduating

with

undergraduate and postgraduate degrees from art courses in both the Republic of Ireland

and

Northern

Ireland.

Ella Burke graduated in 2009 with a BA in Visual Arts Practice from IADT. Her practice is centred on the investigation of the human decisive system and theories on causality through the inflation of public and personal space, and she is also a member of Deysed collaborative group. www.ellaburke.blogspot.com www.imoca.ie/residency.html

went on public view in the Old Market

Studios for shorter periods were awarded

www.templebargallery.com

the

Studios in Dublin 8 and a solo exhibition

KCAT’S 10th ANNIVERSARY

and Fiona McDonald, and three Project

fluttering from the front door to the rear stairwell, and a series of prints by Niamh

www.artscouncil-ni.org/departs/all/report/annual/ acni_annualreview2008_2009.pdf

well as professional arts practitioners.

Lynott, Selma Makela, Laura McMorrow,

RIVERBANK RE-LAUNCH

as a PDF from:

disabilities and other disadvantages as

Chris Leach, Mara Sola López, Gus

www.coearts.org

Annual Review is available to download

The three runners-up for this year’s

July

PUBLICART.IE SITE GOES LIVE In early July the new PublicArt.ie website went live with a special online artwork, ‘Dreamships’, by artist Aideen Barry, commissioned by the editors of the site to celebrate the launch. An initiative of the Arts Council, supported by the Department of Arts, Sports and Tourism, PublicArt.ie is an online resource for and about public art practices in Ireland. It aims to be a useful resource for artists, commissioners,

government

departments and agencies, and the public.

PublicArt.ie hosts a number of resources including a Public Art Directory, information and advice on public art commissioning and funding, a ‘Critical Contexts’ section, and a blog.

The ‘Experiences’ section features conversations with artists about their involvement in various public art projects, as well as texts by Alan Phelan, Annette Moloney, Ian Wilson, Ruairí Ó Cuív and Aisling Prior. Other features include a library resource of further reading and an artist books section that

announced that Anne Cleary and Denis

The three documents include The

Connolly are this year’s winner of the

Arts in Health Strategy, written by Nicola

AIB Prize. Cleary & Connolly were

Dunne, Arts in Health Specialist; The

nominated by Limerick City Gallery of

Public Art Policy prepared by Rina

Art for the prize, which aims to identify

Whyte, Public Art Coordinator; and The

and support emerging Irish artists of

Roomthree Design, PublicArt.ie is edited

Youth Arts Strategy, drafted by Eoghan

by Sarah Searson and Cliodhna Shaffrey,

Doyle, Assistant County Arts Officer.

and is managed by Jennifer Brady.

exceptional talent.

Born in Ireland, in Tullamore and Dun

Laoghaire

respectively,

this

collaborative team of Cleary & Connolly studied Architecture in Dublin before moving to Paris in the early 1990s where they continue to live and work. Their work explores new technologies, often focusing on audience engagement with contemporary art practice. Outreach

Collectively, the documents emphasise the importance of partnership between the three areas of Health, Public Policy and Youth Arts.

Copies of the strategy and policy documents are available on request from the Arts Service, Riverbank Arts Centre, in

local

libraries

and

online.

lists a number of publications that have been made from or in response to public art projects in Ireland.

Designed

and

developed

by

www.publicart.ie

AUDIT OF GAELTACHT ARTS Ealaín na Gaeltachta has announced that it is to undertake a comprehensive audit of artists and arts provision in the Gaeltacht with a view to assessing the current state of the arts in the Gaeltacht and gathering information for future

and community involvement are central

planning. Ealaín na Gaeltachta, a

to their practice, and the AIB Prize

partnership between The Arts Council

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

9

September – October 2009 Advocacy and lobbying

NEWS and Údarás na Gaeltachta, will be

GRADUATE PHOTOGRAPHY ONLINE

museum is set to re-open to the public

collecting

the

For the third year in a row Source

on 22 October this year with a suite of

infrastructure, activities and services for

Photographic Review has provided

nine adjoining art galleries, a 25-metre

the arts in the Gaeltacht which will form

hundreds of students who have recently

high atrium with glass and steel

the basis for a new Arts Plan for 2011 –

graduated from photography courses

walkways and new restaurant and

2015. As an initial step to completing

and presented their final work in degree

learning zone facilities. Central to the

the audit, artists and organisations

shows all over the UK and Ireland with

Ulster Museum's redevelopment is its

involved in the arts in the Gaeltacht are

an online platform for showing their

ambition to host landmark international

being invited to take part in Ealaín na

work to a wider audience.

exhibitions and establish Belfast as a

information

on

Gaeltachta’s online survey.

Graduate Photography Online is an

leading arts and cultural venue.

Facing the Challenge Visual Artist Ireland encourages artists and artworkers to take the case for the arts funding to the doors of politicians.

The audit is being carried out

initiative in which 270 students from

The exhibition of work by Sean

independently by Majella Ní Chríocháin

twenty-one courses around the UK and

Scully will chronicle his career from the

and the survey will be followed in the

Ireland present a selection of images

early grid paintings of the 1970s through

autumn by a series of consultations in

from their degree shows. In its third year,

to the 'Wall of Light' series shown at the

the

the web site permanently showcases a

Metropolitan Museum of Art in New

range of material being produced by

York in 2006 and recent new work.

In the current and forthcoming economic conditions, the seriousness of the

young photographers and shows those

Accompanied by a fully illustrated

funding situation for the arts sector cannot be underestimated. The Arts Council’s

thinking of studying photography the

catalogue, the show has been organised

2009 grant from government was reduced, however due to the Council’s

type

produced

in conjunction with the MKM ñ Centre

management of this, the impact of the reduction was somewhat softened for the

internationally. To view work by this

for Modern and Contemporary Art in

arts community compared to what we can expect in 2010. Further cuts to the Arts

year’s crop of photography graduates

Duisburg, Germany and is curated by

Council by government can be expected; and this time there is little hope of the

visit:

Susanne Kleine.

effects not being directly felt by artists.

Gaeltacht

with

artists,

arts

organisations and the public. www.ealain.ie

LOCATION ONE FELLOWSHIP 2009 The Arts Council has announced Dublinbased artist Jesse Jones as the recipient of the Location One Fellowship 2009 in early July. Each year the Arts Council

of

work

being

www.source.ie

www.nmni.com/um

selects one artist from applications to facilitate their participation in the

ARTWORK FOR ORMEAU ROAD

international residency programme at

A new public artwork on the Ormeau

Location One in New York for 10 months.

Road Railway Bridge in Belfast was

The fellowship provides the chosen

launched on Thursday, 27 August 2009.

artist with studio space, support and

Commissioned as part of the Re-imaging

resources provided through Location

Communities Projects, managed by

One, as well as accommodation and a

Belfast City Council and funded by the

monthly stipend. The overall value of

Arts Council of Northern Ireland, the

the award is in the region of €37,000.

unveiling of the new artwork marks the

Location One is a not-for-profit art centre that is devoted to the convergence

culmination of a 10-month project led by artist Patricia Lavery.

of visual, digital and performing arts,

The project aimed to produce an

particularly through its international

iconic representation of the many

residency programme where artists at

different cultures of people living in the

any stage of their careers can experiment

area surrounding the Ormeau Road

with new forms of artistic expression,

Railway Bridge and the workshop

particularly those involving new

process saw a mixture of groups from

technologies.

Chinese, African-Caribbean, Protestant,

Jesse Jones’s practice focuses on the

Catholic

and

Irish

Language

embedded political and social history

communities taking part in the project.

within everyday life. Using popular

It is also hoped that the piece will define

culture as an expression of the collective

the gateway to the Ormeau Road and

narrative of history, her work often

link this area with the Gasworks site and

adopts elements of popular culture as a

City Centre.

Even if the Arts Council were to receive standstill funding at the 2009 rate, it FIRE STATION STUDIOS EXCHANGE

would in effect suffer a €6.6 million cut for 2010. Moreover if the

Fire Station Artists' Studios has

recommendations of the McCarthy report were to be implemented – which

announced that as part of the Fire Station

suggests that the Arts Councils grant be cut by €6.1 million, then the agency

Artistsí Studios & Gertrude Studios

would actually have €12.7 million less to spend in 2010 that it did in 2009.

Exchange Residency 2009, Irish visual artist Jesse Jones was awarded a studio and bursary of $1,500 earlier in the year.

As part of an exchange residency between Fire Station and Gertrude Contemporary Art Spaces in Melbourne, Australia, Jesse travelled to Gertrude in June 2009 for 8 weeks where she worked on a film project for the Istanbul Biennale. This partnership between Fire Station and Gertrude began in 2008 and the first artist awarded the residency was Alicia Frankovich, who received a studio and bursary for 8 weeks at Fire Station Artist's Studios in Dublin.

This residency exchange has been developed as part of a partnership to develop international opportunities for both Australian and Irish artists. Pallas Projects have committed to partnering

In light of this situation, the visual arts lobby has become more and more important. Visual Artists Ireland is currently active in this area with political parties and also with members of the Oireachtas Culture Committee. The publication of The Social, Economic and Fiscal Status of the Visual Artist in Ireland has proven to be timely and also effective in getting the attention of both politicians and the media.

The Arts Council are also very active; with the important Indacom report due out soon that will indicate the arts contribution to the economy. Prior knowledge of this report indicates that 50,000 people are employed in the arts in Ireland – compared to the 70,000 employed in the information, communication and technology sector. Arts jobs are indigenous and spread countrywide; and individuals working in the arts are creative, flexible and innovative – exactly the people valuable to the ‘smart economy’. Cultural tourism contributes €5.1 billion to the Irish economy; and represents the only part of the tourism sector that has seen growth in recent times.

We are now in a time for activation rather than passive acceptance. Nothing can be left for granted! As we have seen in the An Bord Snip Nua report and also in

site of shared memory. Jones has a BA in

The Re-imaging Communities

Fine Art (Sculpture) from NCAD (2002)

Programme is an initiative created by

and an MA in Visual Arts Practice from

the Shared Communities Consortium to

IADT (2005). She recently completed a

enable communities to improve their

residency at Fire Station Artists’ Studios

physical environment through public

are not exclusive to: the reduction in funding to the Arts Council; the

in Dublin and is now in residence at

art and celebrate identity in a positive

discontinuation of The Department of Art, Sports and Tourism as a department in

Gertrude Contemporary Art Spaces in

and creative way.

it own right; and to abolish the allocation (of funding) Culture Ireland. The

exhibitions

The launch of the commissioned

include ‘Red Thread’, Tanas, Berlin and

was held at Lárionad An Droichid, An

the 11th International Istanbul Biennial

Droichead's Cultural Centre on Cooke

www.artscouncil.ie

Street, with a site visit of the art piece

Melbourne.

Upcoming

GALWAY MENTORED RESIDENCY Ann Maria Healy is this year’s recipient

followed by a reception in Lárionad an Droichid at 11am. www.androichead.com www.belfastcity.gov.uk/re-image

of the Mentored Residency Award jointly funded and managed by Galway City Council, Galway County Council and Galway Arts Centre. Ann Maria Healy has just completed an honours degree in Sculpture at GMIT and is currently based in Galway City. She intends to use the bursary and the 3 month residency in Galway Arts Centre to further develop her practice by focussing on the performative and sound aspects of her work. The residency will culminate in a performance by Healy. www.galwayartscentre.ie

ULSTER MUSEUM RE-OPENing The Ulster Museum in Belfast has announced that it is to re-open following its £17 million refurbishment with a major retrospective of work by Sean Scully. Entitled 'Constantinople or the Sensual Concealed: The Imagery of Sean Scully', the exhibition will run from late October to February 2010.

Situated

in

Belfast's

Botanic

Gardens, the Ulster Museum opened in 1929 as a centre for collections of fine and applied art, as well as history and natural sciences. The refurbished

with Fire Station for 2010 by offering an exhibition for the selected Australian exchange artist in February 2010. www.firestation.ie

MORE NEWS

other reports back to government, the arts are under serious threat. An Bord Snip Nua have made a series of recommendations that at the very least would throw Ireland’s cultural industry back to the 1950s. Their recommendations include, but

cancellation of government funded artistic programmes (for which no definition is given), and the removal of the provision of arts in some rural areas. Other

Further news on the latest developments in the arts sector can found on the Visual Artists Irelands website and via the E-Bulletin.

Website www.visualartists.ie/sfr_ news.html

reports directly recommend that removal of the tax exemption scheme for artists.

The extent of the implementation of these recommendations is currently in discussion as the government parties prepare for the 2010 budget. As you will see there are many reasons for us to contact our local representatives and therefore VAI would like to encourage our readers to join both national and local area initiatives such as the constituency groups, that are taking our case to the doors of politicians at national and electoral areas.

Politicians are very anxious to maintain their seats, therefore now is a good time to remind them that we are the voters who provide them with their place in the Dail.

Further information on who and where your local group is can be found at http://

E-Bulletin To register for the the VAI's free information email information service go to – www.visualartists. ie/sfr_ebulletin.html

www.theatreforumireland.com/index.php/tf/Notice-Board/Facebook-groups-anupdate Visual Artists Ireland will continue its work at the government level; and we will publish our list of current recommendations to government in the next issue of the Visual Artists News Sheet.

10

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

September – October 2009

Regional Profile

Visual Arts Resources & Activity in Limerick A Hushed Confidence

Contact Studios

Contact Studios

Wickham Studios

Limerick city and the surrounding county seem to have a hushed confidence regarding its position in relation to artistic culture and practice within the visual arts. Its nearby counties of Galway and Cork attract the media attention with their flamboyant and assured festivals. Limerick on the other hand is the quiet neighbour, yet any county that can lay claim to the birthplace of a duo of innovative Richards: Richard D James (aka Aphex Twin) and Richard Harris – both trail blazers within the field of music and film, must have a lot to offer.

Limerick has its recognised share of established and emerging artists, curators and administrators who all have grounding within the county, including John Shinnors, Richard Slade, Donald Tesky, Tom Fitzgerald, Deirdre Power, Samuel Walsh, Andrew Kearney, Tina O’Connell, Dianna Copperwhite, Sean Lynch, Carissa Farrell, Gillian Kenny and Pippa Little, among many others.

The Limerick School of Art and Design and Limerick City Gallery of Art, both within a short distance of each other, are central to the artistic climate of the city. With the recent impressive refurbishment of the art college and the new appointment of Mike Fitzpatrick (ex director of LCGA) as Head of School a positive shift has occurred that will enable the art school to build upon its strengths and place it in new territory in order to adapt and innovate in these uneasy times.

One of the strengths of being an artist in Limerick is the almost village-like ambience of the city and the supportive structures for art students and artists from LCGA, The Hunt Museum, Contact Studios, Normoyle Frawley Gallery and Limerick Printmakers. Graduating students receive residencies and purchase prizes that establish links with organisations, galleries and studios helping them on their way. The familiarity and closeness of LSAD to museums, the local council and galleries of Limerick have led to many collaborative events including the Annual Painting Hunt Show, whereby painting students create artworks informed by the Hunt Museums collection and exhibit them in the Hunt Museum.

In recent years there has been a huge increase in the number of student / artist-led exhibitions taking place around the city in empty retail spaces and in these times of economic slide, artists need to develop a strategy for survival that relies less on sales and high production values, but rather on the ability to sustain the production of art and expose and provoke audience response.

With the high number of graduates emerging every year, a number of developments are now happening including the establishment of a new artist-led studio in the heart of the city, Wickham Street Studios. This spacious studio was set up in the last few months by a group of artists including Ramon Kassam and Tom Prendergast with the intention of providing much needed working spaces for artists and to create an outlet to channel artist led projects and exhibitions.

In its fourth year, Askeaton contemporary arts is a great addition to County Limerick, curated by Michele Horrigan in the rural setting of Askeaton where international and Irish artists reside and make work beyond the pale of city life.

Perhaps the most internationally recognised connection Limerick has with contemporary art is e v+ a, now in its 33rd Year it is Ireland’s pre-eminent exhibition of contemporary art and it provides the opportunity for the public to engage with a diverse multi disciplinary, often provocative, extensive exhibition of international and Irish Art selected by curators of international standing. The success of e v+ a stems from the driven Paul M O’Reilly and Sheila Deegan the Arts Officer for Limerick, both very supportive to local artists and projects.

Over the past couple of years, LCGA has had a number of impressive exhibitions including Caroline McCarthy, Mark O'Kelly, Tjibb Hooghiemstra, Lindsay Seers, Breda Lynch, William Kentridge, Micheal Minnis, Tina O'Connell and Simon Starling, the present show ‘Behind Smoke and Mirrors’ curated by Susan Holland is compelling in its focus on the source and studio activity of the artist. Other recent noteworthy shows include ‘Darkness Visible’ in The Georgian House, Des Farrell at the Limerick Printmakers, and the Open Drawing LSAD student shows curated by Aidan Dunne and Arno Kramer.

With all the proposed cuts, it is a critical time for the arts within Limerick and beyond to claim its role in today’s society and culture. The present downturn presents the opportunity for artist-led organisations to further collaborate and expand a cottage industry approach to the visual arts.

Alan Keane Painting Lecturer Limerick School of Art and Design

Contact Studios is an artist-run venture located

Many of our rules have come about through

on the grounds of St. Joseph’s Mental Hospital in

experiences good and bad in the past. An important

Limerick. We have 14 studio spaces, a darkroom and

distinction between our system and a pay-for-space

a communal work area.

set up is an insistence that members are responsible

The studios were founded by members of the

for regular and responsible usage of their space.

Real Art Project (RAP) and the Mid-West Health

Failure to do so and / or failure or inability to meet

Board (now HSE) in 1997, with the intention of

the class requirements can lead to a request to

providing spaces for graduates of Limerick Art

leave.

School (LSAD). At that time, members gave

In line with our development, we have

recreational art classes at day-centres around the

attracted greater attention and a good relationship

city, as collective payment-in-kind for the spaces.

with the local Arts Officer (Sheila Deegan), who has

Any members of RAP were eligible to apply for a

helped us with regular funding (as well as our

space.

members). We have also worked with Mike

Needing a space on graduation in 1998, I joined RAP and became a studio member, then went on to

Fitzpatrick (Lim. City Gallery), various Directors of the Belltable, NF and various other galleries.

join the RAP Committee and served as the Studio

A key partner over the years has been Limerick

Liaison Officer. With no administration of its own,

Printmakers Studio and Gallery. Melissa O’Brien,

and a general lack of activity, the studios were in

Kari Fry, and Claire Boland were contemporaries of

danger of disappearing. This was the low point, but

mine in LSAD, and set the organisation up from

I’m happy to say we now have had full capacity for

scratch. In 2004, Melissa and I coordinated

many years, with people constantly on the waiting

‘Headlines’, an open submission exhibition based

list.

on local newspaper headlines, and curated by Jenny Around 2001, Seán Lynch as Studio Coordinator

Haughton. Our intention was to present art relevant

was particularly influential in redrawing a new

to the local populace, in public spaces, while also

contract with the HSE, which is still the blueprint

publicising the groups and membership. The show

for our current agreement. Members collectively

gained some notoriety due to its subject matter, but

give 520 hours per year to Le Chéile, a local Mental

was largely a success.

Health group operating a drop-in centre, recreational

This encouraged us to collaborate yearly from

art and craft classes and a cafe. We continue to have

then, and for four years we have coordinated

an excellent working relationship with the staff and

C:inside – a series of annual open days and events

clients based around good communication and

on May Bank Holidays with other Limerick based

mutual understanding.

interested professional Arts groups (latterly Kate

For many years now, the studios have been

Wrixon has been excellent in this role). We also

directed by a voluntary committee of five to six

offer a three-month bursary to a graduate artist from

members. To some extent the direction of the studio

LSAD Painting over the last three years, a department

group change in accordance with the makeup of the

which has contributed many great members over

management committee. However, there are some

the years.

immutable aspects to Contact Studios aims and

We have never sought Arts Council Revenue

ethos:

funding, which has been a strength in my opinion

■■

To interface with our benefactors (Le Chéile /

given our own sustainability. As a model, I definitely

HSE), and ensure classes and time are given in

think Contact Studios can be replicated, and in the

a good spirited, professional manner

current straits, perhaps the barter system is the most

■■

To process studio applications / allocate

beneficial, practical and cost-effective. It allows

spaces

artists to contribute to society while retaining

■■

To ensure that the studio spaces are utilised

autonomy and avoiding imposed niches.

properly

■■

To run annual events (C:Inside, Culture Night

all those members past and present who have made

etc.).

a positive contribution to Contact Studios!

I would like to take the opportunity to thank

Carl Doran

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

11

September – October 2009

Regional Profile

Reactions & Residues

Café Voltaire meets Slack Space

The Spirit Store – exterior.

Michele Horrigan Nature Obscured by Factory / Factory Obscured by Fog

Michael McLaughlin in preparation for Bingo

The Spirit Store

Andrew Dodds recording ASK fm

is based on developing community involvement

studied for a degree in Limerick School of Art and

and understanding how art might be produced and

Design in the late 1990s before completing a MFA at

experienced in this locality, while concurrently

the University of Ulster and independent research

supporting the production of new artists’ projects.

at the Stadelschule in Frankfurt. In the last few years

However, the ethos here is never about trying to

I have lived in Frankfurt, Berlin and recently Dublin.

become a structured format or event, instead time

As I travel several months of the year, I use Askeaton

and space is found for the artists we work with to

as a homebase. I stay active there, using my small

continually redefine what kind of projects might be

studio and darkroom.

possible each year. This is important not just for the

My own practice revolves around notions of

artists themselves, but also for Askeaton and the

environment and site-orientated art. In this regard,

possibilities to conceptually push artistic activity in

the county of Limerick is always a source of interest,

the area.

and I have often used it as subject matter. I made a

It’s worth mentioning just a few of the projects

video and photographic artwork called Nature

that have been completed. In 2008 Michael

Obscured by Factory / Factory Obscured by Fog in 2007.

McLaughlin from Dublin organised the first game

It described the social and environmental impacts

of bingo in the town in 25 years. He dusted down a

of the Aughinish Alumina Factory, built on the

bingo machine he found in the local hall, used his

Shannon River Estuary. The refinery produces 1.8

materials budget as a jackpot and got 200 people to

million tonnes of alumina yearly, making it the

attend on a Wednesday evening in July. Now the

largest factory of its kind in Europe. By using extracts

local community council runs bingo each month

from newspapers and media reports, and a video of

thanks to Michael’s foresight. In the 2009 edition

wildlife that exists around the factory’s shadow, I

Andrew Dodds, a Belfast-born artist who now works

attempted to narrate a debate surrounding deaths of

in London, produced and operated ASK FM, in the

agricultural livestock, toxic deposits in the soil and

form of a pirate radio station broadcasting from a

harmful sulphur emissions, all allegedly attributed

secret venue in the town. It featured recordings and

to the factory’s activities. In these dialogues, it

interviews with local musicians and individuals

becomes important to highlight the struggles

who are involved in local community structures

between nature and industry, and economy and

such as Askeaton Civic Trust and local Credit Union.

environment. Such situations are always in flux,

Andrew’s work resonated the potential talents,

and I think it relevant to try to comprehend them

ambitions and micro-politics of the town, allowing

through artistic articulation. This is not achieved

his participants not just a platform but also a form

simply to understand what has happened in our

of gentle subjectivity and subtle validation for their

changing landscapes, but also for how one might

activities. Magdalena Jitrik travelled from Argentina

use this knowledge in the future as a catalyst for

and spent July of this year making a painting and

how interaction with the places and situations

film in Askeaton that reflected the recent discovery

around us might be perceived.

of a fresco painting in the town’s ruined Franciscan

I try to develop these specific interests with

Friary. A scene in her film sees her completed

Askeaton Contemporary Arts. I see this project as a

painting resting inside the nave of the ruin.

direct extension of my own practice as an artist.

Hundreds of years ago a travelling guildsman

Since 2006, a residency programme called Welcome

completed his painting onsite, now Magdalena

to the Neighbourhood has brought 25 artists from

introduces another aesthetic overtone upon what’s

places such as France, Germany, UK, Sweden,

there already. It is these kinds of actions, reactions

Canada, Argentina, Bulgaria, Holland, Denmark,

and residues that artists in Askeaton have managed

and Turkey to the town. They are fed and watered,

to generate, and the project looks forward to 2010

given space, material budgets and technicians to

and the artists we’ll work with.

framework around Welcome to the Neighbourhood

The Spirit Store – exterior.

SpiritStore is a new initiative presenting a collection of diverse cultural activities over two months – starting mid August. SpiritStore takes place in the unique environment of a Limerick landmark – the vacant Sarsfield Bar / Spirit Store. It is an inclusive social space for cultural exchange.

Both the inspiration for the project and its name, SpiritStore came from a building – a corner Georgian premises, opposite the Hunt Museum in Limerick. Closed now for almost five years, the bar was mythologically difficult to get served in. When I asked Limerick people about the bar, their stories were recounted with great affection, the bar conjured up a huge degree of sentiment. And as I first began to test the concept of opening a temporary social space in that building, I realised that the support for the project was based – to a point – on re-opening the doors of that old bar. The initial support was also compounded by the fact that the building stood at one corner of a stalled development block in the city, rendering a large portion of Limerick dormant, to the unease of the city community.

In that context, SpiritStore, as a project title was apt, not only in acknowledging the buildings heritage, but apt metaphorically too, in its wish to keep, to store or to contain the spirit of collaboration, generosity, experimentation or energy that the project would tap into or inspire.

On the surface the SpiritStore project is not new, either in form – the Dadaist’s gave us Cafe Voltaire in post first world war Switzerland when they drew a cultural community together to experiment under the roof of a café ­– nor is it new in situation ­– artists have negotiated to reenergise empty space, or ‘slack spaces’, made available through economic turndown since the 1970s. So this project was about timing – the question being, when is a context and a community ready?

In the 10 years I’ve been in Limerick I’ve gathered some understanding of the context – that has enabled me to envision how this project might succeed as a vibrant social space. First, Limerick is small – the population is approx 100,000. There is an intimacy that affords a speedy network. If a project sparks the imagination, support follows quickly.

Stakeholders in Limerick, over the past few years have grown to expect collaboration – since for instance Dagdha Dance Company opened its

doors and called in diverse practitioners and extended its collaborative network. Theatre in Limerick has long called on a variety of disciplines to support play-making in the city. The spirit of cooperation is vibrant here. Also, new interdisciplinary courses at Limericks third level colleges are breeding grounds for interdisciplinary practitioners. Current economic conditions have meant that there are people with free time to participate in projects. Graduates are not leaving immediately after qualifying, and have chosen to stay and find alternative ways to kick-start a career in the city where their social network is strongest.

While the financial slump strips cities of vibrancy and every empty space is a barren reminder of financial troubles, some advantages are found in this condition. SpiritStore taps into resources that would not have been made available in more affluent times. When I set out to find the owner of the Sarsfield bar and asked for the space for free, the owner immediately understood the advantage for him in the deal, so the barter was fair. And here in Limerick, it is not just artists who are recognising the worth of exchange of space for energy ­– Creative Limerick is a City Hall led initiative to negotiate the use of vacant windows in city centre slack spaces on behalf of college graduates.

The SpiritStore project seeks to infuse this reclaimed space with a fertile collection of talks, performances, debates / discussions, screenings, readings, meetings and chance encounters with musicians, writers, visual artists, film makers, and collectives. This inclusive experiment is an open invitation for all of Limerick to experience. Whether the motivation is based on supporting cultural practice, or giving support for people who are willing to work hard to address a closing city centre, the SpiritStore project is set to cultivate new audiences.

For my part, I see the continued experiment as one of holding a space where the mythology is reclaimed; where new audiences are welcomed; where reflection supports practice; and where documentation disseminates the experience for others to draw on.

Marilyn Lennon

Installation shot of Joe Duggan’s design for Askeaton’s first skyscraper.

I am originally from Askeaton, County Limerick. I

make a project in Askeaton. In general, the curatorial

The Spirit Store

Michele Horrigan

Facebook name – spiritstore limerick www.marilynlennon.com E: spiritstorelimerick@gmail.com www.spiritstorelimerick.blogspot.com

12

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

September – October 2009

Regional Profile

The Arts Service in Limerick City

Strange Times

Limerick City Council provides a range of arts and

consultations had hoped, but it was a start, a

cultural services through its combined support for

blueprint for moving the arts forward. Since then

the Arts Service, Limerick City Gallery of Art, The

the arts scene has continued to develop, there have

Library Service and The Museum Service. Together

been highs and lows, artists groups have come and

these services provide a programme of activities that

gone, as is the nature of creative organisations.

create an access for all approach to service

The one over arching element that makes

provision.

Limerick such an interesting place to make art in,

Limerick City Council was one of the first local

(the glue that keeps everything together), is the

authorities to jointly fund, with the Arts Council the

level of co-operation and collaboration that exists

position of Arts Officer in 1988. This joint funding

in the city across all the art forms. Because the city

arrangement continues to the present day. In 2002,

is so small most arts organisations operating here

The Limerick Integrated Arts Strategy was published

now have a very strong sense of their creative role

outlining six strategic action areas that set out to

in the city. This way of operating is further supported

achieve an inclusive and co-ordinated approach to arts provision in the city: ■■

Public planning and support for the arts

■■

The Creative City

■■

Public access and participation

■■

The individual artist

■■

Infrastructure and facilities for the arts

■■

Collaboration and partnership

by courses within both Limerick School of Art & Sean Taylor, The Steps, 2009, collaborative sound/performance artwork, Step Aerobic Class, UL Sports Arena, University of Limerick.

Photo: Richard Corrigan.

There is a popular quote that goes “recession is

However, the biggest change in Limerick was

you lose yours”. So it feels somewhat strange to be

the articulation of a coherent dialogue between the

reflecting about the state of the arts in Limerick at a

various arts practitioners in the city around

time when funding for the arts in the current

fundamentally important questions such as – where

The following are the range of services provided by The

economic climate (CEC) seems to be the only

are we going creatively as a city; what role has the

Arts Office of Limerick City Council:

debate in town. Are we, as some are suggesting, at

arts to play in developing a creative city? It heralded

the end of a ‘golden age’ of artistic enlightenment or

an organic development of creative collaborations,

1. Information and Advice

at the beginning of a journey into the abyss of

debates, dialogues and cultural alliances that

Support and advice for people in the arts community

creative meltdown? Strange times indeed.

eventually found an echo in the chambers of

If I had been asked to write this article about a

Limerick City Council.

the general public.

year ago I would have reported that the arts in

In 2002 Limerick City Council published a

2. Supporting and developing The Arts

Limerick was in very rude health indeed. The late

landmark document entitled: Limerick Integrated

■■

Infrastructure of the City.

90s heralded a mini revival for the visual arts in

Arts Strategy. It identified six key ‘action areas’ that

■■

Recommendations on revenue funding

Limerick, kick started in no small way by the energy

would hopefully bring about an inclusive and

for established arts organisations.

of the (now defunct) Real Art Project. The

co-ordinated approach to developing the arts in

■■

Recommendations on Grants under the

haemorrhage of graduating artists out of Limerick

Limerick. Those action areas included: Public

Arts Act

was arrested and artists developed a strong sense of

planning and support for the arts; The creative city;

■■

Facilitation of development of cultural.

‘making things happen here’.

Public access and participation; The individual

■■

Infrastructure through partnership.

■■

Management of Limerick Artists’ Studios

■■

Membership of the boards of management

committees of a number of events,

organisations and institutions.

■■

In 2004, Daghdha Dance Company signed a

lease with Limerick City Council for the use

of St. John of the Cross Church in John’s

Square. The contemporary Dance Company

officially opened the doors of the Church in

May 2005.

Limerick is not a very large city, nor is it a

artist; Infrastructure and facilities for the arts;

wealthy one either. It does not possess a natural

Collaboration and partnership. The arts strategy

philanthropic attitude towards the arts – so artists

also signalled a change of emphasis within the city

realised very quickly that to get things done here

council Arts Office itself, from organising the arts to

they had to get organised, collectivise, collaborate

providing a public service comprising the

and establish strategic partnerships.

facilitation and support for the long-term

What began as an inward reflection about the

a

variety

of

collaborative

development of the arts sector as a whole.

state of arts provision here soon became an outward

The finished document was not as radical as

expression of a vibrant art scene. There was life after

some of us who had been involved in the

with the School of Architecture and Interactive Design Centre at UL). There is a new generation of emerging artists already looking to re-engage with the city through Limerick City Council’s ‘Creative Limerick-connect to the Grid’ programme (a barter system that give artist temporary access to empty city centre spaces).

So where does that leave us now? Well this much I know, even in the recent boom times there was not much money floating about for the arts in Limerick – and yet so much has happened. I feel optimistic that artists here have the creative vision and support to continue to re-imagine their role in the city no matter what the economic conditions are. As Jane Jacob’s put it in The Death and Life of Great American Cities “Dull inert cities, it is true, do contain the seeds of their own destruction and little else. But lively, diverse, intense cities contain the seeds of their own regeneration, with energy enough to carry over for problems and needs outside themselves” (1).

Sean Taylor Notes 1. Jane Jacobs, The Death and Life of Great American Cities, Vintage Press.

Some Limerick Contacts

originated arts interventions.

4. Arts Programming

Limerick City Council Arts Office City Hall, Merchant’s Quay, Limerick

Annual events such as The Kate O’Brien Weekend,

T: 061 407421 / 407363 E : artsoffice@limerickcity.ie

ev+a, Cuisle International Poetry Festival, Culture Limerick County Council Arts Office County Hall, Dooradoyle, Co. Limerick. T: 061 496498 / 496300 E: arts@limerickcoco.ie

Night and Excursions.

5. Art form development ■■

Support for festivals as part of the annual

cultural calendar.

■■

Support for organisations involved in art

forms such as theatre, dance, visual art, music, literature, architecture and community arts.

■■

The development of performance art through

Excursions Performance Art Festival.

6. Art and Education The Arts Office supports partnerships with schools and communities in the area of all artforms.

The renaming of the Arts Office as the Arts Service

Limerick City Gallery of Art, Pery Square. www.limerickcitygallery.ie T" 061 310633 The Belltable Arts Centre, 69 O’Connell Street . www.belltable.ie T: 061 315882 Limerick School of Art and Design LSAD Clare Street Campus , Church Gallery www.lit.ie T: 061 316656 Limerick Printmakers, Studio & Gallery 4 Robert Street www.limerickprintmakers.com T: 061 311806

in 2002 represented a commitment to the concept of a service that understands and works to meet the needs of artists, participants in arts activities, is therefore a proactive developmental endeavour.

Shiela Deegan Arts Officer Limerick City Council

Bourne Vincent Gallery University of Limerick, T: 061 333644 The Vault Gallery Adare, Co Limerick www.vaultgallery.com T: 061 395943 The Georgian House and Gardens Pery Square www.limerickcivictrust.ie/georgianhouse T: 061 314130 Daghda Dance Company St Johns Church, John’s Square www.daghda.ie Contact Studios St Josephs Hospital , Mulgrave Street E: Contactstudios@gmail.com Art Studios, James Street, off Griffin Street. T: 061 314163 Wickham Street Studios, E: RamonKassam@gmail.com

The Hunt Museum, The Custom House. www.huntmuseum.com T: 061312833

Upcoming events

Normoyle Frawley Gallery and Framing 33 John’s Street www.nfggallery.com T: 061 315401

Tweak , Interactive art and live electronic music festival 21 – 26 Sept 09 various venues www.tweak.ie

audiences, and the general public. The Arts Service

Limerick Ceramic Works Franciscan Lane, Henry Street www.limerickceramicworks.com

to

Combined Media course at LSAD collaborating

3. Support for the Individual Artist For residencies, travel bursaries and specific

approaches

contemporary practice (i.e. The Sculpture and

e v+ a after all !

when a neighbour loses his job. Depression is when

and those interested in engaging with the arts, and

Design and the University of Limerick that explore

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

13

September – October 2009

PROFILE

Art Stables Niall de Buitlear profiles The Red Stables, a studio facility managed by Dublin City Council Arts Office.

International studio at the Red Stables.

Artist-in-residence studio space at the Red Stables.

The Red Stables Studios are housed in a Tudor-style building, which was built by the Guinness family in 1885 as the stables for their estate in Clontarf and Raheny on the northside of Dublin. In 1939 Dublin Corporation acquired most of this estate and 240 acres of it became St. Anne’s Park. The main house of the estate was demolished in the 1960s after having been gutted by a fire in the 1940s but the stables have remained and had in recent years been used for the storage of equipment by the park’s staff. Dublin City Council renovated the protected building and converted the stables to house artists’ studios, which opened in 2006. Many of the original features of the building have been retained and the character of the workspaces reflects this. In addition to the studios the complex includes an exhibition/workshop space, a café and a weekly food market. The studios are subsidised by Dublin City Council as a part of their Arts Service Plan, 2006 – 2009.

The Red Stables includes a number of day studios in a range of sizes, which are allocated to artists through an open submission process for a period of up to three years. In addition to the day studios The Red Stables houses two residential studios which host two residency programmes. The International Studio hosts artists from overseas for periods ranging from anywhere between one week and six months. The Irish Artists’ Residential Studio on the other hand is intended to support an emerging Irish visual artist at an early stage of their practice.

The Irish Artists’ Residential Studio is awarded for 12 months beginning every November since 2006 when the first artist on the programme was Tadgh McSweeney. Artists selected for this programme are provided with a large studio with adjoining living space for a period of a year for a nominal rent. The Irish Artist’s Residency is partnered with the LAB’s exhibition programme. The participating artist is awarded a major solo exhibition at the gallery during the year following their residency.

The Dublin-based artist Paul McKinley undertook this residency during 2007 and 2008. McKinley’s paintings and drawings have taken parks as subject matter long before he began working at the Red Stables though being based the park has significantly changed the approach he takes with his work. The artist explains “what initially attracted me to the residency was what impact living and working in a park would have on my practice because my work up until this point had been about a second hand experience of what a park could be”(1).

McKinley has found that being based in the park has led to the development of more intimate relationships with specific sites, which he has re-visited on an ongoing basis. McKinley has become interested in the history of St. Anne’s Park and what he refers to as its “mythological aspects” (2). As such the work produced at The Red Stables has attempted to “communicate the idea of a particular place while referencing things outside of this physicality” (3) . Since leaving the residential studio McKinley has not moved far – he is now based in one of the day studios and continues his exploration of the park.

The Red Stables - exterior.

The current artist in residence, Maria McKinney, has also responded to the context of the St. Anne’s Park, though in a very different way. McKinney devised a temporary sculptural installation for the exhibition ‘Parklife’ curated by Claire Power (26 Jul – 23 Aug).

This exhibition was commissioned by Dublin City Council through a new award for young curators, which Power received. ‘Parklife’ featured the work of six artists who were been asked to respond to the context of the St. Anne’s Park with artworks sited in appropriate locations throughout the park. An important aspect of The Irish Artist’s Residency programme is the support that the arts office provides participating artists by helping them engage with curators and McKinney was invited to participate in this exhibition after a studio visit by Claire Power at the suggestion of the arts office.

In the past much of McKinney’s work has been wall-based however she has found the spacious studio has been beneficial in enabling her to develop the sculptural aspect of her practice. One potential drawback for a contemporary artist working at the Red Stables is the suburban location. Having been previously based at Orchid Studios in Belfast city centre McKinney has found that the lack of access to materials in the local area has necessitated a certain discipline, which requires the artist to plan more efficiently – not necessarily a bad thing. She has also found the peaceful atmosphere and lack of distractions beneficial. It would be wrong however to give the impression that the studios are isolated as the city centre is only a short bus journey away.

The previous participants on the residency programme have been artists already based in Dublin but for McKinney the residency and the support network it provides facilitated the relocation of her practice to Dublin from Belfast where she had been practising as an artist since graduating from the University of Ulster in 2005. One of her motivations for making the move was the greater number of exhibition opportunities in Dublin, as well as the increased access to exhibitions of work by international artists.

While the Irish Artists' Residency has a clearly defined structure the approach taken with the international residency is more flexible.

The international studio programme is still developing and Liz Coman, Assitant Arts Officer believes that an open, flexible approach is necessary in order to accommodate multiple stakeholders (4). This flexibility has meant that while the main emphasis of the International studio is on longer residencies, the studio has also hosted artists for short-term stays of just a few days while working on projects in the city.

International artists are often hosted in partnership with various other organisations. One reason for this is due to the desire of the city council that their support of international artists in Dublin should result in work that is either specifically related to the local context or which is to be exhibited locally. Working with organisations who are already committed to exhibiting the work of the visiting artist is a way

of ensuring that this will happen. Another issue is that, whereas it is relatively easy for Dublin City Council to connect with local artists through existing frameworks, it can be more difficult to make international practitioners aware of the residency opportunity.

Working with other organisations makes this process easier.

Ursula Mawson-Raffalt and Anthony J. Faulder-Mawson are artists whose collaborative work together incorporates elements of painting, light, sound, video, performance, dance and writing. Their stay at the Red Stables International Studio was accompanied by simultaneous exhibitions at both the LAB and the Red Stables and was connected with a number of other events in a range of visual arts and performing arts venues. Other organisations involved with their project titled ‘Triptych: It is time that prints on wax’ included The Tyrone Guthrie Centre, DanceHouse and Dance Ireland, Solstice Arts Centre, Meath County Council, The Dock, Leitrim County Council and the Project Arts Centre.

Another recent partnership The Red Stables has been involved in was with the Graphic Print Studio and Edinburgh Printmakers. Dublin City Council through the Red Stables supported an exchange between these two artist-run organisations which by hosting Paul Furneaux, an artist based at Edinburgh Printmakers. Furneaux specialises in using ancient Japanese woodblock printing techniques in a contemporary context and while in Dublin used the International Studio to produce drawings for work completed at the Graphic Print Studio. Furneaux is working towards an exhibition at Graphic Studio Gallery in 2010. Paul Furneaux was not able to take up the Red Stables Studio for the full time period that it had been made available by Dublin City Council. In keeping with the flexible approach it was decided to offer a second opportunity for an international printmaker to take up the studio. The Canadian artist Merijean Morrissey-Clayton was selected by the Graphic Studio through open submission.

An important aspect of the partnership between the Red Stables and the Graphic Print Studios was a series of master classes that were held at the print studio with the aim of facilitating an exchange of knowledge and ideas between Furneaux and local artists. Furneaux also shared his knowledge with members of the general public through demonstrations in the courtyard of the Red Stables during the St Anne’s Rose Festival. As such Furneaux’s residency could be seen as an example of how the Red Stables programme can play an active role in the wider art scene in Dublin while also engaging with the general public in the context of the local area.

Niall de Buitlear Notes 1. Email from Paul McKinley to the writer.

2. ibid 3. ibid 4. Email from Liz Coman to the writer.

14

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

September – October 2009

HOW IS IT MADE?

Photo: Gerry Carroll

Photo: Gerry Carroll

Revisiting the Highway Brian Henderson discusses the processes and origins behind his NEW series of paintings, which are currently on show at the Taylor Galleries, Dublin (3 – 24 Sept).

With the new paintings that I am making in my studio in Dublin at present (1), I am both reflecting and redefining my past works over the past 40 years. I believe art progresses and changes out of art and that we must avoid any other illusions that we are being bombarded with and manipulated by with through lies, media and myths. During the late 1960s I set out on this highway armed with paint, brushes, naivety and a spray gun. The spark was Bob Dylan and the fire was Jim Hendrix, which led to me discovering that my creative talents lay in painting.

During the mid 1960s, I would travel during school vacations to and from London via Liverpool on the ferry; and hitch down and back the M1 to work at whatever. In London I first got to visit all the major private galleries – eg. Kasmin, Waddington, Axiom – and public spaces such as The Tate, Hayward, The Institute of Contemporary Art, The Whitechapel and the Serpentine. Consequently I became excited about and addicted to contemporary art – in particular in New York artists from that era and before. I also have to mention that it was at the 1967 ROSC International Art Exhibition in the RDS Dublin, that got the great opportunity to view and confront first hand a wide range of modern art – mostly largescale works.

In 1971, after holding my first solo exhibition at the Project Arts Centre (2), Abbey Street, Dublin I was awarded the J. McCauley Fellowship – adjudicated by James Johnson Sweeney (3) – by the Arts Council and with the proceeds went to New York City on a one year visa. I found my year in New York an uplifting experience and I felt compelled to return. I subsequently made it my home for the next 30 years. When I received my green card I was the last (up till that time artists were among first preference) person in that category to receive it – times, were a-changing.

New York, New York City, both heaven and hell. If I were a writer I could write volumes of books on my memories and experiences “Have you ever been experienced? Well I have!” (Jimi Hendrix 1967).

In late 1971, after landing at Kennedy Airport, a yellow chequered cab drove me to the Electricladyland recording studios on Eighth Street, where I had a contact, from whom I was going to pick up keys to an apartment where I could crash. To my amazement, while at the studios looking through the soundproof glass to my left were the Temptations and to my right were Led Zeppelin. Within a week I had signed my lease on a 4000sq. ft loft in the corner building on Grand and Mulberry streets in Little Italy – protected both by the NYC police headquarters on the next block and the local social club across the street. Within the following week my studio was set up and I got in supplies – a 100ft. roll of heavy cotton duck, a 50 gallon drum of Roplex AC 33; bags of powder pigments; gallons of gesso; tools and a stack of wood for stretchers. Heaven! I can still see it clearly now.

On returning to NYC in 1972, my girlfriend had a newly rented loft on Broome Street, Soho, waiting for me. After unpacking my bags and taking care of business, I took her to the local across the street for a beverage and to shoot the breeze. But found myself short of cash – “my bucket had a hole in it” (Hank Williams, 1949). The bartender said they needed a dishwasher and I started there and then. Imagine, being able to afford a Soho loft, painting huge canvases, hanging out at Fanelli’s Bar, The Broadway Central, Max’s Kansas City and the Micro Mini Strip joint on Canal Street – on just love and a dishwasher’s salary.

How times have changed.

Over many of the following years I supported myself, my home life, and my art addiction by working at construction jobs – usually scored through a network of other artists. We were all on the same highway. My expertise was spray-painting and drywall taping. I now use those tape blades to slip, slide and stroke a hot wet encaustic brew of wax, Liquin and oil paint across the bare skin of primer on sheets of aluminium.

9/11/2001 – 9 pm. While fast asleep deep in the basement of my 5000sq. ft. duplex studio space on Franklin Street and West Broadway, Tribeca lower Manhattan – after partying all night, I was woken up by a phone call from an artist friend in Dublin. He said, “Turn on your TV, put your helmet on and get ready to hit the highway uptown”. I ran upstairs and onto the street – and right above me the second airliner was ploughing into the second tower; and bodies started coming down like rain. Hell. I don’t think I will ever forget, not a day goes by without recalling it. The beginning of the end – the world changed. To paraphrase Dylan – the hard rain is falling and the slow train is on its way.

In January 2008, or thereabouts, when I decided on my future route, I made a choice of my primary materials, sheet aluminium (routered, etched, primed and sanded) with encaustic and oil paints.

Not wishing to limit myself, I also incorporated in various pieces sheets of corten steel, mild steel, copper, Plexiglas, graphite stick, oil stick, gold leaf and electrical trunking. The physical working process and application with these materials is drawing, melting, pouring, troweling, brushing, scraping, erasing, sanding, placing and caressing – under both natural and artificial lighting (spots and floods).

Intermittingly I paint colour studies with gouache on 300lb. watercolour paper.

I also decided on the scale – both large and small – in both rectangle formats (the horizontal and the vertical) that I use; only using the square in the interior. I want the small paintings to be viewed inside the wall space; and the large ones to dominate the space and physically invite the viewer to enter – which is why the height, which

Photo: Gerry Carroll

determines the width, is necessary to be approximately eight feet.

Sometimes the horizontal paintings read from left to right.

The issues that concern me in my thought processes are energy, choice, gravity, placement, light available, colour mix, density, absorption, surface, elegance, beauty and satisfaction. I usually begin with loose drawings and lists of colours – drawn from observations, memories and emotions. Perhaps this is a kind of planning, but I tend to leave the creative process open to spontaneous changes and accidents.

Having seen so much art and been influenced by so many artists while living in NYC, it’s hard for me to make any definitive selection – but those that I might refer to at present are Henri Matisse, Paul Gauguin, Piet Mondrian, Barnett Newman, Mark Rotko, Donald Judd, Francis Bacon, Sean Scully, Richard Serra and Brice Marden. I also make many references to African, American Indian and Asian Art, which to me are the backbone of Modernism. Music is and has always been of parallel charge and interest to me – particularly rock, blues and jazz that I listen to while in my studio.

I usually work at a number of paintings at the same time on the studio floor, occasionally propping them up. I then hang them and alter them over another period of time. Then I usually leave them rather than struggle to make a decisive finish. I will probably title the pieces individually. My titling of works can be both personal and open – sometimes I think it’s akin an owner naming a racehorse. I guess it’s a form of identity.

Since returning to live and work in Ireland, and most noticeably while producing my current body of work, I have felt very isolated from socialising with other artists, and art world connected people. So I would like to take this opportunity to express my wish that there was a modern arts club in central Dublin in line with the London Arts Club.

We also need a real museum of modern art – not a series of rooms and corridors – to exhibit and view works. A large open interior space with good natural and artificial light is essential.

To end I would like to thank all the people involved in publishing this wonderful arts newspaper and the invitation to write this article.

Without this newssheet we would all be lost and disconnected on our separate routes.

After this exhibition I hope to continue on my present route into the foreseeable future; and in the long run hope to find a surgeon general who will transplant my brain into a new body. My first preference is a Lamborghini. But I’d settle for a Ducati, after all, as a child all I wished to do was race motorcycles and draw lines of speed.

Long may I roar, “Hail, Hail, Rock and Roll” (Chuck Berry, 1957).

Brian Henderson Notes 1. These works are currently on show at the Taylor Galleries, Kildare Street, Dublin (3 – 24 September), in a solo showing of Brian Henderson’s work entitled ‘Planned Palimpsests’. The catalogue accompanying the show, features an introduction by David Scott.

2. Brian Henderson was a committee member of the Project Arts Centre 1968-1971.

3. James Johnson Sweeney (1900–1986) was one of the instigators of ROSC. He was a curator, and writer about modern art. Sweeney was a director of MOMA; the Guggenheim in New York and the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston.

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

15

September – October 2009

ADVOCACY & LOBBYING

The Social, Economic & Fiscal Status of Artists

In July, VAI published the findings of the survey on The Social, Economic and Fiscal Status of Visual Artists in Ireland. The survey took place between November and December of 2008. The published document is being made available through the Visual Artists Ireland website, and has been presented to Government, as well as to the Arts Council. Below is an outline of our findings.

Visual artists in Ireland today are thriving in terms of creative output.

However, these visual artists also represent some of the lowest paid members of society. They undertake their career as a visual artist against all odds – and at times feel alienated from a society that gains its cultural identity from their life’s work. Many visual artists live on the breadline; and in the current climate, some might feel their occupation is threatened or under attack – yet they continue to succeed to make work.

Rather than try to merely prove these statements emotively, Visual Artists Ireland carried out a survey in December 2008 entitled The Social, Economic and Fiscal Status of the Visual Artist in Ireland.

Drawing upon our membership as a true representation of the sector, Visual Artists Ireland asked a number of volunteers to answer a series of standard questions in order to provide a true and accurate picture of life as a visual artist in Ireland today. We have chosen not to make any detailed analysis of the data collected. Instead, in these pages we show the information gathered which we feel speaks for itself.

Format The survey comprised six parts: ■■ Education & Training.

■■ Work.

■■ Unemployment and Social Welfare.

■■ Funding and Other Sources of Financial Support.

■■ Standard of Living.

■■ Personal Profile.

Taking a statistical sampling approach, the number of responses received – taking into consideration completeness and usability – represents an accuracy of ±5% with 95% confidence.

Key Findings Visual artists represent a highly educated part of the community. Self taught artists are the exception, with most art graduates progressing to MA and post-doctorate studies. Following graduation and to maintain their ongoing career development, 57% continue with some form of further education and/or professional development workshops. 49% of this further education is delivered by Visual Artists Ireland. We also provide professional development contact hours in colleges around the country so that art students can understand the realities of life as an artist following graduation.

Within the education system, the curriculum that is delivered does not include or demand knowledge of areas outside of the arts. For this reason, although highly educated and skilled, some are ill equipped for the reality of life. This reality shows that artists need to have two or three other jobs to support their families and their art practice. They take part-time positions in education, community work, volunteering, or jobs within the hospitality industry. These offer them the flexible working hours that may allow them to also spend time within their art practice.

The main reason that artists give for not having enough time to spend in their art practice is insufficient income from art making. This is not necessarily a reflection of lack of quality, but it indicates the limits of places for artists to show their work, and the small size of the

art collecting population.

Artists who do exhibit are not necessarily paid. There are no set guidelines on this matter and therefore even publicly funded institutions may not pay an artist’s fee for exhibition. This is usually due to a lack of sufficient funding or a lack of understanding of the life of an artist.

Other statistics that show visual artists at the lowest income level of society are: ■■ 67% of artists earn less than €10,000 per annum from their

creative work 24% earn between €10,000 and €25,000 per annum.

Taking this that this creative income must be supported by other forms of income such as part / full time work, grants etc.

33% of artists earn less than €10,000 per annum from all of their sources of income 34% earn between €10,000 and €25,000 These figures are from a period of economic growth and certainty, and even during this time 24% of artists have been in arrears in the past year.

And yet, considering these high figures only 30% of artists have signed on in the past five years. These figures will show that it is in the early years of career that artists most rely on social welfare: Age 25 – 34 = 15% : Age 35 – 44 = 10% : Age 45 – 54 = 4% : Age 64+ = 1%. For this reason it is obvious that some form of state support is required for early career artists.

As artists must be self-employed for the tax exemptions scheme, and yet some may still have PAYE jobs (61% self-employed, 62% PAYE, 83% registered as both), we have found anomalies in how artists are treated by social welfare. This means that 42% of artists who have applied for social welfare (47% means tested, 36% PRSI) have had problems. 33% have been told to retrain, 22% have been threatened with a removal of benefits, and 12% have found variations between social welfare personnel. This is a direct comment from one of our correspondents “I was given a tip never to even mention art, which is what I did and so far no probs. Self-employed people suffer the same fate... so much better in current climate to state that one is out of work since last job, waitressing teaching etc.”

It would be unfair for us not to acknowledge the work of the Arts Council of Ireland, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Culture Ireland, the British Council, and local arts offices in their support of the visual arts. But their limited funding can go only so far as the call on their resources becomes more and more stretched, and their funding becomes more reduced. The following table shows applications for sources of funding available to artists.

■■

■■

■■

The Arts Council

22%

Local Authority Funding

16%

No sources of funding available

10%

Per Cent for Art Commissions

10%

Culture Ireland

8%

The Arts Council Northern Ireland

7%

Other Government Departmental Funding

6%

Funding from Private Enterprise

4%

EU Funding

3%

Funding from Private Sector

3%

Private Individuals

3%

Non Governmental Organisations

2%

UK Lottery

1%

Non-EU Funding

0%

As the above table indicates the primary funders are The Arts Council and local authorities, with percent for art and Culture Ireland coming very close to the top. It is therefore clear that the provision of funds to these organisations / schemes ensures that the individual artist is given the wherewithal to work, and to contribute to the creative economy.

Some of the international standard questions used to show the status of the individual within society may also prove of interest.

■■ 40% of artists did not take holidays in the past year ■■ 62% couldn’t afford to ■■ 72% have no private pension ■■ 45% have no private health insurance ■■ 48% are the primary earner of their household ■■ 83% could not work as an artist without the added income

of their partner And yet, when asked 83% stated that given the choice all over again they would still choose to be an artist. It is therefore imperative that Irish society takes an integrated and strategic view where the visual arts are concerned. Visual artists contribute to the cultural identity of our nation, and also address the morale of the population.

And yet, public opinion about this contribution is regularly directed by popular media that that visual artists are high earners and spongers off state systems. This needs to be quashed; especially in the light of the realities of the research that is published within this document.

Artists work at many levels, fields and contexts – for example in the areas of community, health, children, disability, environment, to name but a few. Often this work is in the form of volunteering. The continued support of the tax exemption, percent for art and the funding of the Arts Council and local authorities are vital but are only part of a larger picture that needs to be addressed.

Government needs to take a very strategic approach to how we can build a society in which the visual arts are supported. For this reason we need to look to education at its most early stages, support systems that need to be overhauled so as to recognise careers that some economists may see as an ‘irrational pursuit’, and put concrete action into ensuring that the visual arts becomes central rather than an inconvenient line item on an economist’s agenda. Only in this way can we truly say that we are a nation that places culture high on its lists of priority, and ensure that we can maintain free access to the arts such as we enjoy today.

Noel Kelly Chief Executive Officer / Director Visual Artists Ireland

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

16

September – October 2009

FOCUS

Institutionalising Humour Matt Packer discusses the relationship between art and humour.

Installation view. Winning entry by Martin Parsons, to a joke competition ran by the Glucksman in relation to the exhibition ‘Grin and Bear It’. Photo: Courtesy The Lewis Gluckman Gallery.

“Contemporary art is getting funnier” – these are the opening words of Ralph Rugoff’s introductory text to the exhibition catalogue, Laughing in a Foreign Language: an exhibition which took place at the Hayward Gallery, London, in 2008 (1). The exhibition was one of a number of recent large-scale exhibitions exploring humour in contemporary art. Others include ‘When Humour Becomes Painful’, at the Migros Museum, Zurich (2005), the US-touring exhibition ‘Situation Comedy’ (2005 – 2007), and ‘Grin & Bear It’, at Lewis Glucksman Gallery, Cork (2009).

These exhibitions took a serious look at the roots of humour in common social practice, and attempted to arrive at understandings of how humour can in a seemingly casual way reveals about the values of a society and culture. These shows staked out various thematic territories – confirming Simon Critchley’s analysis of humour as “a form of critical social anthropology” (2). For example ‘Laughing in a Foreign Language’ approached humour in terms of ethnicity and globalism, while ‘Grin & Bear It’ focused on humour’s cruel but community-affirming nature, and so on.

What all these exhibitions did share was a serious intent – just because they were focussed on humour they were not aiming to rouse laughs or cause fits of hysterics. So while viewers might identify the humour in Sean Landers’ needy but self-effacing paintings such as I’m Not Cool and I Know It and I’m a Clown in a World of Chimps, the experience of seeing these works in a gallery space falls short of inducing the laughs-per-minute of The Simpsons. Humour is for Landers – as it is for many artists – more of a way of reflecting on other

us to laughter. As Critchley writes “when it comes to what amuses us, we are all authorities, experts in the field… persons who might not otherwise feel themselves to be experts in metapsychology or French spiritualism somehow feel confident in dismissing Freud’s theory of jokes or Bergson’s account of laughter because they are either not funny or simply miss the point.” (4) Despite humour’s often delinquent relationship to the contextual harnesses of art institutions and academia, it is easy to understand humour’s magnetism to contemporary art. If the potential of contemporary art might allow us to “think the world otherwise” (to borrow from Charles Esche (5), then humour shares a similar capacity of transformation. Humour survives on undermining the expectations and priorities of the known world, turning things upside-down; threatening, supplanting and attacking the established order.

In recent examples of contemporary art it is often the ‘established order’ of the art world that is under attack with humour. There is Annika Ström’s text works for example, that carry statements such as “Please remove me from your mailing list” or “Oh, I so much want to make a piece of political art” – each statement dejectedly exposing the discriminations of the art world, while also suggesting Ström’s own artistic impressionability. Or Bedwyr Williams’ I Also Make Work installation that presents the aftermath of a bicycle accident between a gallery technician and a bus. Consisting of a sculptural presentation of a buckled bicycle and a range of scattered tools, iPod, rizlas, and other paraphernalia of the typical freelance gallery technician, this is presented alongside a wall text of dialogue spoken between the dying technician and an attendant parademic:

concerns. In Landers’ case: the heroism and egoism of the artist, the lofty intimidations of art history, and the social interdependency of the

PARAMEDIC: Stay with me mate...It’s going to be alright...tell me

art world.

Writing on ‘Laughing in a Foreign Language’ in the UK’s Daily Telegraph, arts journalist Richard Dorment’s persistent criticism was that none of the artwork was “remotely amusing” (3) , going further to describe it as “tedious … flat-footed … nasty”. Dorment was quick to sidestep the attempts of the exhibition to address humour on thematic

your name

TECHNICIAN: Urgh... oh… Jesus... urgh… Alex… aaah… bus… there

was a bus…

PARAMEDIC: What do you do for a living mate? Listen Alex I

really need you to keep talking to me.

terms (the humorous losses in translation between different ethnicities,

TECHNICIAN: Artist... I’m an Artist... well I’m more sort of a gallery

languages, and national identities); instead privileging his own right to

refuse the claims of humour that were purported to exist in the

PARAMEDIC: Oh right interesting, my daughter wants to do

artworks of the exhibition.

The example of Dorment’s criticism reveals humour’s stubborn bind to individual subjectivity; a bind that also makes humour so resistant to academic reckoning. We might be able to theorize humour’s

technician but... graphics when she leaves school.

TECHNICIAN: I... I also make my own work... ahh PARAMEDIC: Alex… Alex….

anthropological interactions or its social and cultural registers, but doing so often risks forgetting humour’s true effectiveness in moving

The cruel humour of Williams’ installation is predicated on the gallery technician’s struggle to claim his identity as an artist. The work gives a voice to the often-hidden labourers of the art world, but also reminds us that ‘being an artist’ contains idealism and the anxiety of professional validation.

There are less extreme and more subtle ways in which contemporary artists use humour to attest the priorities of the art world, such as in rubbishing the notion of artist as hero, or simply by focussing attention on similarly rubbishy subject matter that counteracts the high and mighty themes of modernism. In David Sherry’s Running for a Bus ­– a video of a performance work ­– we see the artist make 63 pathetic attempts to catch a bus while carrying heavy shopping bags. Sherry waits at the stop until a bus departs before then running after it; turning the common disappointment of missing a bus into an epic ritual of personal defeat. Sherry’s work doesn’t emphasise the artist as a bold conqueror that battles the dark wilderness of the human spirit; instead, he puts himself, the artist, in a position of relentless fallibility; hopelessly out of sync with the systems of everyday life.

These examples each belong to the gallery space, but all use humour to help us recognise the art world as a set of socially contingent, prejudicial structures; presenting a paradox to curators and arts institutions that want to embrace humour’s same sociocritical agency. How is it possible to give space and promotion to an artwork that meanwhile threatens to undermine the processes that allow for its presentation?

It could be a similar question applied to work from the 1960s and 1970s labelled ‘institutional critique’, which became typically associated with artists such as Hans Haacke, Andrea Fraser, Michael Asher, and Daniel Buren. Works included Haacke’s Shapolski et al.

Manhatten Real Estate Holdings, where the artist charted the relationships between the families of corporate empires and their proprietary of slum housing in various parts of New York City. Haacke used his position as an artist to reveal the gross disparities of wealth and social welfare between the landlord and tenants, in a work that was due to be included in his 1971 exhibition at the Guggenheim New York. The show was famously cancelled due to the work implicating a Trustee of the museum, but the reasons given by Thomas Messer, the Guggenheim’s then-Director, were otherwise: the argument that Haacke’s work “violates the supreme neutrality of the work of art and therefore no longer merits the protection of the museum.” (6) It is interesting to consider the suggestion of the ‘supreme neutrality of art’ in Messer’s disqualification of Haacke’s work. In nearly 40 years of turnaround, arts institutions have come a long way in dismantling the kinds of neutrality that Messer was referring to – creating discursive aspects to their exhibition programmes as a way of recognising the multiple and social make-ups of contemporary art.

More to the point, Haacke’s work operated as a way of testing the privileges and values of society, of art, and of the institutions that supported it back in 1971. Haacke’s work is far from being funny, and its comparison to some of the examples given above might seem counter-intuitive at best. Nevertheless, Haacke’s work gets close to what Mary Douglas describes of humour: as “a play upon form that affords an opportunity for realising that an accepted pattern has no necessity” (7). In this sense, Haacke – as one example of ‘institutional critique’ – shares with humour the impulse to use transparency as a way to embarrass the contrivances of power.

Perhaps exhibitions that take on the thematic of humour are bound to fail, precisely because humour will always revoke the claims made upon it. For that same reason, there needs to be more exhibitions of this kind, even bolder in their claims. In the words of Samuel Beckett (a writer who deftly juggled humour and high seriousness in his work) “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” (8)

THE END

Matt Packer Notes 1. Ralph Rugoff, Laughing in a Foreign Language, Hayward Gallery, 2008 2. Simon Critchley, On Humour, Routledge, 2002 3. Richard Dorment, Laughing in a Foreign Language: Beyond a Joke, Daily Telegraph, 5th Feb 2008 4. Simon Critchley, On Humour, Routledge, 2002 5. Charles Esche, About Exhibitions, Modest Proposals and Possibilities: An Interview with Charles Esche, by Jelena Vesic, published by Prelom Magazine (www.prelomkolektiv.org), 2004 6. Thomas Messer, quoted in Art Since 1900: Modernism, Antimodernism, Postmodernism, by Hal Foster, Rosalind, Krauss, 7. Yve-Alain Bois, and Benjamin Buchloh, 2005 7. Mary Douglas, Implicit Meanings: Essays in Anthrpology, 1975 8. Samuel Beckett, Worstward Ho, 1983

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

September – October 2009

17

Institution profile

Introducing Visual Carissa Farrell, Director of the Visual Centre for Contemporary Art and George Bernard Shaw Theatre, Carlow, discusses the VENUES Programme, aims & ambitions.

Jason Oakley: Walk me through the Visual building ...

Carissa Farrell: It is a very ‘pure’ building. The design, by Terry Pawson architects, pays homage to early modernism, the Bauhaus and the stark geometric architecture of the 1960s and 70s. Inside, the reception area has been designed as an intimate portal into Visual’s larger spaces – starting with the link gallery, which connects all the galleries. The palette of the building unfolds from here; soft grey concrete punctuated with large panels of dark brown oak.

The link gallery is a very large rectangular space, with a long window running the length of one side, which looks out onto a pond of the same dimensions. The walls are heavily textured grey concrete, with a beam and recess grey concrete ceiling – with a spectacular oak panelled wall at one end. Curating this gallery will be interesting; it especially lends itself to site-specific work.

Two 3 metre wide portals lead from the link gallery into the main gallery ­– which measures 29 metres long by 16 metres wide with a ceiling height of 11 metres. It is a breathtaking cathedral of light – it has the most amazing 3 metre high white glass windows, than run 8 metres above head height all around the gallery.

The link gallery also leads on to the studio gallery, a smaller cuboid space. This is a flexible room – it can also be transformed into a closed off studio or workshop space, by means of its 5 metre high doors. When closed, these doors camouflage themselves as part of the oak wall at the end of the link gallery.

Visual’s two first floor galleries are accessed by a staircase at the opposite end of the link gallery. The digital gallery is a large square room, which has been specifically designed to accommodate audiovisual work. This leads on to the lobby gallery, which offers a smaller scaled space lit via a skylight. At the end of this room, a staircase brings you back down into the link gallery.

JO: Could you briefly comment on how Visual came about, in terms of all the various partners and stakeholders involved in the project?

CF: Visual Centre for Contemporary Art & the George Bernard Shaw Theatre represents one of the most courageous and ambitious arts infrastructural projects carried out by a local authority in Ireland to date. Visual represents a facility, which hitherto would have seemed an impossible dream for artists and curators in Ireland. The town and county council are responsible for driving the project and worked hard over many years in consultation, research & fundraising to make sure they would provide a best-quality institution for the visual and performing arts. Also their vision in holding an architectural competition for the design, led to creation of the building which itself, which is an architectural legacy to mark Carlow firmly on the tourist and cultural map of Ireland and Europe.

Visual also represents the achievements that are possible when true alliances are made – through the members and staff of Carlow’s local authorities; Carlow College who donated the site; and the Department of Arts Sport & Tourism whose €3.17m contribution showed faith and enthusiasm for a project of real ambition.

JO: Do you see Visual as a regional or national institution?

CF: I certainly see Visual becoming a national institution in the future – but it has to be built up over time through high quality programming, management and governance.

JO: Will there be interaction between the visual art and theatre programmes?

CF: Yes, there will be and we plan to use the theatre for lectures, conferences and so on. We are throwing a few ideas around at the moment for a major conference on the visual arts, another for on architecture, as well as planning a multi-disciplinary GB Shaw Summer School – all for 2010.

JO: Tell me about the opening programme.

CF: Our inaugural programme runs from 25 September – 16 January.

24 September will be our opening night (1).

The main gallery will host ‘The Weight of Light’ an exhibition of work by Maud Cotter, Richard Gorman, Cecil King, Eilís O’Connell, Patrick Scott, Sean Shanahan, Sean Scully, Charles Tyrrell and Michael Warren. The works have been selected to resonate with Visual’s architecture. Besides celebrating Irish abstraction. It is also a homage to these artists life-long contribution to the development of the profile of Irish visual in Ireland and abroad.

Bauhaus, modernism, space and architecture. Ciaran Walsh will present new work resulting from his long-term research into Wilhelm Reich and his disputed notion of ‘Orgone’ (2) energy. Tadhg McSweeney is working on a new piece that will explore the architecture of Visual.

JO: Will Visual produce publications?

CF: Yes, we will produce a limited number of high quality publications.

A book will accompany the inaugural programme and I am also planning a major retrospective with a senior Irish artist next year and I’m planning for a substantial publication for this as well.

The Main Gallery. Visual Centre for Contemporary Art & George Bernard Shaw Theatre, Carlow.

Photo: Ros Kavanagh

JO: Does Visual have an education and outreach department?

CF: No, but myself and Róisín McGarr the theatre manager, have initiated some outreach projects. One is a song writing / choir project with primary schools involving 250 children who will perform at the official launch. Another is a banner-making project with transition year students from five local secondary schools – their banners will be exhibited outdoors as part of the inaugural programme. We are also specifically developing links with two local groups, ArtsAware and Carlow Playwrights. Also workshops, lectures; gallery tours and artists talks will take place in relation to the inaugural programme.

In addition, I am also working on a longer–term strategy for inter-agency co-operation, where we fit into the needs of various local development agencies, rather than creating a new independent layer of activity.

JO: Will Visual collect work?

CF: No – but there is a Carlow County Collection, which I would love to do some work with in the future.

JO: What will Visual’s relationship to the Eigse festival be?

CF: A very strong one – Visual will host part of their programme from 2010 onwards. I believe that change is inevitable with the move to Visual, and Eigse are very aware of the challenge and opportunities that it presents and are gearing up for it. Visual will benefit hugely from Eigse as it attracts large numbers of visitors to Carlow and is a regular date on the festival calendar in Ireland.

JO: Does Visual have a particular commitment to the showcasing contemporary artists and art practice based in and taking place in the region?

CF: I have always believed that institutions should work with its constituents on an ongoing basis. Visual’s core mission is to be rooted locally and I think working with artists who are based locally is one way of achieving that. Our opening programme features three artists who are from Carlow – Declan Rooney, Neva Elliott and Ciaran Walsh, as well as Tadhg McSweeney, who has settled here with his family. There are quite a lot of strong artists living in the Carlow area; and I hope to meet more locally based artists with a view to working with them in the future.

The Link Gallery. Visual Centre for Contemporary Art & George Bernard Shaw Theatre, Carlow.

Photo: Ros Kavanagh

The link gallery will house Stax, a new site-specific installation by the American artist Polly Apfelbaum. The piece is inspired by and titled after the Memphis record label and studio of the same name; as well as referencing to Donald Judd’s ‘stack’ pieces. Again, I was looking for a dialogue with the building’s architecture. Apfelbaum’s work is floor based, which nicely contrasts the very vertical and upright work in the main gallery. Her current work involves colourful sequined fabrics, so I thought her work would offer a kind of playfulness that would render the space ‘lived in’ and turn things around a bit.

The studio gallery will host Stallion a new work by Daphne Wright, commissioned by the Arts Office of Carlow County Council under the Visualise Programme. Wright has cast the corpse of a horse in marble resin. I think this work will provide a provocative punctuation to the flow of the other exhibitions.

Upstairs in the digital gallery Amanda Coogan has curated a project entitled ‘Accumulator’ – an idea that she came up with when I approached her to be part of the programme herself. Coogan has invited five of her performance artist peers to make a work that will form part of a ‘necklace’ of performances, each one dealing with the detritus of the last. Each artist will also show a gallery based digital work. This show will be a more organic, action based project – with unknown outcomes; and so again it provides a counterpoint to the more conventional museum-like show in the main gallery.

Three other projects complete the programme. A series of screen prints by Joseph Albers, lent by Hayward Gallery’s touring programme will offer another link to issue of abstraction, the

JO: What kind of catchment area is Visual addressing?

CF: Our immediate catchment area is Carlow town and county, but we are looking far wider than that – Kilkenny, Wicklow, Laois, Wexford, Kildare are all really close by. If you think in terms of a drive time under 40 minutes – which is used as a cut-off point in the theatre sector – you get a really wide area with lots of towns and a large population base. Also, as our national profile develops, I anticipate our catchment will expand.

JO: Visual was heralded by the Visualise (3) programme of curated temporary projects. Is Visualise set to continue and if so, what will its relationship to Visual be?

CF: Yes, Visualise will continue – and Visual will have working relationship with the programme. For example. Daphne Wright’s Stallion is a Visualise project. Overall, I see a great opportunity for dialogue and co-operation between the Arts Office and Visual.

JO: What is the overall ethos of Visual?

CF: To be rooted in the community, while developing a strong national and international profile; to provide our community with the opportunity to learn about and be confident and critical of art and culture in all its forms; to work with artists at every level of their career; to support innovation; to create new links between theatre and the visual arts; to be a cultural and social hub for Carlow town.

Notes 1. Buses from Dublin will be organised for the opening night of Visual – for details contact info@visualcarlow.ie.

2. For further details see – http://www.ciaranwalsh.com 3. http://www.carlow.ie/sites/CarlowInternet/Information/TheArts/Pages/VisualiseCarlow.aspx

18

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

September – October 2009

PROJECT PROFILE

Altered Images Cliodna Shaffrey reports on ‘Altered Images’ – an exhibition which aims to stimulate engagement with the visual arts for the general public and particularly for disabled people.

Thomas Brezing. Did Germany put the sun there?, 2007, Oil on paper, 29 x 42 cm, Collection Mayo County Council, Purchase, 2007.

South Tipperary Museum recently hosted a unique exhibition entitled ‘Altered Images’ (19 June 2009 – 5 August) (1). I say unique, not so much because of the artworks on display (though the works are all very much of interest in themselves), but, because the show has been curated with the primary intention of connecting with universal audiences. This includes the blind, the deaf, audiences whose physical movements are impaired, the uninitiated, alongside the regular exhibition-goer well versed in the ritual of looking at art. The primary curatorial remit – making contemporary art accessible in a multidimensional way, would lay the basis for what became a slow curatorial process involving multiple partners of South Tipperary and Mayo County Councils’ and IMMA and gave scope to work within existing resources (permanent collections) as well as commissioning two new film works by artists Amanda Coogan and Daphne Wright. The show also included work by Abigail O’Brien, Caroline McCarthy, Alice Maher, Thomas Brezing and David Creedon.

From the start, there were many considerations that the curators would take on board, such as which artworks to select and how might these form a conceptually interesting grouping? How might they go about inventive ways of connecting a broad range of audiences to the artworks, without being overly literal or losing something in translation? How might gaps be overcome – both real and perceived obstacles – that can open out the visual arts experience and allow others in? Other considerations would emerge as the process evolved for example, the ambition to commission new artwork brought up how the curators might best support artistic practice in response to this particular exhibition? What proves so fundamental to the success of the project is slow and focused approach based on a partnership.

Here resources, skills, research and time could be shared and the event itself – the final exhibition, with its various levels of interpretation – tactile models, audio recordings, written texts in Braille, video which uses sign language, alongside integral programme of workshops and talks and available guides - is designed to tour. So, after its stint in South Tipperary it will go on to Mayo and then to IMMA and then, perhaps, abroad. Mary Cloake, director of the Arts Council suggested in her opening speech that we might all now begin to think “New York, Paris, Clonmel”. The suggestion being that partnerships can be made between big cities and small towns, big institutions and project spaces, the local and the international.

So how did it all begin? I met Sally O’Leary – Arts Officer for South Tipperary County Council and one of the co-curators of ‘Altered Images’ – and she explained that when she was public art officer in Mayo County Council she had a discussion with Damien O’ Connor, (Mayo Disability Arts Coordinator) around a project he was previously involved in with Manchester City Gallery. The City gallery was keen to explore how artworks might be made available to universal audiences and chose a work by David Hockney as a testing ground, where they

employed multi-sensory devices as a means of facilitation on several sensory and cognitive levels – touching, listening, hearing, imagining, feeling, seeing, navigating, experiencing. For a single artwork this involves considerable investment – for an entire exhibition it is quite an undertaking.

O’Leary was keen to push ahead – this was 2007, before the downturn, when we were allowed to be ambitious. Forming a partnership was straightforward. Relationships were already established with IMMA and with Anne McCarthy, Mayo Arts Officer.

Together they were awarded an Arts Council Local Authorities Partnership grant - and this gave the process space and time for research and also to consider its feasibility. On board with O’Leary and McCarthy were curators Johanne Mullan and Georgie Thompson from the National Programme at IMMA and Damien O’Connor from Mayo Arts Office. With a sense of purpose each partner would further invest in this initiative and support its realisation by working with specialist designers such as Loz Simpson of Topografic who designed and made the sophisticated and well built tactile interpretive models to operate alongside each of the artworks and Anne Hornsby from the UK organisation Minds Eye, who provide an incredible audio description service for the blind. Hornsby’s close scrutiny of individual artworks makes things visible through audio technologies.

Clarity of thinking seems to run through this venture and things kept “falling into place” as Sally O’Leary put it. Perhaps it is because it was tightly structured process and the groundwork was so solid, now the focus could be on developing the materials and resources around each of the artworks and engaging Daphne Wright and Amanda Coogan to make new works.

Daphne Wright’s film is a beautifully made and evocative work about memory, or rather loss of memory and the ageing mind. She takes a 17th century sculpture as the starting point for her film, where the translucence of the marble seems almost like flesh and where there is a charged and tender eroticism in the slow-pan camera work. It is the interior of this sculpture that is of interest to her – with its folds and deep crevices and dark shadows and where we only get glimpses, fragments of the whole. Over this, the sound of elderly voices learning to read using phonetics creates an emotional presence. Wright’s film is an empathetic exploration of an ageing mind where the struggle for language, memories and conversations are no longer easily attainable and have become opaque, tortured and frustrated.

Amanda Coogan’s task was challenging. She was invited to make a work in response to the artworks already selected for exhibition – Abigail O’ Brien’s wonderful Last Supper – made when she was still a student in 1995; two small paintings by German artist Thomas Brezing that speak of the darker realities of his homeland’s histories; Alice Maher’s etchings using liquid from snail trails; David Creedon’s photograph of an abandoned house with its dilapidated kitchen and

Amanda Coogan after Alice Maher

Caroline McCarthy’s striking large-scale photograph The Luncheon – a still life made from wet toilet paper; a pastiche of the 17th century genre.

Coogan’s Seven Chapters is a film where she takes each of the six artworks as a basis for a single chapter. The seventh, an introductory chapter reflects on contemporary art, meaning and ways of seeing, using John Coltrane’s version of My favourite things, as an entry point to her methodology of distilling something she finds essential out of each artists’ work. The piece includes a narrated text using sign language and, while it is made in consideration of a deaf audience, it is not made for a deaf audience. In this double role Coogan finds a way into the artists’ work (becoming a sort of idiosyncratic intermediary) as well a creating an entirely new work of her own. The snails moving slowly through her hair and on her face – powerful and beautiful; a Nazi salute – a homage to Brezing’s homage to Kiefer; the counting of time – a stitching detail picked up from the edges of O’Brien’s linen tablecloth. Coogan loosens things up, supports a personal take where her presence remains powerful in a series of performances and she reminds us, as Jacque Rancière has written” interpreting the world [is] a means of transforming it, reconfiguring it”.(2) What perhaps is so successful about this exhibition is that it is conceived to be received on so many possible levels of experiences. A personal treat was the short audio recordings each artist made about their work, listening to their voice while present with their work. An exhibition like this brings up thinking in general around audiences for contemporary art and suggests that we might ask ourselves hard questions such as, are we guilty of ‘walling’ ourselves in, mostly thinking of our peers as our predominant audience? But it also made me think about the action of looking at art, and how different dynamics of the artwork, the context and spectator are all interrelated. We bring our individual experiences into the given situation. Seeing as Amanda Coogan suggests “is related to the brain, the heart and what you remember”.

As Merleau Ponty put it “We look out from the inside” (3) – and ‘Altered Images’ can thus be considered as an experiment to explore how the visual arts experience might be opened to others. Moreover, the curators are keen to stress that the exhibition for them has been a “learning ground” and the ideas emerging from the show will lead them in further directions in future.

Cliodna Shaffrey Notes 1. ‘Altered Images’ toured to Ballina Arts Centre, Co Mayo (14 Aug – 30 Sept) and will be show at IMMA in 2010. Further information on the show can be seen at www.alteredimages.ie 2. Jacques Rancière The Emancipated Spectator, Artform, March 2007. http://www.cybergrain. com/remediality/ranciere_spectator.pdf 3. Maurice Merleau Ponty Eye and Mind in Continental Aesthetics, ed Richard Kearney and David Rasmussen, Blackwell, Oxford, 2001, p298

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

19

September – October 2009

INTERNATIONAL

Sculpture by John Mc Hugh

Achill to Cologne

Kunsthause Rhenanis building with city and cathedral.

Opening of exhibition with performance.

transporting work to Germany turned out to be self-drive. This required hire of a van and arranging of insurance etc. Overall around

John McHugh reports on ‘Aquila’ a showing of work by the Achill Artist Group at Kunsthause Rhenania Cologne, held in April this year.

100 pieces of work were transported for exhibition.

The show featured work by nine artists from Achill showing alongside Günter Beckers and René Böll with two other Cologne based artists; Claus Dieter Geissler and Dorothee Freitag. The nine Achill-

tremendous atmosphere of artistic initiative and practical endeavour

based artists were Mary Lavelle Burke; Ronan Halpin, John Mc Hugh,

– motivated and implemented by artists themselves, though

Amanda Mac Mahon; Margo Mc Nulty; Margaret Morrisson; Willem

continuous series of exhibitions, interactions, events, performances

van Goor; Francis Van Maele, and Antic-Ham (Kim Hye Mee). Each

and happenings. Such levels of artistic activity attract artists from

individual artist selected which of their works to include. The

across Europe and further a field. The Kunsthause Rhenania has hosted

exhibition contained over 100 pieces of works in sculpture, painting,

exhibitions and collaborations from individual artists, and groups

printmaking, installation, photography and books.

from various cities and countries, including Liverpool and Barcelona.

Margaret Morrisson. Wave 130 x 130 cm. Oil on Canvas.

Kunsthause Rhenania is housed in a vast 1930s warehouse space.

The Achill Artists Group was invited to exhibit at the Kunsthause Rhenania by the Künstler Museum Beckers Böll (1). This museum is an

The gallery space is an immense concrete hall, allowing for considerable

initiative of artists Günter Beckers, and René Böll, through which they

of the space was required before hanging of the works – mainly

organise an ongoing series of interactions and exhibitions in various

rearranging panel walls, and some preparation of surfaces. Work

venues. Primarily they use space at Künstler Museum at Ludwigsallee

began on Tuesday morning for opening on Thursday evening. All the

79 in Achen, and in two venues in Cologne, at the Rheinauhafen

artists participated in the installation of the exhibition and organised

Pavilion, an information building owned by the Port Authority, and at

the opening reception, and invigilation of the exhibition, there was no

the nearby Kunsthause Rhenania. The Künstler Museum Beckers Böll,

commission on sales, however the level of sales were low.

flexibility in installation of the exhibition. On arrival some preparation

acting as a local host organisation, were in a position to seek funding

The guest speakers at the opening was Mr Patrick Johnston, first

and supports from the city of Cologne, and The Irish Embassy in

secretary from the Irish embassy, and the city of Cologne was

Berlin, and to invite coverage from local arts and Irish interest media

represented by elected official and culture committee member, Frau

organisations.

Calro Blum. The embassy speaker was invited by the Achill Group to

Achill Island has a reputation as an area of artistic interest going

officially introduce the works on exhibition and open the show. City

back over 100 years. Alexander Williams RHA lived and worked on the

representative Frau Calro Blum was invited by the German artists to

island in the last years of the nineteenth century. American painter

give recognition to the event from the city cultural committee, to

Robert Henri lived and worked on the island in the nineteen teens and

officially welcome the artists from Achill, and to formally greet the

1920s completing landscapes and portraits, and Paul Henry also

representative from the embassy. The Honorary Consul of Ireland in

worked there for seven years in the nineteen teens developing his

Cologne Ms. Brigitte Wagner-Halswick was also present.

typical imagery from the dramatic landscape. Through the twentieth

The opening was very well attended by members of the public,

century many more painters and writers, Irish and international, worked

many with an interest in Achill and Ireland, (through the works

on the island, including Mennie Jellet, Marei Howet, Maurice

Heinrich Böll), and by members of the Irish community living in the

MacGonigal, Louis le Brocqey, Derek Hill, Graham Green and Louis

city. There was also a large group of artists and writers – many

MacNeice.

travelling from neighbouring cities. The opening included a

German writer and Nobel laureate Heinrich Böll visited during

performance piece by artists based at Kunsthause Rhenania.

the 1950s, and subsequently set up a home on the island – now used as

The exhibition provided an important opportunity for the

a residency for writers and artists. The residency is an appropriate

participating artists to exhibit their works in an international venue,

continuing memorial to the writer in Ireland, and a tangible support

located in a prominent cultural site in Europe. It was a crucial and

for writers and artists; which also maintains a continued focus for

enriching opportunity for the artists. Exhibiting work outside of a

artistic activities on the island.

familiar cultural environment, in a prominent central cultural venue,

The Achill Artists group is a collective of visual artists living on

allowed the artists to rigorously review their work in terms of

the island. They have organised a series of five group exhibitions over

approach, technique, subject matter and presentation – as well as in

12 years – containing new works in sculpture, painting and

the context of a vibrant international art scene, an opportunity not

printmaking. Members of the group share a common set of influences from the surrounding culture and environment. Landscape and a

readily available in Ireland.

Kim Hye Mee In the future everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes 45 x 45 cm silkscreen.

sense of place are all-important, and for most of the participating artists, emerge as key subject matter.

This exhibition was made possible through funding by Culture Ireland, Achill Island Tourism, Mayo County Council, Cologne City,

Contacts between the Achill Artists group and Günter Beckers

The Irish Embassy Berlin, and by private donations. Culture Ireland (a

Through contacts with artists from Germany who had worked at

and René Böll were established over several years through visits to

possible casualty of An Bord Snip Nua), provided funding to specifically

the Heinrich Böll cottage over several years, the Achill Artists group

Achill by the Cologne artists; and visits to Germany by individual

meet costs of transporting artworks, and some travels and

were invited to exhibit work in Kunsthause Rhenania in Cologne. The

members of the Achill group. An awareness of the work of each group

accommodation costs for the participating artists. Achill Island

exhibition, entitled ‘Aquila’ opened on 16 April 2009 and ran for 10

of artists – in Achill and Cologne – was developed; and discussions of

Tourism was approached to support the promotion of the area, which

days until 26 April. The Kunsthause Rhenania (http://www.

a possible exhibition in Cologne emerged organically over time. Given

the exhibition generated in Cologne. Mayo County Council arts grants

rhenaniakunsthaus.de) is a prominent municipal-owned studio and

these significant contacts, and the ongoing exhibitions organised by

were approached because of their involvement in supporting and

gallery complex, located in a revitalised riverside site in Cologne city

the Achill group, there was an ideal opportunity to develop an

promoting artists in the county. Funding from the Irish Embassy and

centre. The space is an artists-led venture operated on a not-for-profit

exhibition to bring new works from Achill to Cologne. The exhibition

the city of Cologne was organised by the German artists.

basis and part funded by the city of Cologne.

could not have happened without partnership with artists in Cologne

The art world in Cologne exists on an immense scale, informed

to act as host organisations.

and influenced by private galleries and major art fairs, and is

Invitations were designed to include an image from each

inextricably linked to other centres of activity across Europe. There is

participating artist to act as a record of the exhibition. These were

a seemingly inexhaustible array of arts centres, studios facilities,

produced in Achill and shipped to Germany for mailing to local lists in

collectives and individual independent artists. Overall there is a

Cologne. The only practical and financially viable method of

Organising this exhibition involved a full commitment from all the participating artists. The Achill Artists Group look forward to organising future projects and exhibitions.

John Mc Hugh Notes 1. ( http://www.kuenstler-beckers-boell-museum.de ).

20

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

September – October 2009

INTERNATIONAL

Catherine Barragry mid performance in the Thisisnotashop space. picture courtasy of TISNAS

The basic idea behind X-Initiative bringing so many ‘independents’ together was so that interesting – but maybe not so high profile – initiatives could come together and show in a place not usually associated with not-for-profit ventures. It was hoped that those showing would make contacts with new and exciting people and ideas. And this was the case for Katherine Maguire who also showed a piece with Thisisnotashop. Her video / sound installation piece Footage, included a pair of found shoes. Maguire had hoped that another artist would take the shoes at the end of the show and make work with them. Sure enough on the last day, her found shoes were found by another artist – and so the story continues.

Paula Barrett’s work shown at ‘No Soul For Sale’ invoked the idea of chance and the opportune moment. Titled Kairos Captured I and Thisisnotashop space at 'No Sould for Sale'. (Forground) Wendy Judge The Eustace Project. Background Clive Murphy Porn-Spam T - Shirts – suspended sculpture by Robert Carr. Photo: Edel Horan.

Rubbing Shoulders Edel Horan reports on ‘No Soul For Sale – A Festival of Independents’ an event held at THE X-Initiative, NEw York 23 – 28 June.

Kairos Captured II, the piece comprised of 100 scratch lottery cards hang under Plexiglas on the wall space of Thisisnotashop’s space.

Accompanying this were two paintings by Gillian Lawlor entitled City Block on Stilts 1 and City Block on Stilts 2. These oil and graphite on canvas pieces were among some of very few oil paintings at the show.

Printworks and editions predominated as did video and installation work.

Among the examples of work from their writing workshops,

The aim of the New York based X-Initiative (1) is to bring together the most exciting, creative and respected not-for-profit centres, collectives and independents from all over the world. X-Initiative is itself a not-forprofit venture. One of the initiatives key aims is to “respond at speed to any major economic and philosophical shifts in culture” – and it has been founded to exist for only one year. As part of its activities the X-Initiative organised ‘No Soul For Sale – A Festival of Independents’, which was held at the former premises of the Dia Foundation in Chelsea New York 23 – 28 June.

The opening reception for ‘No Soul For Sale’, was full to capacity, which I took as a good indicator of levels of support and interest independent art initiatives. Appropriately described in the publicity material “as neither an art fair nor an exhibition – but a festival”, the festival spirit certainly abounded on the opening night and over the duration of the event.

Thirty-eight galleries from the USA, Europe and elsewhere were invited to take part in ‘No Soul for Sale’ (2). There was no charge for participation, the X-Initiative making reference to the concept of “radical hospitality”. Moreover, for most of the galleries, their invitation had been a surprise – albeit a very welcome one.

Amongst the participants was the Dublin’s Thisisnotashop. The venues director, Jessamyn Fiore, reckoned that they may have come to the X-Initiatives attention via the curator Massimiliano Gioni (of the Trusardi Foundation, Milan and The New Museum, New York) who had visited the gallery on a recent trip to Dublin as part of the ‘Curating in the Contemporary World’ series of talks organised as part of National College of Art and Design's Art in Contemporary World MA. Gioni may have passed on his interest to his peer Cecilia Alemani who is the curatorial director of X-Initiative (3).

The galleries showing at ‘No Soul for Sale’ were invited to present performances, artworks, publications, video screenings or even just the personal presence. The latter idea was taken up by The Mountain School of Arts (Los Angeles) – their space stood almost empty save for a table and chairs and some information about what they do.

Located between Fluxspace from Philadelphia and The Mountain School of Arts, Thisisnotashop sold its wares well. X-Initiative’s “exercise in coexistence” provided each contributing gallery with a space marked off only by lines on the floor (in the spirit of Lars Von Trier’s Dogville). In the Thisisnotashop space Clive Murphy’s brightly coloured Porn Spam T - Shirts served as a strong visual counterpoint to a bold graffitied wall that dominated the neighbouring presentation by Fluxspace.

X-Initiative gave no money to their participants, so the artists

Thisisnotashop presented a number of publications – Esperanza

represented in each galleries space, had to pay their own way over and

Collado’s El Cine No Puede Decir; Susan Thompson’s The Swimming

back for themselves and their works. As such most of the works

Diaries; N.S. Malone’s It might have been five minutes she listened of half the

included in Thisisnotashop’s group show were ‘suit-cased’ to the

night – A young girl’s diary (backwards); along with Jessica Foley’s hand

states.

written and illustrated Sketchbook of a Screenplay and Free Energy City a

With one or two exceptions, most of the artists showing with

paper and pen production by Aine Ivers. Also on display was Imelda

Thisisnotashop travelled to the show. The gallery’s interns also travelled

Brand’s Ireland in the Contemporary World produced on the NCAD MA

over to help. Many hands made light(ish) work of the install – with

Art in the Contemporary World. This text explored themes thought to

Robert Carr’s sculpture being perhaps the most delicate and difficult to

be of interest about contemporary art in Ireland for non-Irish audiences.

install. Robert Carr sent a custom-made carry case made for the piece Untitled 4, which was transported by Jessamyn as checked luggage at no extra cost.

Some works were built on site – such as the display rail for Clive Murphy’s t-shirts. Bob Fiore, father of Jessamyn – who lives outside New York, built the bookcase displaying The Writing Workshop 08 / 09 pieces; and he also provided the table and chairs needed for Jessica Foley’s video and book installation Experiments in Measurement – along with the TV monitor for Katherine Maguire‘s installation. Portable DVD players and printed information were brought over by Thisisnotashop.

Wendy Judge’s pieces The Device Assembly Facility, Smoke and The Eustace Project incited much interest. Judge arrived early to the install and built parts of her pieces on site. Described by the artist as “expandable” pieces she transported the works via suitcase. Other materials were purchased on site – such as batteries and lights.

Catherine Barragry also had a delicate install process with her ‘disco egg’ piece, which accompanied her performance Killer Heels. The ‘disco egg’ was hung from disco ball motor as a background prop for the artist’s performance piece. Unfortunately a skipping record sound for the performance was ruled out, due to a fault with the record player.

Barragry also performed a new piece, titled underground which was much enjoyed by Fluxus artist Larry Miller.

Each participant at ‘No Soul For Sale’ had timetabled use of the main performance space on the ground floor. Catherine Barragry performed underground on Wednesday 24 June after the New York based Wreckio Ensemble, whom Thisisnotashop had specially invited to perform. The Wreckio Ensemble performed excerpts from an original theatrical production, which they had originally created for Thisisnotashop. Both performances took place over the periods of two hours from 7pm – 9pm.

Overall, the decision to present the work of a range of artists, rather than a solo show or a focus on one or two larger works worked well for Thisisnotashop.

In terms of media coverage, an image of Catherine Barragry’s performance Killer Heels was used to illustrate The New York Times coverage of the event (4). In addition Wendy Judge’s and Robert Carr’s work was featured in an article in the fashion magazine VMAN. Another outcome from the event is that Thisisnotashop’s writing workshop has been invited to participate in another X-Initiative event, which is being organised for PS1 later this year.

‘No Soul For Sale’ offered a unique opportunity for a small not-forprofit gallery in Dublin to rub shoulders with its peers from all over the globe. This was the first show by Thisisnotashop outside of Ireland; and Jessamyn Fiore felt it was a “successful experience” (5). The enthusiasm and willingness of the artists and gallery staff to make the show work reflect the core attributes of the Thisisnotashop’s small budget / hard work ethic.

Edel Horan Notes 1. For further details see – www.x-initiative.org 2. The full list of participants – Artis Contemporary Israeli Art Fund (New York and Tel Aviv), Ballroom (Marfa), Bizart / Arthub (Shanghai / Hong Kong), Dispatch (New York), Empty Purse Publications (New York), Filipa Oliveira + Miguel Amado (Lisbon), Fluxspace (Philadelphia), Galerie Im Regierungsviertel / Forgotten Bar Project (Berlin), Hermes und Der Pfau (Stuttgart), K48 (New York), Kadist Art Foundation (Paris), Kling & Bang (Reykjavík), L’Appartement 22 (Rabat), Latitudes (Barcelona), Laxart (Los Angeles), Light Industry (Brooklyn), Lucie Fontaine (Milan), Migrating Forms (New York), Mono. Kultur (Berlin), Mousse Magazine (Milan), Next Visit (Berlin), Not an Alternative (Brooklyn), Participant inc. (New York), Black Market / Rob Pruitt (New York), Rhizome (New York), Starship (Berlin), Storefront for Art and Architecture (New York), Studio Film Club (Trinidad), Supportico Lopez (Berlin), Surasi Kusolwong (Thailand), Swiss Institute (New York), The Mountain School of Arts (Los Angeles), Thisisnotashop (Dublin), Transformer (Washington DC), Viafarini (Milan), Vox Populi (Philadelphia), Wage Artists (New York), White Columns (New York), Yokoland supported by the Office for Contemporary Art Norway, (Oslo).

3) From a conversation with the writer.

4) Restoring the Eek to Eking out a Living 25 June 2009. New York Times.

5) From a conversation with the writer.

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

September – October 2009

21

International

Addressing Identity Sarah Baume reports on ‘iD’, an international collaborative project HELD in Gorzów, POLAND 5 – 12 June 2009.

The orphanage - the venue for 'iD', Gorzów

Takahiro Suzuki – Ikiro (Be Alive) project.

MISIETUPODOBA's (Ewa Kozubal, Ewa Bone, Ewa Wawrów, Michał Rajchemba, Katarzyna Szeszycka and Paweł Zimmermann). installation at ‘iD’, Gorzów

The Kevin Tuohy The Triumph of Art Over Capitalism. Installation

At the start of June I found myself in the city of Gorzów Wielkopolski on the Warta River in western Poland. Gorzów is a city of tall trees and ochre yellow apartment blocks. It is big enough to have two Tescos, a McDonalds and a Vera Moda, but small enough for its inhabitants to be mildly amused by foreign arty types. Before 1945, Gorzów was a part of Germany, and thoroughly German in population. After the Second World War, the borders were shifted in accordance with the provisions of the Potsdam Conference, and Gorzów was handed over to Poland.

The Poles were repatriated, and the Germans were expelled back to Germany.

In light of the city’s fractured history, it was an interesting place for me to go in order to be involved with a project that was entitled ‘iD’ and that proposed to “address the issue of artistic identity…as it is influenced both consciously and subconsciously by a wide range of factors including social, economic and political context; climate, family, media, location, nationality, religion.”(1) The project was focused around a central exhibition which was offset by a week of concerts, talks, workshops and presentations that brought together over 40 artists from Ireland, England, Germany, Poland, Holland and Japan.

The iD project was organised by Cork-based Polish artist Bartek Nowak in collaboration with art groups SKART (Cork), Salon Bruit (Berlin) and Association Strefa Sztuki (Gorzów). It was backed by the Municipal Centre of Art (MOS) in Gorzów, but mostly funded by the artists and groups involved.

Along with thousands of his fellow countrymen and women, Nowak came to Ireland during the country‘s economic hey day. He settled in Cork, setting up a small interior decorating business that he still runs today. Right from the start, Nowak was determined to continue practising as an artist, to contribute in some way to the increasingly diverse culture that surrounded him. He became involved with projects organised by Sharon McCarthy and Kevin Tuohy of the Cork-based artistic collaboration SKART. McCarthy and Tuohy formed SKART after graduating from the Crawford College of Art and Design in 2005. Disillusioned by the commerciality and insularity of the local scene, they sought to create some kind of a platform for innovative untraditional or site responsive forms of work. The original idea for the iD project was born out of conversations between Nowak, McCarthy and Tuohy during Cork’s annual Art Trail of 2008, which was being coordinated by SKART and included work by Nowak, as well as Berlinbased artist Seamus O’Donnell of the experimental sound art group Salon Bruit. As creative relationships were formed and discussion carried on into the weeks and months that followed, Nowak’s plans to bring an international site-specific project of contemporary art to his hometown in Poland steadily began to evolve. Securing the sponsorship and support of the Municipal Centre of Art in Gorzów was what finally allowed the project to come to fruition. Despite the difficultly for Nowak in dividing his time between Ireland and Poland in order to realise the project, the partnership of SKART in Cork and Salon Bruit

in Berlin provided an invaluable support system of practical skills, as

The opening night was a resounding success, punctuated by ad-hoc performances and attended by a spectacular pick’n’mix of colourful characters from Polish ravers and English conceptualists to graffiti artists and German physicists. It was a uniquely Polish affair, with tidy rows of red and white wineglasses replaced by a man serving beakers of frothy beer from a pump. The sun shone and so many people turned up that they crowded and swarmed and spilled all over the orphanage and its grounds. Later in the evening a ‘noise concert’ of experimental music and live sound art took place, organised by Salon Bruit. The ‘noises’ varied from the intense rhythms of heavy metal to laptop-based electronic twanging, with the performers dressed in anything from a monkey suit to a Santa beard.

Over the weekend after the opening night, a workshop in artistic electronics given by German artist Jo FRGMNT Grys attracted a great deal of interest. This was followed by a series of nightly conferences, which took place in the Municipal Centre of Art. The conferences allowed for presentations by the art groups that had facilitated the iD project, as well as talks by exhibiting artists such as Takahiro Suzuki, and Ewa Kozubal and Ewa Bone of the Polish artistic duo MISIETUPODOBA. Elaborate exhibitions and events of this nature should not be allowed to go off with a bang and disappear into their own smoke without some pause for reflection – and the conferences were a really constructive way of looking back at the project, both considering and assessing, tackling issues and ideas that had been proposed or had arisen naturally. They wound up with another evening of sound art performances, featuring artists such as Kaspar Konig and Maja Gehrig (Holland), Farrah Hattam and Dr.Nexus (Berlin). This time the space was more confined and the atmosphere more intense. For someone who knows little about ‘sound’ as an art form, I found it enhanced my enjoyment to have heard the performers make presentations on previous nights that explained the physics and the concepts underpinning their unusual practices.

During the course of my time spent in Gorzów Wielkopolski, I was made aware that nothing like the iD project had ever happened in the city before. There had never been an art event that prioritised such unconventional work and that chose to locate it in a situation so very at odds with the traditional art gallery. Bartek Nowak is to be applauded for pursuing his vision right through from aspirational conversation to multifaceted finished product. The very fact that discussion took place around how best to organise next year’s event is testament to the overall success of the project as a whole. I, for one, very much hope that the iD project will develop and expand, that the ideas and possibilities inspired will endure, and that the friendships formed and networks established will persevere long after the orphanage has been returned once again to the mice and the damp and the woodworm.

well as creative input.

Nowak was keen to bring the project to an unconventional setting within Gorzów, finally securing a disused orphanage that was due to be sold by the City Council. On arrival, I was instantly enchanted by the crumbling building. The photographs of the venue that I had been sent in advance had naturally overlooked all of its most dishevelled features; the jagged hollows kicked through plasterboard partitioning, the layers of crudely felt-tipped graffiti, and the stained wooden boards where carpets ought to be. The transformation of tumbledown bedrooms into miniature white cubes was no mean feat.

In some cases the rooms had to be cleared and the walls repaired and repainted. Yet the shabbiness gave the space a great poignancy and sense of character, and many of the artworks sat most comfortably alongside the peeling paint or mouldy wallpaper just as it was. Despite this, the project as a whole was executed with commendable professionalism. Leaflets and posters were widely distributed, and information boards were printed in both English and Polish to accompany each artwork on show.

The range of contributing artists gave rise to a great deal of variety in working methods and theme. English artist Graeme Walker chose to interpret something of his own cultural tradition through the context of western Poland. A keen Morris dancer at home, whilst in Gorzów Walker researched the region’s own customs of folk dancing to create a process-focused, performance-based response to the iD project. Local artist Agnieszka Kowalska looked beyond the confines of her native city, creating scrolls of tiny paintings that examined her relationship with the outside world. Certainly the most ambitious individual project within the exhibition was that of Japanese artist Takahiro Suzuki, whose gigantic installation for Art Trail 2008 in a warehouse in the Cork docklands graced the cover of the March /April 2009 VAN. Suzuki has travelled all over the world with his Ikiro (Be Alive) project, from Times Square in New York to Mount Kailash in Tibet. His innumerable inscriptions of the Japanese ‘Ikiro’ symbol are always created according to the places and the peoples he encounters. Suzuki stayed in Poland for a number of weeks to develop his ideas for the iD project, giving talks and conducting workshops in a local primary school. He created artworks with the children, most significantly 100 ecological balloons. Each balloon bore the ‘Ikiro’ symbol, as well as an original message from each child for the future. A few days before the opening event, the children gathered in the orphanage to release the balloons, which Suzuki documented on video from several angles and consolidated into a film-work that was presented as part of the exhibition. It was great to see how Suzuki’s ‘Ikiro’ endeavour in Gorzów got a large sector of the non-art community engaged with the iD project.

Sara Baume Notes 1. from the press release synopsis of project.

22

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

September – October 2009

PROJECT PROFILE

Cao Fei Whose Utopia? Video Still 2007

Dennis Del Favero Todtnauberg Video Still 2009

In Search of ...

Ailbhe NÍ Bhriain Suspension Room Video Still 2008 -2009

Galway Arts Centre’s Visual Arts Officer, Maeve Mulrennan reports on curating ‘In Search of Utopia’, HELD IN GALWAY, May 2009.

‘In Search of Utopia’, was a group exhibition that I curated for Galway Arts Centre (May – June ’09). The show featured the work of Dorothy Cross, Ailbhe Ní Bhriain, Michelle Browne, Louise Manifold, Cao Fei and Dennis Del Favero. The exhibition’s genesis was the result of three intertwining factors. The first being the Volvo Ocean Race coming to Galway, which offered the funding opportunity for the exhibition (1).

The second factor was my encounter with Cao Fei’s video piece entitled Whose Utopia? whilst on a MAVIS research trip to Stockholm in the autumn of 2008. (2) Lastly, these factors were combined with my interest in the story of the sailor Donald Crowhurst, who was lost at sea in the 1960s.

I encountered Cao Fei’s video Whose Utopia? as part of the exhibition ‘Sprout From White Nights’ at Bonniers Konsthall in Stockholm, in Autumn 2008 (3). The show was curated by Chinese curator Zhang Wei. The exhibition’s objective was to bring together work by contemporary Chinese artists, under the specific remit of exhibiting work that dealt with the interface of new technology with old traditions in China. Whose Utopia? is set in the Osram Lightbulb factory in Guanghzhou, China. The factory is situated in the ‘Pearl River Delta’ area of China. This very industrialised locale is widely regarded as the factory of the world, as its output is so great.

The narrative of the video is divided into three parts. The first section is a careful documentation of the day-to-day happenings in the factory. The artist concentrates the camera on repetitive movements of the machines – which is emphasised in the repetitive mechanical sounds in the factory. This allows the viewer access into the work before moving onto the second part, which focuses on the people in the factory. Cao Fei concentrates on two things here – the collective actions of the group of workers and the movements of individuals.

More of the place is revealed; the lighting is harsh and no one speaks.

In the third part, factual documentation morphs into a more dreamlike state – a ballet dancer, rock band and other out-of-place figures such as an elderly man practising t’ai chi are filmed by the artist. The other workers seem intrigued by these people, but still carry on with their work.

This all occurs, not to the sound of the machines, but to a soundtrack of a melancholy song – the subject of which is about hope and utopia. The song is sung and subtitled in English – the artist wanting to ensure that her audience are aware of the sentiments of the song. Video portraits of the workers are interspersed with more dreamlike shots of the out-of-place characters. The overall feeling as a viewer is that one is being brought into a world that has previously been closed off to the public.

What I found most engaging about this work was the transition

between reality and dream– and the potential of that transition. On seeing this piece, I knew I wanted to show this work in Ireland.

However, I also knew I wanted to show it in a different context. I was interested in how Whose Utopia? could be shown alongside other works that looked at change, fantasy and reality in different ways. I did not want to re-enact Zhang Wei’s exhibition. It was here that the process of curating ‘In Search of Utopia’ began. I worked with six artists, using both already existing work and new work made with ‘In Search of Utopia’ in mind.

Donald Crowhurst attempted to sail around the world single handily in 1968, in a race called the ‘Golden Globe’ – with his attempts ending in being lost at sea. Crowhurst’s story has been the subject of a film, a documentary, countless newspaper articles and a substantial body of work by the artist Tacita Dean (4).

I was interested in Crowhurst for many of the same reasons as these other researchers. One of the most intriguing parts of his story is that he pretended he was doing really well in the race – but was actually lagging so far behind that there was no hope of him even completing a fifth of the race. Instead of giving up, he convinced the Race officials that everything was ok, until one day, he simply disappeared. He kept a fake logbook of his imaginary coordinates alongside a real logbook documenting his hopelessness and the gradual loss of himself.

One cannot help but wonder about his mental state, as he was setting himself up for failure on a grand scale. The reason I wanted to use this story as my own starting point, is that I was interested in the gap between truth and fiction, not just in terms of Crowhurst’s deception to others, but also to himself. I saw this gap as being a kind of ‘non place’; and very much of relevance to previous research I had conducted in and around the idea ‘heterotopic' spaces (5).

Overall, I was also motivated by the idea of something or someone being lost in general terms – especially if it is a deliberate action. I did not talk about Crowhurst to the artists I invited to take part in the exhibition, except until much later in the process.

Crowhurst’s story and its associations was a private starting point for me. I did not want to devise an exhibition that had work explicitly about Crowhurst, as I did not see how this could add to the material that already exists about him. Thus, the work I selected for the exhibition was all completely different in terms of subject matter – whilst sharing a concern with the ‘gap’ between various states and notions of reality. For Crowhurst the ‘gap’ was his living two different lives – something that led him to end up completely lost, not knowing who or where he was.

‘In Search of Utopia’ took place in Nun’s Island Theatre – a ‘black

box’ theatre space managed by Galway Arts Centre. This space, formally a Presbyterian church, allowed me to build an exhibition space that suited the works, rather than having to accommodate works within an existing gallery space. The show featured two projection pieces, both with sound – Whose Utopia? by Cao Fei and Suspension Room by Ailbhe Ni Bhriain. There were then two monitor pieces from Dorothy Cross and one by Australian artist Dennis Del Favero. Both Cross’s and Del Favero’s works had sound which was played though headphones. Galway based artist Louise Manifold made three sculptural pieces and Michelle Browne did an off-site performance on Ladies Beach in Salthill. The Nun’s Island space was black. I made the decision to build dark grey walls in the space and then light the walkways only, as all of the works, including Louise Manifold’s sculptures, illuminated themselves.

The intention behind ‘In Search of Utopia’ was to create a space where different works, all with the common thread of the gap between truth and fiction, of being lost and of searching for something, could be viewed together. My personal intention was that the viewer would not be presented with ‘abstract’ or inaccessible works – as each piece had a strong narrative element.

Another common thread in all the works is that they were about peoples’ search for truth within themselves – whether in a very direct sense with Cao Fei’s work or about the human feeling of being lost or removed from reality as in Louise Manifold’s and Ailbhe Ni Bhriain’s works. In a contradictory way, I wanted the audience to connect with stories about being disconnected.

I was also conscious of my position as a curator in this process.

This exhibition can be seen as something I did in the search of my own curatorial identity: I showed work that I had really engaged with. The exhibition was not about ticking policy boxes; drawing in an audience, target marketing or proving Galway Arts Centre’s worth in the face of financial cuts next year. It was an exhibition where each work could be seen as an individual thought and also as part of a collective action – with the other works.

In fact, working so closely with my research interests paid off – the show got very good audience numbers. And we didn’t waste money and ultimately in turned out that the show did ‘tick’ all of our policy boxes. This has shown me that to successfully work in an institution often means that to a certain extent you work to contradict what is expected of you.

Maeve Mulrennan Notes 1. I was informed of the funding opportunity in late 2008 by Hillary Kavanagh of Arcana, an arts management company hired by Let’s Do It Galway to set an arts programme structure in place (www.arcana.ie). The Volvo Ocean Race stopover was hosted by Let’s Do It Galway in May – June 2009 (www.letsdoitgalway.com) Galway Arts Centre applied to them for €3550 in January 2009 for a visual art exhibition. Funding was confirmed in 2009.The funding covered building walls, installation, equipment and publicity.

2. MA Visual Arts Practices, IADT Dun Laoghaire. The author is on the curation pathway – which is one of three options: art making, curation and criticism. For further details see – www. mavis.ie 3. http://www.bonnierskonsthall.se/en/Exhibitions/Exhibitions/Sprout-from-White-Nights/ cited 29th July 2009 4. In 1996 Tacita Dean began a series of art works collectively entitled Disappearance at Sea, all inspired by remarkable stories of personal encounters with the sea, including the story of Donald Crowhurst. http://www.frithstreetgallery.com/artists/works/tacita_dean cited 30th July 2009 5. Michel Foucault, Heterotopias, Of Other Spaces (1967), Published by the French journal Architecture /Mouvement/ Continuité in October, 1984. Translated from the French by Jay Miskowiec. ‘Heterotopia’ can be seen to be a space where the ‘other’ is experienced, and can also be said to be seen as an ‘on-between’ space. Foucault has described graveyards and ships as Heterotopic spaces. It exists in relation to Utopia, which cannot be experienced in a real space.

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

23

September – October 2009

International

Fugitive Experience

Michelle Browne reports on ‘The Symposium’, held in conjunction with ‘Marina Abramovic Presents’ at The Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester (2-19 July 2009), as part of The Manchester International Festival.

Whitworth Gallery – and this allowed for multiple viewing points.

Coogan used the framing of this space to create multiple images that referenced the work of Joseph Bueys, Eugene Delacroix and religious icon painting to name but a few. The majestic setting of the museum, as opposed to the contemporary architecture of the Kevin Kavanagh space in Dublin, allowed for a myriad of alternative interpretations.

During ‘The Symposium’ many of the questions focused on Marina Abramovic’s practice, (or that of the other participating artists), and seemed to veer away from more general topics and broader critical and theoretical issues. This was unfortunate as this did not allow for the discussion to “move into an economy of ideas rather than identity” . One audience member asked why there had been so little information

(6)

on the website about the artists performing in ‘Marina Abramovic Presents’. In what was probably the longest and most impressive artspeak response of the entire event, Maria Balshaw, over the course of

(left to right) Adrian Heathfield, Hans Ulrich Obrist, Amelia Jones and Marina Abramovic.

approximately 15 minutes, basically pointed out the obvious – that

It is hard to describe ‘The Symposium’, an event presented as part of

Marina Abramovic is a high profile name and she would get the bums

‘Marina Abramovic Presents’ (1) at Manchester’s Whitworth Gallery, as

on seats (7).

part of the Manchester International Festival (2-19 July 2009). I wrote

The question of the audiences’ own documentation of works was

notes; I listened; I even managed to record some of the voices speaking.

also raised – Abramovic saw it as potentially problematic as it could

But to convey it to you here, in text, is, as the speakers themselves

change the meaning of works. Flippantly Amelia Jones then asked if

would agree, almost impossible. Do I include the fact that Marina

the audience was the problem? She noted that the artist invests in

Abramovic and Han Ulrich Obrist sat behind me for the presentations

being heard in a very particular way – but that this may not be the

and whispered through them? Do I include the fact that I expected it to

individual experience of the viewer. Some form of negotiation is

be them sitting in front of me and not behind? Do I include that I only

always necessary to bridge the gap between what is to be understood

realised it was them, after they got up to speak?

and the actual experience of the work. Hans Ulrich Obrist also pointed

‘The Symposium’, although billed as being led by the three

to the fact that performances and artworks in general live on through

curators of the performance series – Marina Abramovic, Hans Ulrich Obrist and Maria Balshaw, actually consisted principally of the presentation of two academic papers by Adrian Heathfield and Amelia Jones – who are currently among the most significant writers dealing with performance art.

Heathfield has recently written a book on the work of Tehching Hsieh, a Taiwanese New York based artist who is best known for his series of year-long durational performance works . ‘Marina Abramovic (2)

Presents’ was dedicated to Hsieh – and Heathfield’s book can be seen as an act of reclaiming Hsieh’s seminal practice into the history of performance art. Much of Heathfield’s presentation was focused on his efforts as to how exactly write about Hsieh’s works. Heathfield described his attempts to retrace the actions of Hsieh by walking some of the routes the artist took during his year long ‘exile to the streets of New York. On the 26 September 1981 the artist signed a statement, where he pledged to leave his studio and not enter another building or indoor space for exactly one year (3). Heathfield discussed the impossibility of capturing this performance or of knowing it fully.

Amelia Jones’s paper explored the nature of re-enactment. Jones discussed the growth of interest in re-enacting both historical events –referencing Jeremy Deller’s Battle of Orgreave – and performances from the history of performance art – such as Hai Ueda’s re-enactment of Yoko Ono’s Cut Piece from 1965 and Marina Abramovic’s Seven Easy Pieces

(4)

performed at the 2005 Performa, New York’s Biennial of

performance.

Both Heathfield and Jone’s papers highlighted the changes inherent in our experience of the work based on contextual and social influences. For Heathfield to try to recreate some of Hsieh’s experience as he roamed the streets was as he put it “a mere tourism”. Walking through downtown New York in 2009 as opposed to 1981, is both physically different due to road changes and new developments, but also politically charged due to the events of 11 September 2001 and their consequent effect on our appreciation of that part of Manhattan.

Equally Heathfield does not have to contend with the “specific ethnic and legal difference” that was part of Hsieh’s life in the US as a Taiwanese illegal immigrant.

Similarly Jones pointed to the influence that context has on the re-enactment. The most obvious example being Yong Soon Min and Allan DeSouza’s recreation of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s 1969 Peace Bed In. The work was re-performed in 2002 in the aftermath of the Twin Towers attack and the subsequent military action by the US internationally. The work takes on wholly different connotations, while creating links with the political situation of 1969. However Jones carried the discourse further, examining the relationship of these

Amanda Coogan The Fall. Performed at 'Marina Abramovic Presents…' at Manchester International Festival (2 – 19 July 2009) Courtesy of the artist. Photo: Joel Chester Fildes.

re-enactments to the market place. She spoke of the inevitability of these re-enactments becoming commodified due to their documentation. She spoke of the role of documentation in placing the work within the art historical cannon; but this also allowing for it to enter into a system of sale of art ‘produce’. She saw this as a form of market pressure – that is driving the resurgence of re-enactments.

The subsequent debate, with questions from the floor, was interesting, but it did tend to veer towards the old and tired points of discussion about issues of documentation in relation to the experience of live art practices. While, Amelia Jones stressed a far more political reading of the impact that re-enactments have on the market place through visual documentation, overall the conversation seemed to focus on the authenticity of the document. Adrian Heathfield explored complex issues to do with his own writing and how one can fully communicate through texts one appreciation or experience of durational work.

Marina Abramovic spoke of her first encounter with video documentation while making the piece Art Must be Beautiful. She noted of how the cameraperson had originally had videoed the work with a series of zooms; so she had to remake the documentation as series of still shots to express what she wanted. Jones posed the question as to whether this highlighted the difficulty of trying to capture a performance at all. Heathfield pointed out that this challenge was also present in Tehching Hsieh’s work – as he had attempted to capture the work through film, text and photography. Ultimately, the sense of duration could never be fully captured, even in his 1980-81 works where he clocked in on the hour every hour for a year.

During the performances later in the afternoon, I too was struck by the difficulty of fully experiencing live durational work. The 14 artists who took part in the exhibition performed for four hours a day for 17 days. They were approximately halfway through their performances when I saw their works. It was hard to comprehend what the work had been like on the first day and if it had changed in the meantime. As Abramovic pointed out, these artists didn’t start with a script or set of instructions, there was space for the work to grow and expand and evolve anew over time.

A good example of this would be Amanda Coogan’s performance.

Coogan presented The Fall, which I had previously seen in June at the Kevin Kavanagh Gallery in Dublin (5). It was interesting to see how the work had developed from the initial piece, to what I witnessed in Manchester. A large platform was placed in the grand stairwell of the

rumour – and this itself is something that cannot be controlled. As he put it “[The works then] move out of containment of one’s own understanding to rumour [‘s] individual experience [which] opens up variances in the work” Abramovic was at pains to highlight her role in the performance series as a curator – and her interest in this role seems to be in its power to inform and influence the trajectory of art history. Hans Ulrich Obrist is widely recognised as one of the most influential curators in the world and Abramovic seemed to recognise this power and attempted to harness it for her own use. Abramovic is currently setting up a foundation for performing arts in Hudson, New York in order to leave a legacy of performance.

The Drill, a work with which Abramovic commenced the first hour of ‘The Symposium’ was an interesting attempt to ‘educate’ an audience in how to view durational work. During this hour-long piece an audience of around 250 people were lead through a series of exercises, such as drinking a small glass of water over 10 minutes, or staring into the eyes of a stranger for five minutes. These efforts seemed to slow the audience down to prepare them to focus and appreciate time – as Abramovic put it “to forget the past and the future”.

Whether this worked is debatable, but Abramovic’s role as a caretaker of the audience and her curation as a tool to influence the appreciation and history of performance was very interesting and demonstrated a concerted effort on her behalf to mould the position of performance within contemporary art practice for future generations.

As the ‘god mother of performance’ Abramovic is well equipped for this task – and the scale and ambition of the exhibition in Manchester is a tribute to her conviction. ‘The Symposium’ offered interesting takes on issues relating to duration and re-enactment; documentation and experience of performance art. It brought together provocative thinkers in the area and allowed for a nuanced discussion. But it is hard to explain fully. I guess you just had to be there.

Michelle Browne Notes 1. A curated exhibition of durational performance featuring: Marina Abramovic, Ivan Civic, Nikhil Chopra, Amanda Coogan, Marie Cool Fabio Balducci, Yingmei Duan, Eunhye Hwang, Jamie Isenstein, Terence Koh, Alastair MacLennan, Keira O’Reilly, Fedor Pavlov-Andreevich, Melati Suryodarmo and Nico Vascellari.

2. www.one-year-performance.com 3. http://www.one-year-performance.com/ for images and exact statement 4. http://www.seveneasypieces.com/ 5. http://www.kevinkavanaghgallery.ie/show.asp?show=129 6. Quote from Adrian Heathfield.

7. http://www.mif.co.uk/events/marina-abramovi-presents…

24

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

September – October 2009

Art in the public realm: roundup

Art in Public: Roundup Kathy Herbert Urban Foxes

Brendan Eastwood Running Greyhound

Diane McCormick Convey

Northern Ireland Art Foundry Willowview Ballykinler Co. Down

www.willowviewfoundry.com

Recent public art commissions, site-specific works, socially engaged practice and other forms of art outside the gallery.

All that was and is Woodstock

M: 0044 from ROI (0) 7830285031

iron, bronze and aluminium casting.

E:info@willowviewfoundry.com

lost wax / ceramic shell and green sand processes

Gillian Campden All that was and is Woodstock

A Fool's Dance Fiona Hallihan The Making Of: Memories Made Manifest – blogspot

Recent work by Pauline Goggin

discussed the legacy of Ardmore Studios through Fri 4 September – Sat 26 September

stories drawn from the local community, creating

Tues – Sat 10am – 5pm

an exhibition of the gathered material, which evolved in the gallery over the month. After the residency, the artist created an audio walking tour of

Cork Vision Centre,

Bray town based on recorded narratives. Her ‘audio

St. Peter's, North Main St., Cork

detour’ can be downloaded from the Mermaid website.

Gillian Campden All that was and is Woodstock

Tel: 021-4279925 visioncentre@eircom.net www.corkvisioncentre.com

Artist: Gillian Campden Title: All that was and is Woodstock

http://www.mermaidartscentre.ie/ http://themakingofmemoriesmademanifest.blogspot.com/

Squirrel Quarrel

Materials: Acrylic on board Dimensions: 78ft x 8ft Location: Woodstock Gardens, Inistioge, Co. Kilkenny Commissioner: Kilkenny County Council and public art company Chrysalis Advertised: April 2009 Project duration: Commenced 11 June 2009, completed and sited 24 – 25 July, 2009. Now on permanent display.

Commission type: Open call with a short-listing interview Main partners: Local Authority Arts Officer, three members of Chrysalis arts and staff at Woodstock gardens.

Description: All that was and is Woodstock depicts modern visitors looking at vistas of the Woodstock house during its Victorian heyday. Six artists were selected to take part in a temporary public art project, which culminated in an event celebrating Woodstock gardens and the people past and present that created them. The event took place on 26 July and was entitled ‘Woodstock Promenade’ and comprised an interactive art trail. The other participating artists were sculptor Philip Cullen, textile artist Caroline Scofield, media artist, Deirdre Southey, writer Carmel Cummins and artist, Niamh White.

Memories Made Manifest Artist: Fiona Hallinan Title: The Making Of: Memories Made Manifest Medium: Archive and audio walking tour Location: Mermaid Arts Centre & Bray Date of launch: 4 September Type of commission: Public art project Project Partners: Mermaid Arts Centre, Greenstar, County Wicklow Film Commission, Octagon, World 2000, Bray Tourism, Ardmore Studios.

Description: Fiona Hallinan was resident in Mermaid Arts Centre for the month of July. Her open studio in Mermaid’s Gallery served as meeting place and was busy with impromptu events, discussions. Hallinan recorded, archived and

Barry Wrater Squirrel Quarrel

Artist: Barry Wrafter Title: Squirrel Quarrel Commissioner: Private Developer Materials: Grey squirrel – Kilkenny cut limestone; red squirrel bronze with a red and white patina.

Advertised: 08/09/07 Sited: 24/04/09 Budget: €80,000 Location: TBC (Originally designed for Longford Town Centre).

Commission type: Open Commission.

Project Partners: Private Developer.

Description: The artist describes this work “marking the struggle of the red squirrels population against the encroaching greys that are spreading across the country”.

Public Arena Artists: Bik Van der Pol (artists Liesbeth Bik and Jos van der Pol) Title: Public Arena Commissioner: South Dublin County Council’s In Context 3 Per Cent for Art Programme 2006 -2009, which is funded by the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the National Roads Authority. http://incontext.southdublin.ie Location: Tallaght Stadium, Whitestown Way Tallaght , Dublin 24 Project Duration: 2007 – June 2009.

Materials: video film (33 min.); a neon public artwork based on the Thomas Davis club motto:

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

September – October 2009

25

Art in the public realm: roundup Bus Stop

Parklife

Bus Stop – PS2 Project at Ballykinler, Co. Down.

Outside: Insight

Joohn Jones Study Room at 'Parklife'

Bus Stop at PS2, Belfast was an installation and documentation project, conducted by Anne-Marie Dillon, as part of a creative community initiative in Ballykinler, Co. Down (24 July – 9 August).

Bik Van der Pol Public Arena – final installation and photoshoot.

Nascann Dúshlán Daoine (Challenge Unites People);

As the press release noted "with its seaside location and the Mourne Mountains as a backdrop,

a live installation and photo shoot with the

the small village of Ballykinler in Co. Down seems

enormous ball in Tallaght Stadium

idyllic. Unless you take a wrong turn and end up at

Description: Bik Van der Pol (artists Liesbeth Bik

the gated compounds of a long established British

and Jos van der Pol) have been making work

Army site? A complex situation, not just for the two

collectively since 1995.

different spellings of its name on road signs. How do

In relation to their researches for Public Arena

you live there as a young person? How do you make

the artists noted that Tallaght Stadium was “a major

changes or at least influence the social infrastructure?

conflict zone, in which two sports clubs (soccer club

And where does art fit into all of this?"

Shamrock Rovers and the local Gaelic football club

Anne-Marie Dillon, artist and co-founder of

Thomas Davis), and South Dublin County Council

the Ballykinler Creative Forum initiated Bus Stop in

were the main players. The construction of Tallaght

order to bring together a group of local young

Stadium began in October 2000, but had been

people in a creative engagement with the local

delayed due to financial problems and legal disputes

social and built environment .

Áine Phillips (with assistance from Nicola Barnes) The Botany of Dresses

Brigit’s Garden, Co. Galway is holding its second annual sculpture exhibition Outside: Insight Sculpture in the Gardens 2009 (until 14 September).

The exhibition features works by Alannah Robins, Áine Phillips, Dee McDonnell, Ruth Le Gear, Jim Ricks, David Callan, Damase Morin, Lewis Goodman, Michelle Maher and Roisín Gregory. St. Brigit’s Garden is open daily from 10 am to 6 pm, and is located between Moycullen and Oughterard.

Carl Giffney Supreme Court at 'Parklife'

between the two sports clubs. Finally, after a long

Bus Stop took the form of an installation located

period of court cases, the first soccer game in the

outside a disused school in the centre of the village.

finished stadium took place in spring 2009.”

‘Parklife’ was an exhibition sited throughout St.

The Creative Forum has argued for years that this

Anne’s Park, Raheny, Dublin (27 July – 23 August).

should be used as a community arts centre- a recent

Curated by Claire Power, the recipient of Dublin

request was again refused. The installation

City Council’s new pilot award scheme for emerging

highlighted the fact that there isn’t a sheltered bus

curators, the show featured works by Aideen Barry,

stop and the direct action revealed the lack of social

Carl Giffney, Niamh Jackman, John Jones, Maria

provision, the divisions in the village and the

McKinney and Beth O’Halloran. As the press release

opposition to a proper bus stop from parts of the

noted, the invited artist created works in response

community in fear of anticipated vandalism.

to the landscape of the park – “its vast acreage, its

Public Arena is a triptych using three distinct mediums, which explores, animates and celebrates the socio-political journey of Tallaght Stadium.

Firstly, Public Arena a video film (33 min.), made in collaboration with students of Tallaght Community School. The script for this work was compiled from verbatim interviews with people from all sides of the negotiations of the Tallaght Stadium initiative.

The video was screened at Rua Red, Tallaght (29 July) and the Project, Dublin (13 July-1 August). The video work was accompanied by a publication (designed by David Bennewith) including the script for the work. The second element of the work is a neon public artwork based on the Thomas Davis club motto: "Nascann Dúshlán Daoine (Challenge Unites People)". The final piece of the project was a

Bus Stop was subsequently exhibited at PS2,

wildlife and its treasured history”.

Belfast (24 July – (August). The exhibition also included personal documentation of the history of

9.8 metres per second

the Creative Forum; its past projects, the community

Éigse, Carlow Arts Festival, presented ‘9.8 metres

structures, stakeholders and fractions, struggles,

per second’, an exhibition of collaborative

achievements and set backs. Bus Stop was presented at PS2 as part its ongoing programme of art initiatives in rural contexts. www.pssquared.org/Ballykinler.php

live installation and photo shoot with the enormous

installation, performance, and projection by visual artist Andrew Duggan and dance artist Cindy Cummings (13 June – 14 June and 19 June – 21 June). The work was concerned with the downturn in the economy and the press release noted, “9.8

ball in Tallaght Stadium (27 June)

meters per second is the rate at which all things fall

http://incontext.southdublin.ie www.ruared.ie www.bikvanderpol.net

(in a vacuum; social, economic or otherwise)”. The work was located in a two storey semi-detached house in a ‘pre-lived’ vacant housing estate.

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

www.eigsecarlow.ie

Patient Environment & the Arts Coordinator Hall Black Douglas, a leading architectural firm are seeking to appoint a suitably qualified candidate as a Patient Environment and the Arts Coordinator for new and exciting healthcare developments.

The Patient Environment & Arts Coordinator will be responsible for developing and implementing programmes to ‘Enhance the Patient Environment’. He/she will liase closely with client representatives and will work in partnership with architects, contractors and other key stakeholders to successfully deliver effective programmes.

He/She will be expected to work on a selfemployed basis providing a service for approximately 2 days per week for a period of 3 years (subject to review).

For a full brief, job description and person specification call 028 9045 0681 or email admin@hallblackdouglas.co.uk A copy of your CV along with an expression of interest and other relevant information must be submitted to Hall Black Douglas, 152 Albertbridge Road, Belfast, BT5 4GS; no later than: 25th September 2009 @ 4pm

ArtTrail 2009 Writer-in-Residence Call for Entries ArtTrail, in association with Visual Artists Ireland, are inviting proposals for the position of Writerin-Residence at the ArtTrail festival 2009 (Cork City, 13 – 22 November).

To enter, please submit a 300 – 500 word text responding to the ArtTrail 2009 theme of 'Rediscovering Locality', along with a CV and up to 2 examples of recent pieces of writing (attachments or links).

The selected entry will be published in the ArtTrail 2009 brochure / catalogue, and can include up to 2 images. In addition, the selected writer will be commissioned to write a full-page feature article about ArtTrail for Visual Artists News Sheet (Jan / Feb 2010 issue) and invited to publish a regular blog on the ArtTrail website during the festival. All entries will be reviewed by the ArtTrail board and the Visual Artists News Sheet editorial team.

All Entries to be received before 5pm, Friday 2 October. e-mail your entry to: info@arttrail.ie with Writer-in-Residence in the subject line

For further details on the festival, see www.arttrail.ie

26

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

September – October 2009

Opportunities challenge and inspire creativity,

Website

been previously exhibited in

at:

experimentation and artistic

www.artscouncil-ni.org/award/

Dublin. Entry fee of €12 for

Telephone

excellence. Each applicant can

project_funding.htm

single entry, €20 for two entries

0044 (0)207 6117222

apply for a maximum of £5,000

Deadline

and €30 for three entries applies.

Email

or the Euro equivalent. The Arts

4pm, 24 September 2009

A panel of judges will nominate

arts@wellcome.ac.uk

the winner of the 2009 Hallward

Website

and Disability Awards Ireland

Opportunities FUNDING Funding

asop.htm Deadline 12 November 2009

AC Programming Grants The Arts Council's Annual Programming Grants scheme is

David Manley Awards

designed to assist applicant

Business to Arts is calling all arts

organisations with the costs of

entrepreneurs who have been in

their artistic programme. Full

business for 3 years or less to

guidelines and criteria for this

enter this year’s David Manley

grant will be published by the

Emerging Entrepreneur Awards.

Arts

The

Prize fund includes cash prize of

window for the submission of

€10,000 and mentoring and

applications

21

services from companies such as

September – 22 October 2009.

Deloitte, Mason Hayes+Curran,

For more information contact:

Enterprise Ireland, Thesaurus

Telephone

Software, Image Now, Newmarket

01 6180214

Consulting, Dublin Chamber of

Website

Commerce,

www.artscouncil.ie

Partnership Business & Finance

Deadline

and gbc Public Relations. The

22 October 2009

Awards will be presented in

Council

shortly. is

from

Newmarket

January 2010. Further details and a copy of the entry form can be

ECF The

European

Foundation

Cultural

(ECF)

invites

obtained from: Website

applications for Step Beyond, the

www.davidmanleyawards.ie

ECF's

Deadline

mobility

encourages

fund

travel

by

that art

18 September 2009

professionals, cultural operators, cultural researchers, cultural

ACNI Public Art

journalists

cultural

The Arts Council of Northern

translators from all European

Ireland's Public Art Programme

countries

a

is designed to support the

contribution to travel costs, visa

commissioning of new art for

costs, and, in certain cases,

public

accommodation costs of those

Northern

awarded a grant. For more

programme

is

open

information contact:

applications

for

permanent

Email

single works, multiple linked

stepbeyond@eurocult.org

works (e.g. sculpture trails) and

Website

integrated art projects. Time-

www.mobility.eurocult.org

limited (or temporary) projects

Deadline

are not prioritised under this

Ongoing

programme, which follows a

and by

making

places

throughout

Ireland.

The for

two-stage commissioning and NI ORGANISATION SUPPORT

production process, and requires

The Arts Council of Northern

commissioners to appoint artists

Ireland's Annual Support for

on the basis of open competition.

Organisations

funding

This round opened on 25 August

programme is designed for

2009 and applications may be

organisations

made online. Decisions will be

Ireland

in

that

Northern have

programmes throughout

arts

running the

year.

The

made on 18 December 2009. For more information see: Website

minimum threshold for funding

www.artscouncil-ni.org/award/

under the 1-Year Programme of

public_art.htm

the ASOP funding scheme is

Deadline

£10,001, with no upper limit. A

4pm, 24 September 2009

3-Year

Programme

is

also

available. Application forms will

Arts & Disability Awards

be posted on the ACNI website

The Arts and Disability Awards

on 22 October and may be

provide financial support for

completed online. Decisions will

individual disabled artists living

be announced in February 2010.

in the Republic of Ireland and

Website

Northern Ireland, working across

www.artscouncil-ni.org/award/

all artforms. The scheme aims to

Scheme is co-funded by the Arts

Arts Council Bursary

Landscape Painting Award from

www.wellcome.ac.uk/Funding/

Council and the Arts Council of

Please note that the 2nd Round

entries to 'The Irish Landscape at

Public-engagement/Grants/Arts-

Northern

and

of applications for the Arts

The Hallward' exhibition. The

Awards/index.htm

administered by the Arts and

Council Bursary Award 2009,

winner will receive €1,500, and

Deadline

Disability Forum (ADF). For

originally scheduled for 5

other awards will be selected by

16 October 2009

more information on application

November

been

their sponsors. The Award will

procedures and the A&D Awards

extended and a new date of 21

be presented on 15 October 2009

VIDA 12.0

Scheme 2009 contact The Arts

January 2010 is now in place.

at the exhibition opening. Entry

Artists who relate technology

and Disability Forum at:

Revised application forms and

forms are available online now.

with biology and research

Address

guidelines will be available soon.

Telephone

synthetic

Ground Floor, 109/113 Royal

For more information contact:

01 6621482

modern life are invited to submit

Avenue,

Telephone

Website

projects made in the last 2 years

Northern Ireland

01 6180200

www.hallwardgallery.com

to VIDA 12.0. VIDA 12.0 rewards

Telephone

Email

Deadline

works of art developed with

0044 28 90239450 (048 90239450

awards@artscouncil.ie

1 October 2009

artificial life technologies and

from Republic of Ireland)

Website

Textphone

www.artscouncil.ie

UKYVAE Award 2009

robotics, artificial intelligence,

0044 28 90325744 (048 90325744

Deadline

Young entrepreneurs in the arts

etc. It is looking for works of art

from Republic of Ireland)

21 January 2010

sector with at least 3 years

with

professional experience who are

which evolve over time, react

resident in the UK are invited to

with their environment and

Ireland,

Belfast

BT1

1FF,

2009,

has

of

related disciplines including

Email gillian@adf.ie

characteristics

awards AWARDS

emerging

behaviours

apply for the inaugural British

seem to have a life of their own.

www.adf.ie

'Artist in the Community

Council UK Young Visual Arts

A total of €40,000 will be

Deadline

Signal Arts Centre invites artists

Entrepreneur Award 2009. 6

awarded to the three projects

4pm, 2 November 2009

whose

involves

finalists will be selected to

selected by the jury: 1st prize

local

undertake a tour of the visual

€18,000; 2nd prize: €14,000; 3rd

Website

practice

engagement

with

Photography Bursary

communities to submit an

arts industry in India where they

prize: €8,000. The winning pieces

The National Media Museum in

application for the annual Artist

will meet their peers and industry

may be exhibited at Fundación

the UK has announced a

in the Community Award, grant

leaders, gaining valuable insights

Telefónica Virtual Gallery and in

programme of Annual Bursary

aided through Wicklow County

into the market and the way

the exhibitions related to art and

Awards for photographic projects

Council. The scheme encourages

businesses operate there. The

new technologies it organises or

up to a total of £20,000. The

collaboration

winner will receive a £5,000

takes part in. For more details

bursaries

communities of place and/or

grant

and entry forms see:

photographers of all nationalities

interest

The

collaborative project with India.

Website

who are resident in the UK at the

successful artist will be expected

For more information and details

www.fundacion.telefonica.com/

time of the award to produce

to engage with a community

of how to apply visit:

arteytecnologia/certamen_vida/

ongoing projects or a new body

organisation based in Bray, Co.

Website

en/index.htm

of work and provide support for

Wicklow, for a minimum of 20

www.creativeconomy.org.uk/

Deadline

them to develop and enhance

hours from October 2009 to

ukyvae09

1 October 2009

their

profile.

January 2010. There will be an

Deadline

Applicants should provide a brief

exhibition of the process/product

2pm, 21 September 2009

written synopsis of their proposal

in Signal Arts Centre in February

together with a CV, an example

2010. The total fee payable to the

Wellcome Trust

technologies are invited to apply

of their work and application

Artist will be €3,000. To apply

The Wellcome Trust Arts Awards

for the Liedts-Meesen Foundation

form, available to download

send a CV, examples of previous

are open to residents of the UK

Digital Award as part of the

from:

work, an outline of the concept

and Ireland and they aim to

'Update III' exhibition, organised

Address

and how you would engage with

support

and

as a Biennial event at the

www.nationalmediamuseum.

a community and details of what

experimental arts projects that

Zebrastraat Gent in Belgium in

org.uk/Photography/Photo_

kind of community you see

investigate biomedical science.

collaboration with the Centre

Bursary.asp

yourself engaging with to:

All art forms are covered by the

Pompidou. The winner of the

Deadline

Address

programme, including dance,

€5,000 award will be selected by

25 September 2009

Signal Arts Centre, 1 Albert

drama, performance arts, visual

a jury from exhibitors chosen for

Avenue, Bray, Co. Wicklow

arts,

craft,

the Lineartat Art Salon which

ACNI Project Funding

Deadline

photography, creative writing

takes place in December 2010.

Arts Council of Northern Ireland

5pm, 25 September 2009

and digital media. The Small to

The winner of the award will

Medium-Sized Projects Award

also receive a showcase in the

aim

practice

to

and

help

and

between artists.

Project Funding aims to assist

to

be

spent

on

a

Liedts-Meesen Artists working with digital

imaginative

music,

film,

organisations in the delivery of

Hallward Award

funds projects up to and

'Update IV' exhibition in 2012.

arts projects that contribute to

The Hallward Gallery invites

including £30,000. Funding can

Entry forms and guidelines

the growth of arts in the

submissions for the exhibition

be

available at:

community for new and existing

'The Irish Landscape at The

development of new project

Website

audiences and that reflect the

Hallward' which will take place

ideas,

small-scale

www.zebrastraat.be/kunst_3_91.

diversity of Northern Ireland’s

from 15 October – 28 November

productions

workshops,

html

society and culture. The 2nd

2009, and for the 2009 Hallward

investigate and experiment with

Deadline

Round of 2009 applications for

Landscape Painting Award. The

new methods of engagement

1 November 2009

this funding opened on 25

exhibition/competition is open

through the arts, or to develop

August

2009

and

used

to

support

deliver or

the

online

to all artists whose work

new collaborative relationships

Neon Workshops

applications will be accepted.

interprets the Irish landscape in

between artists and scientists.

British and international artists

Decisions will be made by 18

2D in any painting form.

For further information and to

and art students interested in

December 2009 and full details

Submissions must be original

download an application form

learning more about neon are

of this funding scheme are

and of a high standard, both in

for the Small to Medium-Sized

invited to apply for the Neon

available online at:

presentation and in content, and

Projects Award visit their website

Workshops Scholarship Award

submitted works must not have

or contact the Arts Awards Office

2009. Neon Workshops in West

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

27

September – October 2009

Opportunities Yorkshire specialise in the

Website

Mountmellick

Website

from Alison McCloy, Gallery

calltoartist.htm

development and manufacturing

www.award.szpilman.de

Laois County Council invites

www.monstertruck.ie

Director at:

Deadline

of neon for artists, film and

Deadline

submissions for an open 1-Stage

Deadline

Email

31 October 2009

theatre and also run a series of

30 September 2009 (postmark)

competition tender for a PerCent

15 September 2009

alison.mccloy@btinternet.com

neon courses each year. The Scholarship Award 2009 will be

for

Art

commission

at

Deadline

The Muse at 269

31 October 2009

Visual artists are invited to

COMMISSIONS: COMMISSIONS

Mountmellick Library and Art

The Joinery

Gallery in Co. Laois. The

The Joinery on Arbour Hill is

neon course and covers the

Scarriff Public Library

commission, with a total budget

now accepting submissions from

Crow Gallery

as part of The Muse at 269's

workshop fee only. Applicants

Clare County Arts Office invites

of €15,000, is for the creation of a

artists/groups

proposed

The Crow Gallery, a volunteer,

spring/summer

should send a CV, artist statement,

submissions from professional

permanent public indoor visual

shows for inclusion in The

artist-run gallery space in Temple

programme. Applications should

3 .jpegs of your work on CD (no

artists for an artistic feature to be

arts display at Mountmellick

Joinery's 2010 programme. The

Bar, Dublin 2, has slots available

include CV, artist statement,

detail images) and an indication

provided under the Department

Library and Art Gallery. Full

Joinery is a contemporary art

in its exhibition programme in

10-16 .jpeg images of your work

of the workshop you wish to

of the Environment, Heritage

details and artist's brief are

space

September,

as an attachment or on disc to:

and Local Government PerCent

available from:

working in a variety of mediums.

November 2009. For more

Address

for Art Scheme, to be located at

Address

Successful applicants will be

information please ring Dermot

Spring calendar @ The Muse at

Laois County Council Arts

invited to rent the space for one

on:

269, 269 Portobello Road, London

Office,

offered to one individual per

take and why, by post ONLY to: Address Neon Workshops, Westgate Studios, 55 Westgate, Wakefield, West Yorkshire WF1 1BW, England

Scarriff

Public

Library,

Mountshannon Road, Scarriff, Co. Clare. Total funding available for this commission is €8,000.

Email

For further information, contact

info@neonworkshops.com

The Arts Officer at:

Website

Address

www.neonworkshops.com

Clare County Arts Office, Library

Deadline

Headquarters, Mill Road, Ennis,

25 November 2009

Co. Clare Telephone

Lynn Painter-Stainers Now in its 5th year, The Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize is a prize for representational painting that is open to living artists who are resident in the United Kingdom, Channel Islands or Isle of Man. Only original, two-

065 6846267 Email arts@clarelibrary.ie Website www.clarelibary.ie Deadline 5pm, 18 September 2009

dimensional works in any painting media that have been

Galway City Council

for

interested

in

artists

submit proposals for exhibitions

October

and

2010

to two weeks. Further application

Telephone

W11 1LR, England

Portlaoise, Co. Laois

details from:

086 8063618

Telephone

Telephone

Email

Website

0044 (0)20 7792 8588

057 8674344 or 057 8674341

thejoinery@gmail.com

www.crowgallery.net

Email

Email

Website

Deadline

info@themuseat269.com

artsoff@laoiscoco.ie

www.thejoinery.org

Ongoing

Website

Deadline

Deadline

15 October 2009

5pm, 23 October 2009

Áras

an

Chontae,

www.themuseat269.com Artsquad Anniversary

Deadline

City Artsquad will be 20 years

30 January 2010

Wolsey Artwork, Ipswich'

switch 2009

old in 2010. To celebrate this

Patrons of 'A Wolsey Artwork for

The Arts Office of North

achievement Artsquad is calling

ArtSway Open 09

Ipswich', with the support of

Tipperary

County

on all former members to

Artists from across the UK and

Ipswich Borough Council, invite

welcomes

submissions

contribute to a publication and

around the world working in all

artists to submit proposals for

Switch 2009, a festival that

exhibition

will

media are invited to submit work

the commission of a major work

promotes

shows

commemorate its participation

for ArtSway Open 09 which will

of art to commemorate Cardinal

contemporary visual art in a

in community arts. If you have

take place at ArtSway in the New

Wolsey in Ipswich, his birthplace.

public context in Co. Tipperary.

been involved with City Artsquad

Forest, Hampshire, from 21

The commission is for a free-

Artists working with film, lens

at any point from 1990 to 2010

November 2009 to 24 January

standing work, viewable in the

based work and the moving

and would like to contribute to

2010. Work included in the show

round, which will celebrate this

image are invited to submit work

the 20th anniversary celebrations,

will be selected by a panel

major cultural British figure and

relating

please contact Fiona Clarke,

comprising of Amanda Farr

Council

and

for

that

completed in the last three years

Galway City Council invites

and that have not been previously

artists and arts practitioners of

his connections with Ipswich.

'playfulness' for this year's event.

Programme Coordinator, on:

(Director, Oriel Davies Gallery),

exhibited are eligible. All works

all

submit

The commission has a total

From 14 – 22 November 2009

Telephone

Peter Bonnell (Curator, ArtSway),

must

except

proposals for a public art

estimated budget of £100,000, to

switch will occupy unused

01 4547026

Benjamin Beker (winner of

commissioned portraits. Total

commission to take place in the

include all research, artist's fees,

spaces throughout Nenagh town

Email

ArtSway

prize fund is £22,500. For more

Carrowbrowne Halting Site,

travel and expenses, materials,

centre to project works of

cityartsquad@hotmail.com

Christopher Orr (ArtSway AIR).

information on submitting work

Headford Road, Galway. The

construction,

transport,

moving image. 8 video works

Deadline

One artist selected for Open 09

for The Lynn Painter-Stainers

budget for this commission is

installation, any groundwork

will be shown simultaneously in

Ongoing

will be awarded a prize of a solo

Prize visit:

€15,000. Practitioners are asked

and

material/

various locations from 5 to 11pm

Website

to respond to the context of the

expenses. Application details

in the evenings. The event will

www.painter-stainers.org

Carrowbrowne site and its

from:

be accompanied by a publication

Deadline

community

the

Address

and website and an artist fee of

Lexington Art League

£20 for 3 works. Application

20 and 21 September 2009

development of a new public

Ipswich

Council,

€250 will be paid per selected

The Lexington Art League (LAL)

packs are available to download

arts project that will be informed

Grafton House, 15-17 Russell

artist. For further information

invites artists to submit work for

or on request from:

by the culture and lives of the

Road, Ipswich IP1 2DE, England

and details of application please

'Nude 2010', an exhibition

Email

Traveller Community. Proposals

Telephone

go online or contact The Arts

exploring the nude contemporary

peter@artsway.org.uk

in any medium, as well as

0044 (0)1473 432019

Office, North Tipperary County

art that will be on view from 6

Website

proposals for temporary and

Email

Council, at:

January to 28 March 2010. Work

ww.artsway.org.uk

engaged projects and permanent

felice.satalino@ipswich.gov.uk

Telephone

in

Deadline

installations, will be considered.

Website

067 44860

considered,

www.townhallgalleries.org.uk/

Email

consideration will be given to

t f a r t i s t / i n f o /A _ Wo l s e y _

rgleeson@northtippcoco.ie

conceptual and new media art.

Arena Gallery

A r t wo r k _ f o r _ Ip s w i c h _

Website

Entries will be assessed by Esther

Arena Gallery in Liverpool

Expressions_of_Interest.doc

www.switchspace.org

Randall, sculptor and Associate

invites proposals from artists,

Deadline

Deadline

Professor of Art at Eastern

artist groups, curators, designers

18 September 2009

4pm, 17 September 2009

Kentucky University, and Boris

and illustrators for their ongoing

Zakic, painter and Professor of

exhibition programme. To apply,

Graffon Gallery

Art at Georgetown College. To

post your application and any

be

for

sale,

Szpilman Award The Szpilman Award is awarded each year to an ephemeral work of art. The 7th annual Szpilman Award for art that exists for only a short period of time has just been announced and entries will be accepted from now until the closing date. The Award is open to artists of any nationality and the prizewinner will collect the Jackpot

Stipendium

(prize

money raised during the year), a challenge cup and 10 days accommodation

in

Cimochowizna, Poland. For work to be eligible for entry it must be created between 1 October 2008 and 20 September 2009. To enter, send a completed application form (available online) plus significant documentation of your work by postal mail only

disciplines

to

towards

Proposals from members of the traveller

community

professionally involved in the arts are welcome. A full project brief is available to download or on request from Megs Morley, Public Arts Officer, at: Address Galway City Council, College Road, Galway Telephone 091 536588 Email megs.morley@galwaycity.ie Website www.galwaycity.ie/AllServices/

with SAE for return of same to:

ArtsandCulture/PublicArt/

Address

Deadline

Szpilman Award, Brunnenstrasse

4pm, 25 September 2009

10, 10119 Berlin, Deutschland

promotional

Borough

EXHIBITIONS IRELAND IRELAND:

to

the

theme

of

Open

08)

and

exhibition in the ArtSway EXHIBITIONS INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITIONS

galleries in 2010. Submission fee: £8 for 1 work, £16 for 2 works,

any

medium

will

but

be

special

5pm, 25 September 2009

The Graffon Gallery is a new

apply, send up to 10 jpeg images

relevant

Monster Truck Gallery

exhibition space set within the

of your work, image list (with

documentation to:

In early 2010 Monster Truck

grounds of The Wildfowl and

title, media, dimensions, and

Address

Gallery will be available to

Wetlands Trust Reserve at Castle

date for each work), statement

Arena Gallery, 27 Parliament

artists, curators and artist groups

Espie, Co. Down. The gallery is

and contact details by post. For

Street,

seeking

England

L8

5RN,

currently accepting submissions

video,

for

installation

seeking submissions for the

programme and is calling for

guidelines see the LAL website.

arenastudios@btconnect.com

exhibition programme running

submissions of wall-based and 3

Address

Website

from February to June 2010.

dimensional

artworks

Lexington Art League, Ref: Nude

www.arenastudiosgallery.com

Further details from:

celebrating

the

natural

2010, 209 Castlewood Drive,

Deadline

Address

environment

or

raising

Lexington, KY 40505, America

31 December 2009

Submissions, Monster Truck

awareness of ecological concerns.

Website

Gallery, 73 Francis Street, D8

Application forms are available

www.lexingtonartleague.org/

space.

its

2010

exhibition

and

Liverpool,

Monster Truck is currently

exhibition

performance

supporting

submission

Email

28

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

September – October 2009

Opportunities The Bristol Gallery

submissions to:

Practicing video art filmmakers,

Emerging and established artists

Address

animators,

with their peers with residencies

Email

of up to 6 months. A stipend of

are invited to submit work for

Alternative Arts, Top Studio,

directors, editors and visual

Karol.Fruehauf@infogem.ch

Pontino Short Film Fest

€1,400 per month is provided,

Website

consideration for a programme

Montefiore Centre, Hanbury

of rolling exhibitions The Bristol

Street, London E1 5HZ, England

artists are invited to share their

Artists are invited to submit up

along with accommodation,

www.bridgeguard.org

work on Renderyard, a digital

to two films of up to 15 minutes

studio and printmaking facilities.

Gallery's new 5,000 sqft gallery

Deadline

Telephone

platform that gives filmmakers

duration (including credits)

Families

on

16 November 2009

0044 (0)20 73750441

and video artists the opportunity

completed after June 2007 and

language course available. €20

Sculpture, floor and wall pieces,

Email

to upload their work and be part

with Italian subtitles, if possible,

application

painting, drawing, printmaking,

info@alternativearts.co.uk

of this networking facility for

for the Pontino Short Film Fest

Application forms are available

Applications are invited for

montage and photographic work

Website

emerging new talent. Renderyard

which will take place from 6 to

on request from:

Interspace New Media Arts

is all welcome. Email the gallery

www.photomonth.org

is free to join and you can upload

10 January 2010 in Latina, Italy.

Address

with a brief with a brief CV, short

Deadline

your work or post it to:

Submissions should be made

Kunstlerhauser

Worpswede,

residency programme in Sofia,

artist statement and up to 6

19 September 2009

Address

under one of the following

attn. Mr. Bernd Milla, Bergstrasse

Bulgaria. International artists

Renderyard, Cosme Garcia 5, P1.

themes: Free Theme; Colours of

1, 27726 Worpswede, Germany

working with film and media art

LAS DUNAS, 26140 Lardero, La

Violence;

Email

are invited to apply for residencies

Rioja, Spain

Maghreb:

ausschreibung2010@

of varying lengths. The residency

Bristol's

Harbourside.

images (including title, date, NEW NEWMEDIA MEDIA

media, dimensions).

Email

musicians,

www.leflash-atlanta.com

film

Short-Fun; shorts

Shortfrom

welcome. fee

German applies.

Interspace

Center's

ongoing

AiRSpace

knowledge@thebristolgallery.

SHOAH

Email

Mediterranean Africa. Total prize

artistresidency.net

offers accommodation in a

com

NewMediaArtProjectNetwork,

renderyard@gmail.com

fund: €3000. Submissions should

Website

flexible space with three rooms

Website

an experimental platform for art

Website

be sent on PAL-format DVD and

w w w. k u e n s t l e r h a e u s e r -

situated around a multifunctional

www.thebristolgallery.com

and new media from Cologne,

www.renderyard.com

as uncompressed .avi/.mov files

worpswede.de

meeting space/living room, as

Deadline

Germany, invites submissions

Deadline

along with applications forms

Deadline

well as access to computers,

23 December 2009

for 'SHOAH', the European Media

Ongoing until 1 April 2010

which are available on request

Ongoing

assistants and other audiovisual

Artoconecto

Art Exhibition for Peace and NEW MEDIA Reconciliation that will take

Outcasting

Artoconecto announces a call for

place in 2011/2012. Submissions

artists in all media to submit

of video, film, net and sound art,

work for consideration for 'A-B(o)

as well as digital photography

MB II: The Fallout', a juried show of

emerging

national

and

from the email address below.

equipment. To apply for a

Send submissions by post to:

The Cecil Street Project

residency, please send your

Outcasting is an online moving

Address

Artists working in any media are

portfolio, a motivation letter and

image

Assoc. LA DOMUS, via Fiuggi 47,

invited to apply for an ongoing

a project proposal to:

experimental work of any genre

04100 Latina (LT), Italy

series of 4 week residencies with

Address

and media installation, are

or format. Outcasting is now

Email

a shop unit in The Cecil Street

Interspace, 27 Benkovski Str. Ent.

welcome.

Details

gallery

seeking

of

the

programming for Season 6 which

info@fpdc.it

Project in Carlisle, Scotland. For

2 fl. 1 ap. 18, Sofia 1000, Bulgaria

procedure

are

will run from February to March

Website

more

Telephone

www.fpdc.it

Jennifer Brooks at:

003592 9433470

international artists that will run

submission

during Art Basel/Miami Beach

available online. Submissions

2010.

from 27 November to 31

should be sent to the following

animators and documentary

Deadline

Email

Email

December

address with 'SHAOH' in the

makers are selected for screenings

5 October 2009

jennifer@cecilstreet.co.uk

home@i-space.org

Artoconecto's first satellite show

subject line:

of their work in bi-monthly

Website

Website

in conjunction with Basel/

Email

Seasons which will then be

PolYforme

www.cecilstreet.org.uk

www.i-space.org

Miami, and will be held at

info@nmartproject.net

archived on the site. To submit

PolYforme, a video performance

Deadline

Macy's/Burdine's Flagler Street

Website

your work send a link to your

festival taking place in Marseille,

1 February 2010

location

www.dts.engad.org/blog/?page_

work online, an email via ww.

France in November 2009, calls

downtown Miami. The jury

id=10

pando.com or post a DVD with

for artists from around the world

Bridge Guard Art

Laboratory (ACSL) is a non-profit

includes artists Gregory de la

www.nmartproject.net

.mov files of your work to:

to submit videos to be screened

The Bridge Guard Art residency

organisation based in Djrvej in

Haba, Clifton Childree, and one

Deadlines

Address

during the festival. From entries,

is a 3 - 6 month sojourn in the

Yerevan, Armenia that offers

yet to be announced. Jury Prize

30 September and 31 December

Outcasting, c/o Michael Cousin,

a winner will be chosen and will

Bridge Guard residence in Baden

residencies

Winner(s) will be announced

2009

116 Paget Street, Grangetown,

have the opportunity to have an

in Switzerland. Duties consist of

researchers and visual artists for

2009.

in

the

This

heart

is

of

Artists,

filmmakers,

information

contact

ACSL Art

and

Cultural

Studies

to

curators,

Cardiff CF11 7LA, Wales

exhibition in Marseille during

observing the bridge every day

a minimum of two weeks. The

applies. For guidelines and entry

Kunstfilmtag 2009

Email

2010.

should

and recording the observations

ACLS Arts Factory has 3 large

forms contact:

Kunstfilmtag 2009 (art-house-

contact@outcasting.org

include video work on CD, DVD

in the Bridge Log. This chronicle

studios, 3 ceramic ovens, a

Email

film-day) is an artist-led project

Website

or PAL-format mini dv, short

will be published periodically. In

computer studio with video

artoconecto@gmail.com

with festival character that will

www.outcasting.org

presentation

video,

addition, the Bridge Guard is

editing

Website

take place for the 2nd year in the

Deadline

information on the video (title,

expected to work one afternoon

accommodation space in 4

www.artoconecto.org

auditorium of the Artist Society

31 January 2010

duration), information on the

with children in the public art

separate

Deadline

'Malkasten'

artist (biog including DOB,

school,

for

Applications should be made at

23 October 2009

Germany, on 19 December 2009.

A Very Loud Silence

education, field of work, current

discussions with the high school

least one month before the

This year's festival focuses on the

aquaspace and Le Flash invite

live/work location), and contact

students at least once and

chosen

Photomonth

relationship between picture

submissions for 'A Very Loud

details (name, address, phone

communicate with the general

Applications should be sent to:

Photomonth, the East London

and sound, and film and media

Silence', a series of short silent

number, email). Please do not

public, thus building bridges

Address

Photography Festival taking

artists are invited to submit

films that will be screened on 2

send master copies. Submissions

with the people in the town.

8 A.Hovhannisyan, apt. 28, 0076

place in London from 14 October

documentary,

October 2009 as part of 'Le Flash',

should be sent to:

Payments: 500 CHF per month

Yerevan, Armenia

to 4 November 2009 is pleased to

essayistic, poetic or performative

a

Address

stipend plus up to 50 CHF for

Telephone

announce the call for entries to

works that are related to the 2009

Castleberry Hill, Atlanta, Georgia.

PolYforme, 1 rue Mazagran

telephone and internet charges.

00374 10244213

'Photo-Open',

open

theme. To submit your work,

Submissions: 5 minutes max.

13001, 13001 Marseille, France

Accommodation with studio,

Email

photography show that will be

download an entry form from

running time per film; digitised

Email

storage room, living room and

info@acsl.org.am

held at the Old Truman Brewery

the website and send it, along

film,

contact@polyforme.org

bedroom provided. To apply,

Website

on Brick Lane. Entry is open to all

with an email and postal

reflecting the concept of 'Le

Website

send a brief CV, samples of

www.acsl.org.am

photographers,

submission, to:

Flash';

www.polyforme.org

previous work, description of the

non-professional and students,

Address

QuickTime (uncompressed); on

Deadline

project that you plan to work on

Andrésson Residency

from all over the UK and the rest

AG Kunstfilmtag, Postfach 10 12

CD or DVD. Please also include a

30 October 2009

during the residency, including

Birgir Andrésson (1955-2007)

of the world. Entry fee of £10/£8

43,

brief statement (40-80 words) on

its relevance to the aims of the

was an important Icelandic artist

concessions per image applies, to

Germany

the piece and a biography (50-80

Bridge Guard project, the reason

and this residency at Hóll,

be paid by cheque, postal or

Email

words) as hard copy and on CD

for the application and why your

Andrésson's workhouse on the

money order with submission.

contact@kunstfilmtag.de

as a Word document. Send to:

Kunslerhaeuser

project should be carried out in

banks of the Fjarðará River in

Entries must be submitted on a

synopsis@kunstfilmtag.de

Address

Kunslerhaeuser Worpswede in

Stúrovo, Slovakia, requirements

Seyðisfjörður,

CD in jpeg format at 72dpi. File

Website

Avantika Bawa, 175 Mellrich

Germany calls for fine artists and

for special equipment, desired

international artists with the

names must be in initial_

www.kunstfilmtag.de/index.

Avenue, Atlanta, GA, 30317,

sound artists who speak German

length of stay and preferred

opportunity to take part in

surname01jpeg,

php?id=32

America

or English to apply for its 2010

dates, to:

residencies of between 1 and 3

surname02jpeg, etc, format. No

Deadline

Email

artist in residence programme.

Address

weeks in the summer (June to

restrictions on subject matter or

19 September 2009

avantika@drainmag.com

The centre offers professional

Infogem AG, Rütistrasse 9,

August) and between 1 and 3

Deadline

artists and scholars a place to

CH-5401, Baden, Switzerland

months in the winter (September

15 September 2009

develop their work and interact

during Art Basel. $40 entry fee

an

professional,

initial_

in

D-40003

Düsseldorf,

structural,

Düsseldorf,

number of entries. Applications forms are available online. Send

Renderyard Film Network

one-night

video

art

or

720X540

event

in

animation or

480;

Applications

of

the

RESIDENCIES: RESIDENCIES

be

available

equipment

and

apartments.

residency

date.

provides

to May). The house has a living

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

29

September – October 2009

Opportunities room,

Studio23

Mill Street Studios

The studios has a large outdoor

bookings please contact Alan at:

experimentation,

bathroom and two bedrooms,

workspace,

kitchen,

New studio spaces (£185 per

Studios spaces are currently

space as well as a common

Telephone

reflection

plus two extra beds. There is a

month), office spaces (£185 per

available to rent at Mill Street

kitchen

086 8372135

expertise in all media and

small residency fee. Applications

month) and rehearsal space with

Studios in Dublin 8. For more

information

Email

production areas. Researchers are

are now being accepted for 2010

storage (£150 per week) available

information and viewings please

Samantha on:

alanmurray.butterflywings@

advised by a team of artists,

residencies. Applications forms

at Studio23, an artist-managed

contact Hazel on:

Telephone

gmail.com

designers and theoreticians and

are available online or for further

studio and gallery space in

Telephone

086 4066577

information contact:

Dunmurry, Belfast. Fully serviced,

086 1687044

Email

Drawing Courses

studio and a stipend of €9,360

Telephone

free parking, modern kitchen

Email

samclarke83@gmail.com

Dublin City Gallery The Hugh

paid in instalments. Applications

00354 472 1632

facilities, wi-fi and good transport

info@dublinartmill.com

Website

Lane is enrolling for New

should include a project proposal,

Email

links (bus and rail). For more

Website

www.archwaystudiodub.com

Perspectives Through Drawing, a

documentation material and an

skaftfell@skaftfell.is

information

www.dublinartmill.com

series of drawing workshops

application form. For more go

Website

McDevitt on:

taking place in the gallery this

online

www.skaftfell.is/en/guest-studio

Telephone

Richmond Road Studios

autumn. An 8-week drawing

Westenberg at:

Deadline

0044 (0)2890 600413

As part of a redevelopment

LUX Associate Artists

course led by Felicity Clear and

Telephone

1 October 2009

Email

programme, a number of studio

Applications are invited from

Beth

0031 (0)43 3503724

askstudio23@hotmail.com

spaces are currently available to

artists working with the moving

Saturdays from 10am to 12 noon,

Email

19 September to 14 November;

leon.westenberg@janvaneyck.nl

contact

Mo

area.

For

more

please

contact

and

production, debate

and

are provided with their own

COURSES COURSES:

O’Halloran

runs

on

or

contact

Leon

Beeldenstorm

Website

rent at Richmond Road Studios

image and resident in the UK

The

www.myspace.com/

in Fairview, Dublin 3. Studios

who have completed a graduate

an 8-week life drawing course led

Website

studio23collective

suitable for artists working in all

or post-graduate course in the

by Felicity Clear and Beth

www.janvaneyck.nl

media, including video and

last 5 years for the LUX Associate

O’Halloran runs on Saturdays

Deadline 15 September 2009 (postmark)

Beeldenstorm

Ku n s t e n a a r s w e r k p l a a t s . residency

programme

is

a

cooperation between the bronze

Fire Station

performance artists. All studios

Artists Programme (AAP), a 12

from 12.30 to 2pm, 19 September

foundry Beeldenstorm and the

Fire Station Artists’ Studios is

have 24 hour access, secure

month

post-academic

to 14 November; an 8-week

printmaking workshop Daglicht

now accepting applications from

parking and the option of

development course starting in

course led by John Adye-Curran,

in Eindhoven, The Netherlands.

professional visual artists for two

wireless broadband internet. If

November 2009 in London. The

'Aspects of Drawing', runs from

They provide residencies of up to

upcoming studios in 2010, Studio

interested in a viewing please

course aims to provide intensive

10.30am to 12 noon on Tuesdays,

2 months to artists who are open

5 becoming available in March

contact Clodagh at:

development focused on critical

15 September to 3 November;

to developing work using their

and Studio 8 in September. These

Telephone

discourse,

and 'Exploring the Collection

facilities, which include a graphic

are subsidised residential studios

087 2030846

infrastructural

a

through Contemporary Painting

printing workshop, foundry,

that

Email

mutually supportive context

and Mixed Media', an 8-week

sculpture workshop and access

secure living and working spaces

richmondroadstudios@yahoo.

over

critical

painting course led by Felicity

to workshop assistants. Artist’s

for professional visual artists.

com

seminars. Each artist will be

Clear, runs from 2.30 to 4.30pm

applications should be based on

The studios are let for a period of

Website

paired with a mentor who they

on Wednesdays, 16 September to

project

between one year and two years

www.richmondroadstudios.com

will meet with six times during

4 November. To book, contact

the course. The programme is

Katy Fitzpatrick on:

proposals.

More

provide

self-contained,

12

practical

and

issues

in

monthly

information on residencies is

nine

available from:

artists may apply for shorter

Emerging Artist Studio

free to participants, but they will

Telephone

Email

periods. Rental includes utilities,

The RHA invites emerging artists

be expected to cover their own

01 2225553

beeldenstorm@hetnet.nl

waste disposal, parking, internet

to apply for the RHA Emerging

costs. Shortlisted artists will be

Email

Website

access, full use of high-end

Artist Studio 2010. The RHA is

called for interview in 7 and 8

katy.fitzpatrick@dublincity.ie

www.beeldenstorm.org/html/

computers

and

access

at

offering a fully-subsidised, non-

October 2009. To apply, download

Website

conta.html

subsidised

cost

to

digital

residential studio space in two

an application form and return

www.hughlane.ie

Deadline

equipment including digital still

slots in 2010 to two emerging

with a CV and up to 2 moving

Ongoing

cameras, digital camcorders,

artists, from March to June and

image works (on DVD) by post

GLASS Casting & Fusing

mini disc recorder tripods and

from July to December inclusive.

to:

Pangur Glass Craft Studio in Co.

more. There is no application

The space measures 4.7 x 4.9m,

Address

Cavan is currently enrolling for

form but artists should follow

and has a sink, storage space,

AAP, LUX, 3rd Floor, Shacklewell

two

Cottage & Studio, CLARE

the guidelines online. For further

kitchen facilities and 24 hour

Studios, 18 Shacklewell Lane,

international glass artist Jayne

A traditional vernacular stone

information contact Jessica at:

secure access. Applicants should

London E8 2EZ, England

Persico from Pennsylvania, USA.

cottage (circa 1890), sensitively

Telephone

indicate which slot they are

Website

'The Art of Kiln Casting' will take

restored with architect-designed

01 8069010

applying for and send CV, up to

www.lux.org.uk/aap

place on 25, 26 and 27 September

extension in 2005, is available to

Email

10 images of previous work in

Deadline

2009, cost €470. The course will

rent in Co. Clare. Situated on

artadmin@firestation.ie

print format and a letter detailing

5pm, 18 September 2009

include model making using clay

approx. 1 acre of land with

Website

the candidate’s intentions for the

panoramic views all around, the

www.firestation.ie

allocated period in the studio to

Therapeutic Painting

making, cleaning and detailing the molds. 'Fusing with Glass

STUDIOS STUDIOS:

months.

International

workshops

with

and silicone, refractory mold

Deadline

the

below.

One-to-One 'Butterfly Wings'

in the attic space and one double

1 October 2009

Enquiries ONLY can be made by

Therapeutic painting workshops,

Rods and Frit' will take place on 2

phone or email.

using a fusion of ART, NLP (Neuro

and 3 October 2009, cost: €295.

Linguistic Programming) and

Work with frit, glass rods and

bedroom and a studio in the new

address

extension. Wood burning stove

Pallas Studios

Address

with back boiler, oil-fired c/h,

Pallas Studios have a number of

Ciara

Academy

Time Line Therapy are taking

sheet glass to create innovative

double glazed wooden windows,

artist's studios available to rent at

Coordinator, RHA Gallagher

place on an ongoing basis in

design patterns and textures on

kitchen with all mod cons (incl.

their

Gallery, 15 Ely Place, Dublin 2

Moycullen,

plates, lighting fixtures and

split-level Neff gas cooker and

Grangegorman Road Lower, near

Telephone

Workshops can be booked on a

boxes. For bookings go to:

electric oven). There is also a

the Pallas Contemporary Projects

01 6612558

day that suits you from 10am to

www.pangurbawn.com

large cowshed that could be used

gallery space. Close to Smithfield

Email

5pm. Presented by tutor Alan

as a workshop. The cottage is

Square/Luas and Manor Street,

ciara@rhagallery.ie

Murray, the workshops provide

near Inagh village, just off the old

Stoneybatter, in the 'Blakeville'

Website

participants with an opportunity

Miltown Malbay road, and is ten

building. Prices start from €180

www.rhagallery.ie

to get in touch with their inner

Jan van Eyck Academie

minutes drive to Lahinch and

per month including electricity

Deadline

selves while exploring the

Artists, individuals and groups

Ennistymon and fifteen minutes

and wireless broadband internet.

30 September 2009

medium and process of oil

working in all media, are invited

drive to Ennis. Rent: €650 per

Spaces are all of good size, clean

painting. The workshops are

to

month. For more information

and bright, with 24 hour secure

Archway Studios

structured to help participants

production project proposals for

contact:

access and plenty of room for

Archway Studios in Dublin's

become more open and motivated

research positions of up to 2

Email

bicycle parking outside! To

northeast city centre have several

to move forward in their lives.

years in the Fine Art Department

therryrudin@gmail.com

arrange a viewing contact:

studio spaces available to rent.

Workshops can also be provided

at the Jan van Eyck Academie

Email

Each studio has its own door

to suit a particular group's needs.

Post-Academic

info@pallasstudios.org

with lock and price per unit is

All equipment and materials are

Research and Production in

Website

€210 per month. Sharing space

provided. Cost: €120 for One-to-

Maastricht, The Netherlands. The

www.pallasprojects.org

with another artist is an option.

One. For more information and

academy offers a space for

new

premises

on

Timlin,

Co.

Galway.

OTHER: OTHER

submit

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

cottage has two single bedrooms

postal

Don’t forget

research

Institute

and

for

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.

30

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

September – October 2009

Problems

PABLO HELGUERA's ARTOONS

The Problem Page

Artoons

Our consierge / 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.

The foibles, ironies, and occasional stupidity of the art world – captured with clarity and economy

NODE OR RESOURCE?

or-garden studio visit. My curator has now insisted that rather than a “boring and fusty old essay”

Dear Concierge of Agony,

their text will comprise of some of their (woeful)

What do you do when half the artists in your the

poetry and a short story – shudder! I suppose I

studio space think of it as a ‘platform-node’ and

should be flattered, apparently they were written

the other half believe that they occupy a ‘cluster-

in response to my work. But I have my doubts,

resource’? A worried artist / administrator.

based on the yellowing edges of the pages that they are written on. They look an awful lot like

Mmm, I’m not sure if I even really fully

they were ripped out of an old school copybook.

understand the question. I keep picturing a kind of breakfast cereal for art workers –

Ah yes. Another sorry indication there still

“crunchy nodes and clusters the best way to

remains deep confusion amongst many who

start your day”.

think of themselves as ‘art-writers’ and

Thinking on it more, I can’t offer you any

curators. Let’s state it plainly, the ‘art–writers’

concrete advice, just sympathy. It all sounds

job is to merely put words such as

horribly messy – on the one hand your artists

‘problematised’,

want to use the space as a very twinkly

‘unhiemlich’ and ‘discourse’ in some kind of

showcase / variety cabaret for emerging visual

legible order. It can’t be stressed enough that

art talent; and the other bunch sound hell-bent

they shouldn’t delude themselves or others

of turning the gaff into some kind of oily pit

that they are real writers.

‘meta’,

‘thematics’,

stop, offering artists, critics and curators everything from a quick conceptual wheel change to an entire paradigm-a-logical gearbox

RELATIONAL TAKEOVER

change.

Dear Concierge of Agony, My gallery being taken over by a relational project.

STRANGE VISITATIONS

I know what your're thinking "ohmygod, thats so-oo nineties". And please readers, stop your

Dear Concierge of Agony,

guffawing. This is serious.

Is it just me, or has the whole art networking

One of the artists I represent, thought it

business gone just a little bit creepy and lacklustre?

would be a totally cool idea to sublet my gallery

As a senior artist, it seems nowadays that all my

during the quiet months of the art-world year. I

chats and cappuccino dates with some of my

know I should have seen the pitfalls. But at the

younger bezzy-mates are cut short as they

time it seemed to make some sense – sure I’d make

invariably pipe up at some point – “got to dash ­– I

no money from sales, but facilitating such an

need an early night, getting the hair done, have to

audacious and major project could only attract

put some obscure books and CDs on my studio

international interest in my artist. And I was

shelves, and I must pop to the shops for some nice

hoping I’d come out a double winner in the long

cakes …”. You guessed it, when pressed they admit

run – as I’d be able to sell the documentation,

“er, yeah, I’ve got like a studio visit lined up, I just

archival material and other associated ephemera

invited a curator / critic to drop by for a chat and

to collectors and major public institutions come

give me a few pointers, I’m a bit lost at the

major-retrospective time.

moment”.

My point being? Well, just what is it with artists these days? What is wrong with them?

The thing is, there is now an installation in my gallery that looks like a hairdressers. Dammit, it is a hairdressers!

They don’t seem to be very upfront about

My artist wanted to make some kind of

demanding sales or exhibitions. Instead they are

comment about entrepreneurship, artifice,

trusting their career development to a laboriously

glamour and aesthetics – and the fact my gallery is

slow and tedious process – something I’ve heard

located in a row of retails units between a nail-bar

called “building dialogue, affinities and viable

and beauticians. The poor deluded soul designed

working relationships”. It all seems a bit demeaning

their neon sign, interior décor and typeset their

to me. In my day we extracted promises and

lease all in the style of high-modernist typographer

rewards in a far more robust manner …

and Bauhaus master Johannes Itten.

Every time I try to broach the end of the

Ah yes those were the days, the arm-twisting,

short-term sublet lease with the salon manager –

gimp masks, dungeons and ‘safety words’. Oh

Big Babs as she is known to one and all– she growls

sorry I might have gone off track there …

and threatens to run me over with the perming trolling.

And the artist is really no help whatsoever.

HELP! I'VE BEEN CURATED!

They are in cloud cuckoo land. They think it’s a great success and keep saying how they really

Dear Concierge of Agony,

appreciate this profound expression of my long-

All I wanted was someone to pick out my strongest

term support and commitment to a process of

works for my show; have a bit of a think about

ongoing dialogue and affinity building.

how to arrange them in the space; and to put into plain English some of the thoughts I have about

I’ve briefly looked into the legalities of this;

my work and throw in a bit of their own erudition

but I think what is more significant is that Big

along with some basic art-historical context.

Bab’s brothers are bigger than you or me. My

Unfortunately, I’ve got way more than what I bargained for. To think it started with a common-

advice: retreat and move on. Sometimes, real life wins and art loses.

Extracted from Helguera’s Artoons by Pablo Helguera Published by Jorge Pinto Books. Copyright Pablo Helguera.

Available at all good art booksellers in Ireland and worldwide.

Further details from www.pintobooks.com

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

31

September – October 2009

Project PROFILE

Deirdre O’Mahony, Mattie Rynne wall drawing, The X-PO opening installation, 2007 .

Nathan Coley Show Home. City Arts Centre, Dublin. 2004.

Landscape, Power & Heritage RUTH MC HUGH DISCUSSES GMIT’S ART & HERITAGE IN A RURAL CONTEXT MODULE. John O’Donohue writing in Anam Cara, spiritual wisdom from the Celtic World suggests “landscape is not matter, nor merely nature, rather it enjoys a luminosity. Landscape is numinous. Each field has a different name and in each place something different happened. Landscape has a secret and silent memory…” (1) Alternatively, in a citation by WJT Mitchell in Landscape and Power, “landscape is an exhausted medium, no longer viable as a mode of artistic expression.” (2) The Irish rural landscape is weighted with a complexity of layered meanings; from the historical; to the colonial; to the aesthetic; to the agrarian; to the touristic; to the environmental; to the mystical; to the gentrified notion of ‘rururbia’, functioning as satellite dormer locations for urban professionals. It has in the past been revered and mythologized as the repository of national cultural identity, while simultaneously being identified with the feminine and the primitive ‘other’. (3) As a location for contemporary artistic practice, the changing nature of the rural demographic has presented new possibilities for visual arts practice, as community, audience and practitioners articulate their negotiated relationships with place in the rapidly transforming discourse of globalisation. In particular as David Harvey has noted in From Space to Place and Back Again: Reflections on the Condition of Postmodernity “the elaboration of place-bound identities has become more rather than less important in a world of diminishing spatial barriers to exchange, movement and communication.” (4) In the process of researching aspects of visual arts development in rural Ireland, I encountered the AFTER (5) project in County Leitrim and its genesis in the TRADE initiative, a collaborative, research, networking and practice scheme developed through partnership between the Leitrim and Roscommon Arts Officers. Something innovative was developing in rural Ireland, which was attracting artists working at the cutting edge of visual arts practice. This was borne out by the appointment of the Leitrim Arts Officer, Caoímhín Corrigan, as Irish commissioner for the Venice Biennale 2009 and his consequent selection of one of the AFTER project artists, Gareth Kennedy, to represent Ireland on that particular global stage.

Following this line of research, I attended a seminar, Where Art Grows Greener: Art in a Rural Context, at PS2 in Belfast (6). One of the speakers, Fiona Woods, presented on the origins and development of the Ground Up project in Co. Clare, an experimental programme of contemporary art in the rural public realm (7). The rationale for the seminar was a review of how the PS2 'Urban Space Shuttle Project 'template worked as a model for Ground Up and to contextualise that experimental rural programme within the discourse of contemporary rural art projects countrywide (8). Alice Lyons and Gareth Kennedy introduced the AFTER project in County Leitrim, Jenny Haughton represented the Arts Council and Philip Napier outlined his involvement with the 'Northern Ireland Regenerate' programme (9).

Deirdre O’Mahony’s 'XPO' – the revival of local post office as a visual arts site – was profiled by Jenny Haughton, as an example of new frameworks for participatory rural art projects. Crossland, O’Mahony’s environmental intervention for the Ground Up project, was also featured in the seminar.

These factors led me to the Art and Heritage in a Rural Context module which artist Deirdre O’Mahony initiated in February 2009 as part of Heritage Studies at GMIT. The course was one of the outcomes of the Shifting Ground project – a partnership project set up in 2005 between Clare County Arts Office and Galway-Mayo-Institute of Technology and grant-aided by the Arts Council. The long-term aim of the project is to promote cross-disciplinary dialogue concerning art and culture in rural contexts at a time of accelerated socio-economic, cultural and environmental change. My interest was to extend my research base.

Having missed the introductory week I was furnished with O’Mahony’s essay The Trouble with Beauty (10) O’Mahony refers to JWT

Mitchell’s Landscape and Power for guidelines in approaching the rural for contemporary arts practices. “The single term ‘landscape’, despite its many associated meanings, fails to address the complexity of the matter of speaking of space, place and site. Mitchell proposes that ‘landscape’ should be considered as a dialectical trial, a conceptual structure which may be activated from several different angles. He explains that “If a place is a specific location, a space is a ‘practised place’ – a site activated by movements, actions, narratives and signs”, and so “a landscape is that site encountered as image or ‘sight’”. (11) O’Mahony’s text also stressed the ways in which the historical representations of the West of Ireland have equated the idealization of the rural landscape with national identity. This heritage has in the past constricted the development of visual arts practice in Ireland where ‘Landscape’ in art has become associated with, ‘the picturesque’, ‘the ideal’, ‘the gaze’, and thereby with the erasure or reduction to mere background mise-en-scène of local inhabitants. O’Mahony goes on to note that it was this particular cultural legacy she found herself negotiating as an artist in the rural context of the Burren in Co Clare.

This point is clarified in Luke Gibbon’s now classic essay The Myth of the West – “…in a lecture on Irish visual culture delivered in 1980, the artist Robert Ballagh has singled out the idealisation of the west of Ireland as being perhaps the greatest inhibiting influence on the development of 20th century Irish art. The equation of rural life with all that is truly Irish has dominated the work of many Irish painters, but is particularly evident in the work of Jack B. Yeats, Paul Henry and Seán Keating.” (12) Having set out historical precedents and anomalies in visual culture in relation to the Irish rural landscape the Art and Heritage in a Rural Context module proceeded with seminars on the history of public art in rural Ireland and contemporary art practices in rural contexts in Ireland, the UK and internationally. The changing attitude of policy makers towards percent for art schemes has facilitated a transformation of the parameters and paradigms for public art commissions and this was illustrated by the diverse nature of the projects and practices introduced in presentations. There has been a shift away from the imposition of permanent structures towards participatory and research based projects and interventions.

Deirdre O’Mahony’s curatorial involvement and participation in the projects – Ground Up and X-PO – were discussed in depth on the course. These projects were compared with and considered in the context of other rural art initiatives such as Grizedale (13) in England; Sarah Browne’s Model Society project for Carlow town; Sean Lynch’s interaction with Richard Long’s stone circle in the Burren; various works by Michael Fortune; Ronnie Hughes’ Keepsakes (14); Nathan Coley’s Show Home installed on the roof of the City Arts Centre, Dublin (15) – along with other works by Francis Alys, Mel Chin, and Aisling O’Beirn amongst others. Overall this gave a broad sense of the diverse possibilities for spatial and participatory practices in the rural environment.

Visual arts projects engaging with disappearing farming practices and vernacular tradition seemed particularly relevant in the context of heritage, CAP funding and rural development. The cross-disciplinary nature of the course, connecting heritage and the visual arts, is indicative of shifting priorities, in the past here had been antipathy between the two disciplines. International art museum curators outraged the Irish nation by removing heritage monuments from their sites for ROSC in 1967. At that time members of the Irish Countrywomen’s Association tied themselves to Celtic crosses in rural locations (this may be a myth), Garda were certainly enlisted, so that national heritage would not be interfered with in the cause of modern art. (16) From the outset the Art and Heritage in a Rural Context module aimed to familiarise the participants with the multitude of possibilities

Deirdre O’Mahony, Mattie Rynne wall drawing, The X-PO opening installation, 2007

for visual art projects within a rural context. Each participant was to undertake self-directed research relating to agricultural, ecological and cultural aspects of a site of their choosing, which would be disseminated in two presentations reflecting their critical understanding of the historical, social and cultural context of the site. The module was attended by a majority of heritage students, as well a number of artists and heritage/visual arts professionals. As the students presented their ideas for research projects to the class, the notion of sharing the bare bones of research was disconcerting for me as an artist as experience has taught me to be guarded during periods of development.

Nonetheless, the process was stimulating in terms of peer learning and the floundering stages of development can offer insights, which may be eliminated in refinement.

The subsequent projects developed in tandem with seminars on research methodologies. These offered specific formulas for approaching sites thoroughly. Ethical approaches were considered for research into interstitial sites where the public and private merge – Miwon Kwon’s One Place After Another, Site-Specific Art and Locational Identity being a particularly useful reference. (17) Vladimir Arkhipov’s Functioning Forms, Ireland, part of his Museum of the Handmade Object, exhibited during the Ground Up programme, portrayed some of the participants in a manner they had not expected. (Discussed in the course of Art and Heritage in a Rural Context by Deirdre O’Mahony).

Although intending to display the everyday as art, the experience may have been comparable to museological practices associated with portraying cultures as primitive or ‘other’ and in so doing raised issues with the community in relation to culturally aware practices. The complexity of the historical context of institutional practices was engaged in this discourse. One heritage student’s research around a home, a family legacy, initiated the development of a greater vernacular heritage project in the locality. The scope and potential pitfalls for public art projects was so wide-ranging that they were at times stimulating and at times overwhelming.

Although I initially signed up to the Art and Heritage in a Rural Context module in order to pursue my research interests, in the process I developed a public art project for a rural location around the territory of folklore and linguistics. It was a complex proposal involving the development a film to be shown in a rural location, a hub. This would be accompanied by research and text initiating a reciprocal updating of local folklore and stories. (18) In general, the Art and Heritage in a Rural Context module was extremely intensive. The different levels of expertise of the students and interdisciplinary nature of the class had positive and negative aspects. Participants would have liked more personal tutorials as their projects developed. Exposure to new art practices, the production of the field notebook and the visual presentations were the most thoughtprovoking and creative aspect of the process. The breadth of knowledge on the subject disseminated in lectures and the suggested bibliography were also useful from a research standpoint. The course was stimulating and challenging.

Ruth McHugh Notes 1. O’Donohue, John, Anam Cara, spiritual wisdom from the Celtic World, Bantam Press, 1997 2. Mitchell, WJT, Landscape and Power, 2002. The University of Chicago Press.

3. Breathnach-Lynch, Sighle, Landscape, Space and Gender; their role in the construction of female identity in newly independent Ireland. in The Gendered Landscape, Routledge 1997 4. David Harvey, From Space to Place and Back Again: Reflections on the Condition of Postmodernity in Dolores Hayden, The Power of Place: Urban Landscapes as Public History, Cambridge: MIT Press, 1995, p.43 5. http://www.after.ie/project.htm 6. www.pssquared.org/ruraldebate.php 7. http.//www.shiftingground.net 8. http://www.spaceshuttle.org.uk/mission2.htm 9. http:/regenerateprojects.com 10. Visual Artists News Sheet. July / August 2006.

11. WJT Mitchell, Landscape and Power, The University of Chicago Press, 2002..

12. Gibbons, Luke, Synge Country and Western: The Myth of the West in Irish and American Culture in Transformations in Irish Culture, Cork University Press.

13. http://www.grizedale.org 14. Percent for Art Commission, Sligo County Council 2000, Placing Art) 15. http://www.cityarts.ie/memory/civilartsinqu/ 16. Garda Watch on Donegal Cross, Irish Times Reporter, Irish Times, Tuesday 7 November, 1967.

17. Kwon, Miwon. One Place After another, Site specific art and locational identity. Cambridge Mass.: 2002 18. Location not identified, to protect the integrity of the project.

Laois County Council Open Competition Tender Laois County Council invites submissions for a permanent public indoor visual arts display under the Percent for Art Scheme for Mountmellick Library and Art Gallery.

This commission will be awarded by open competition with a one-stage selection procedure. The project is alloted an all-inclusive budget of fifteen thousand euros. The closing date for applications is Thursday 15 October.

For more details including an application form and brief please contact: The Arts Office, Laois County Council, Ă ras an Chontae, Portlaoise, Co. Laois.

A copy of the brief can be downloaded from our website at www.laois.ie phone: email: web:

057 8674344/41 artsoff@laoiscoco.ie www.laois.ie

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

33

September – October 2009

VAI Activities

CEO / Directors Report Visual Artist Ireland’s CEO / Director Noel Kelly reports on the achievements and performance of VAI over the last financial year.

With the approach of Visual Artists Ireland’s AGM, I thought it would

with Children and Young People; Galleries : Working with Public and Private

International Conference of the European Council of Artists. In

be a good time to look at some of the organisations work during our

Galleries; What the Commercial Gallery Looks At?; Galleries and curating –

addition the edition was invited to be launched as part of the New York

last financial year of 2008 – and to outline some of the directions that

The International Art Market; Initiating and Delivering Projects; Public Art

Art Book Fair. Both events were very well attended and the reaction to

VAI has been taking. 2008 marked my first full-year as Chief Executive

Commissions – The Commissioning Stage; Public Art Commissions – The

Printed Project from both artists and institutions alike was extremely

Officer / Director of Visual Artists Ireland. It was a very busy year and

Development & Delivery Stage; Working with Architects; Project Management

positive and welcoming. We are extremely grateful to Culture Ireland

one in which Visual Artists Ireland proved its necessity. We continued

for the Visual Arts and a seminar: Professional Development in the Visual

for their support in allowing us the means to go to New York, and know

to grow our work as an advocate for artists; and we were – and remain

Arts. In addition we ran a pilot programme with Film Base for the

that the continued communications with people that we have met

– in constant dialogue across Ireland and internationally with artists,

provision of places within their training programme for our members

there has continued to raise awareness of Irish visual artists. In

artists support groups and lobbyist furthering the cause of Irish visual

who wish to develop their skills in the areas of production and editing

addition, Issue 10 formed part of the opening events of the 2008

artists.

of moving image.

Liverpool Biennial, with an audience gathered to discuss the real

Achievements & Performance

To increase our capability in the delivery of our professional

impact on visual artists of the new points based visa system introduced

development and education programme we appointed Monica Flynn

in the United Kingdom that will have a direct effect on our Northern

as our Education Officer.

Ireland members.

Membership: VAI’s membership continues to be around one thousand

Membership Discount Scheme: The members discount scheme

‘The Art of Living with Strangers’ was based around the experience

seven hundred and fifty paid members; and continues to grow in

continues to grow with services and goods provision at discounted or

of the immigrant within their adopted environment and is indebted to

particular with recent graduates. Our membership continues to bring

preferential rates to our members. We continue to encourage people

the sociologist Zygmunt Bauman’s assertions that inhabitants of the

a broad range of benefits and the mandate given to us continues to be

to let us know of companies who we can approach to be part of the

contemporary city are “permanent strangers”, and that cohabitation,

central to our work. We continue to actively encourage new members

scheme.

according to Bauman, is “an art which, like all arts, requires study and

and also the renewal of membership, which are both vital to us being able to continue our work.

International Association Of Art /UNESCO Artists Card: The

exercise”. Moreover, Lolita Jablonskiene described her edition of

International Association of Art (IAA) is a non-governmental

Printed Project “as a workshop – constructed in the spirit of Alexander

Finance: We are again grateful to The Arts Council and The Arts

organisation run by and for visual artists working in every medium,

Rodchenko’s Workers’ Club, offering socio-political enlightenment, a

Council of Northern Ireland for their continued financial support of

style and tradition. It was founded in 1954 under the auspices of

platform for debate, and a space for the renewal of our energy at the

the organisation. In terms of our advertising sales revenue, we have

UNESCO. Artists from over 80 countries worldwide are represented by

end of a long working day”. Contributors included: Lolita Jablonskiene,

seen a small increase in sales of advertising for both The Visual Artists

their national committees making it the largest international non-

Zygmunt Bauman, Flash Bar, Brendan Earley, Steven Flusty, Sam Ely &

News Sheet and also for Printed Project. Both of these achieved their

governmental association of artists. The primary goals of the IAA are

Sam Ely & Lynn Harris, Lukasz Piotr Galecki, Tessa Giblin, Daniel

target for 2008.

to improve the working conditions and the rights and social

Jewesbury, Jesse Jones, Danius Kesminas, Eléonore de Montesquiou,

circumstances of artists.

One of the more tangible benefits of

Nikos Papastergiadis, Paulina Egle Pukyte, Simon Rees, Société Réaliste,

continues to be the core newspaper for the visual arts in all of Ireland.

membership is/was the International Artist’s Identity Card, which

Apolonija Sustersic, Sarah Tuck, What is to be done? / Chto delat?,

Issued 6 times per annum, each circulation comes to around 6000

carries the UNESCO stamp and which allows card holders discounted

Pavel Braila.

copies. These are circulated to all of our paid members, and also are

or free access to selected museums and galleries around the world. As

Exercises in Folkatronica, Media Residencies: Exercises in

available at locations around the country. The content has continued

the Irish appointed provider of the IAA Card we continue to receive

Folkatronica is the annual media residency programme operated by

to grow thanks to the ongoing efforts of the editor, Jason Oakley. In

many requests for it.

Visual Artists Ireland. The title Exercises in Folkatronica refers to the

Visual Artists’ News Sheet: The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

2008 we introduced several new contributors, and also a section that

Pension Scheme for Artists: In 2008, we set up a relationship

increasing ubiquity of digital technology in visual culture and daily

announces the publication of artist’s catalogues or monographs. The

with the Taxation Advice Bureau as a preferred supplier of Personal

life. It makes reference to the idea that social behaviour patterns

serialisation of Pablo Helguera’s Manual of Contemporary Art Style

Retirement Savings accounts for our members.

informed by the growing influence of digitisation are evolving into

provided us with some welcome laughs at the back of the News Sheet.

E-bulletin: There are now in excess of 6,500 current subscribers to the E-bulletin. Having this free to subscribe resource has prompted

Artists Meeting / Research /Work Room: The Artists Meeting /

new ‘folk traditions’. Each year, two residencies of four weeks duration,

Research / Work Room continues to be a free resource to our members.

offer selected artists flexible free access to Visual Artists Ireland’s

In 2008 we have widened the scope of this by renting the space out to

digital video and audio facilities. Participants are also awarded a

people or organizations that are looking for such a facility.

modest weekly research stipend and access to a qualified technician.

much feedback from its recipients. As it goes out twice weekly our

Printed Project: Printed Project continues to be recognised as an

readers constantly remind us of how important they find it, and

important journal representing the outward and forward looking

especially comment on the quality. This feedback is much welcomed

approach of visual arts in Ireland. The two editions produced in 2008

as the team of Niamh Looney and Sabina McMahon work tirelessly

were –

The winners of the 2008 Exercises in Folkatronica production award were Maya Weimer and John Callaghan & Johnny McCauley.

Maya Weimer’s research based project explored the stories of Irish born adoptees who were raised overseas and who may or may not have

filtering and editing the content. Unfortunately we cannot cover all

Issue 9, ‘The Call of the Wild is now a Cry for Help’ (Curator /

returned to Ireland. The project aimed to address and raise issues about

items that we receive and so we try to ensure that there is a good

Editors: Declan Clarke and Paul McDevitt) was launched in Dublin

the larger context of transnational migration and Irish diaspora. John

selection from all areas of the country represented.

Thursday 17 April 2008 to a large gathered audience who were

Callaghan and Johnny McCauley’s ‘Turn it Off’ utilised light

Info~pool: The Info~pool has become an important resource for

entertained by an art pub quiz. The winner, Caoimhin MacGiollaLeith,

photography, also known as light graffiti or light writing to create an

practical and timely information and assistance for members and non-

received a drawing completed on the night by Paul McDevitt. The

animated character-based narrative about urban energy conservation

members alike. In 2008, we continued to update the texts with a

edition was also launched on Saturday 19 April, 2008, at the Stephen

issues.

number on studios; taxation; working with galleries; the artist as

Friedman Gallery, London W1 and the following week in Berlin at Bar

And two ‘runners up’ places were awarded to artists whose

curator; art handling; contracts; pensions and VAT.

in der Karl-Marx-Allee. Both of which events were well attended by

projects the VAI has also recognised as deserving of support. Noel

both members of the Irish and international art worlds.

Brennan – for his project ‘Alternate Beginnings’ that explored the

Help-desk: As one of the core services of Visual Artists Ireland, the help desk constantly reminds us of the great need for our services.

Clarke & McDevitt treated Printed Project issue 9, ‘The Call of the

cosmological and mythical symbolism featured in the opening credits

We receive a large number of emails and telephone calls on a weekly

Wild is now a Cry for Help’, as an artist-led exhibition space – keeping

of films and other moving image corporate identities in advertising.

basis asking us for advice, for direction, or for clarification about artists’

the written content to a minimum in order to make the publication

Jim Ricks – for his project exploring the possibility representing the 9

rights. Throughout 2008 we assisted artists with contracts advice,

prominently visual. Moreover they commented “As artists ourselves,

/11 and it cultural contexts through a montage of imagery derived

works being lost or damaged, residencies or exhibitions that failed to

we want our issue of Printed Project to be considered as an artwork in

from big-budget Hollywood disaster films.

deliver, public art commissioning, non-payment by galleries, and

its own right”. The contributions included solo visual projects, hand

The winners were announced by Mary Cloake, Director Arts

opportunities that went wrong for one reason or another. This is very

written text works and collaborative pages – with some artists choosing

Council / an Comhairle Ealaíon at an Exercises in Folkatronica,

much a daily routine for us.

to literally work on top of the work of other artists – while others opted

Screening Night at the The Sugar Club, Dublin on Monday 26 May

Professional Development Training Workshops: In 2008, we

for a call-and-response approach, whereby new works were made in

2008. Christopher Lindinger, director of research and innovation in the

delivered professional development and training workshops in Dublin,

response to works sent. A thread running through ‘The Call of the Wild

Ars Electronica Futurelab was the 2008 selector for Exercises in

Belfast and Cork. Our partnership with National Sculpture Factory

is now a Cry for Help’ was a concern with the ways in which artists

Folkatronica. This even was funded by Dublin City.

continues to grow; and to embed within Visual Artists Ireland the

consider different ways and means of engaging with histories be they

Collaborative Projects: In 2008, we supported many artist led

provision of these workshops.

in terms of one’s personal life; or work; or of a wider cultural and / or

projects around the country. With an evening for VAI members,

Workshops delivered included – Practical Issues: Writing the artist’s

political scope. The contributors included: Jonathan Meese, Sophie von

Sculpture in Parkland provided us with a valuable insite into the work

statement and CV; Presentation Skills – Marketing your Practice;

Hellermann, Goshka Macuga, Luke Dowd, Liz Craft / Klaus Weber,

of sculptor Patrick Dougherty, as well as the work of Martina Galvin,

Understanding your accounts; Arts Council Awards; Peer Critique: Peer

Markus Selg / David Godbold, Matthias Dornfeld / Sara MacKillop,

with a reception afterwards in the newly renovated Belmont Mills

Critique / Sculpture with Richard Deacon; Peer Critique / Photography with

Mamma Andersson, Jockum Nordström, Jewyo Rhii, Tyler Vlahovich.

Studios. We also provided assistance with VISIT, the Dublin wide

Elina Brotherus and Martin Healy; Peer Critique / Painting with Paul Nugent;

Issue 10: ‘The Art of Living with Strangers’ (Editor / Curator: Lolita

initiative of fifteen artists’ studio organisations who opened their doors

Thinking about your Practice: Earning Opportunities for Artists; Working

Jablonskiene) was launched in Dublin as part of the Annual

to the public on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 April with over 150 visual

34

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

September – October 2009

VAI Activities artists allowing public access to their studios over the two days. In

Artistic exchange, immigration and terrorist legislation – experiences

membership has largely been to VAI’s presence at info clinics, and in

addition we worked with Kids Own in the expansion of their services

from a small institution perspective. A paper was presented from

Art Colleges and Arts Centres. In particular the membership from

to our members and also allowing them a public platform to highlight

Maria Badia i Cutchet MEP | Spain member of the Cultural Committee

emerging artists from art colleges has increased and we hope that this

their valuable work in the area of working with children.

at the European Parliament concerning The role of the European

can be built upon in the future.

Social & Economic Status of the Artist: In 2008, Visual Artists

Parliament in the promotion of artists’ mobility. The event was

In the west, Aideen Barry has worked to highlight the organisation

Ireland undertook a comprehensive survey on the Social, Economic

provided with an interlude by Na Píobairí Uilleann, an organisation for

through local media, such as the local radio station. In Roscommon she

and Fiscal Status of the Visual Artist in Ireland. The survey was

the promotion of traditional Irish piping.

has been invited to speak four times on the local arts programme and

completed in early December 2008 and published in June 2009.

New Legislation – VISA system NI / UK: Since June 29 2008, the

hopes to build on this in the future with several more interview/

Already, parts of this survey are being used to bolster our representations

writers, composers and artists category in visa applications is closed to

information giving advice sessions. Though it has been slow to get this

for the increase in support of visual artists, and the continuance of

new applicants. If an artist wishes to come to the United Kingdom to

idea off the ground, we hope to make the ‘radio VAI’ session a bit more

schemes such as the tax exemption scheme, and the removal of

work, or is already here in another immigration category and wishes to

frequent in the future. We have now expanded her role outside of the

anomalies that effect our members in the social welfare system.

extend their stay, they now need to apply under Tier 1 or Tier 5 of the

five counties she was initially commissioned for. This is in light of a

In December 2008, VAI was invited to participate in a European

new points-based system. Working on behalf of our Northern Irish

call from members to reflect on activities outside of the west of Ireland.

convention on the Social Economic and Fiscal Status of the Visual

membership we have made representation back to the UK Border

We hope that in the future other representative could be appointed, to

Artist in Europe. At the convention 27 countries presented on their

Agency on the negative impact that this will have on visual artists

support this call, in particular a rep for the south of the country, which,

social, fiscal and legal frameworks. The presentations have just been

looking to collaborate or to work with non-UK based peers.

it is hope would increase our membership in areas such a Cork city and

published and we are now using the contents to bolster our own research.

Irish Visual Arts Rights Organisation: VAI continues to be an active partner of IVARO. Alex Davis continues his secondment and is

building on the emergence of students from the WIT (Waterford and Cork institutes of Technology).

Mobility: In November 2008, Visual Artists Ireland hosted the

working on the practical side of IVARO’s relationship with members

In the past year we have developed a strong picture of the visual

International Annual Conference and Congress of the European

and auction houses and galleries. In 2008, the Irish and UK government

artist in Northern Ireland. Our research has shown the need for a very

Council of Artists in partnership with The Irish Museum of Modern

called for consultation on a further derogation on the Artist’s Resale

specific strategy in 2009. We are working with the Arts Officers of the

Art (IMMA). The launch of the conference was facilitated by Temple

Right. This means a delay to the full implementation of the Right for

borough areas on a project that will bring discussion groups and our

Bar Gallery & Studios, and was the launch for Edition 10 of Printed

artist’s heirs and beneficiaries. Despite a postcard campaign by our

support services to areas across Northern Ireland. We will also continue

Project. Michael Burke – president of ECA, and I welcomed a large

members and an overwhelming public support for the full

our professional development and education project with the support

room of delegates to what proved to be a day of lively debate.

implementation, both governments have chosen to ignore public

of the Arts Council Northern Ireland as well as increasing the range of

Contributors included: Eva Lichtenberger MEP / Austria member of the

opinion about the derogation and have called on the EU to allow for a

services that we provide through strategic partnerships. Details of

Legal Committee at the European Parliament spoke about Artistic

further 2 year delay. This has been met with deep disappointment from

these will be released later this year.

freedom in a globalised world and the European Arrest Warrant;

our members.

Helena Drnovsek Zorko / Slovenia division for International Cultural

Regional Representatives: In 24 months, VAI has run 9

That covers 2008! Of course, 2009 is fast coming to an end and we have

Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spoke about Building relations

information clinics which have been extremely well attended and

been very focused on working within a new economic reality. At the

with cultural cooperation – an experience from West Balkans; Lolita

appreciated by the visual art community. In particular the feedback

end of the year we hope to be able to update you with our progress, and

Jablonskiene / Lithuania Ambassador of the European Year for

has been extremely positive in light of putting a “face of the

want to thank you for your on-going support of our work.

Intercultural Dialogue spoke about Art of living with strangers - the

organisation”. Many members of the VAI who are outside of the Dublin

challenge of inclusion; Ole Reitov / Denmark programme manager,

area have expressed a prior feeling of disconnection from the

Noel Kelly

Freemuse spoke about Borders, visa issues & cultural diversity; Pauline

organisation. This disconnection has been an important bridge to

Chief Executive Officer/Director

Hadaway / Northern Ireland director, Belfast Exposed spoke about

rebuild in all areas of the country. We feel that the increase in

Getting On With It Conversations on the Practicalities of Being an Artist Cork Friday 9 October 2009

Colin Martin, 'Pacific Ocean Blue' 2009 Oil On Canvas 100 x 150 cms, Image courtesy of the artist.

Until 3 October 2009 Brian Maguire, Michael McLoughlin & participants from Ashleigh House, Coolmine Therapeutic Community.

Experience Strength and Hope

27 Nov 2009 – 23 Jan 2010 Colin Martin Chalet Town

9 October – 21 November 2009 Amharc Fhine Gall VI

July – December 2009 Artist in Residence Noel Brennan

16 October – 21 November 2009 Jaki Irvine City of Women

This one-day, artist-led conference provides an opportunity to discuss the experiences and insights of professional artists. Through a series of artist presentations and conversations, participants will look at the fundamentals, benefits and pitfalls in establishing a career as a visual artist. The conference aims to address the practicalities of art practice, offering a straightforward and pragmatic approach to the production and exhibition of contemporary art.

An initiative of the National Sculpture Factory & Visual Artists Ireland in association with Crawford College of Art & Design, Crawford Art Gallery and the Lewis Glucksman Gallery For further details and to book contact:

Blanchardstown Centre, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15.

T: +353 1 885 2610 F: +353 1 824 3434 W: www.draiocht.ie

The National Sculpture Factory Albert Rd, Cork T: 021 431 4353 E: dobz@nationalsculpturefactory.com www.nationalsculpurefactory.com www.visualartists.ie

Visual Artists Ireland

Professional Development Training Workshops Autumn 2009.

Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Portlaoise. Belfast, Derry, Down, Enniskillen, Omagh.

Tutors: Age Exchange, Caroline Campbell, Annette Clancy, Patricia Clyne-Kelly, Diana Copperwhite, Mark Cullen, Brian Duggan, Niall Flaherty, Kids' Own, Eilís Lavelle, Liz Lennon, Kerry McCall, Caroline McCarthy, Conor McFeely, Ingrid Murphy, Jerome Ó Drisceoil, Niamh O’Malley, Linda Scales, Sarah Searson, Cliodhna Shaffrey, Gaby Smyth, CAF and with contributions from Ruairi O'Cuiv, Mark Garry, Theresa Nanigan, Claire Nidecker, Fiona Whelan LIMERICK

BELFAST

In partnership with Limerick City Gallery Limerick City Council & North Tipperary County Council

In partnership with CAF / Community Arts Forum.

Working with Public & Private Galleries

*Introduction to community arts facilitation 4 Sept, Belfast Exposed.

Jerome Ó Drisceoil & Eilís Lavelle 30 Sept, Limerick City Gallery.

*Group Dynamics 13 Nov, Beat Initiative, Belfast. *Using the web to your advantage 4 Dec, Computer Club House, Belfast.

PORTLAOISE

In partnership with Belfast Exposed.

In partnership with Midlands Masterclasses, Offaly, Westmeath & Longford Co. Councils.

Working with Children & Young People Kids' Own. 24 Sept, Belfast Exposed.

Working with Public & Private Galleries

Presentation Skills – Communicating your Practice Kerry McCall. 25 & Sat 26 Sept, Belfast

Jerome Ó Drisceoil & Eilís Lavelle. 12 Oct, Dunamaise Arts Centre.

Exposed.

Cross Generational Work Age Exchange. 29 Sept, Belfast Exposed.

CORK & DUBLIN

Evaluation Tools for Collaborative work Liz Lennon & Fiona Whelan. 1 Oct, Belfast Exposed.

Visual Artists Ireland and National Sculpture Factory in partnership.

In association with Digital Art Studios, Queen St Studios, Belfast.

Main Venues – VAI Dublin and the NSF, Cork.

Peer Critique – Multi-media & Installation Conor McFeely. 28 Sept, Digital Art Studios, QSS.

Practical Issues

DERRY

Understanding your Accounts Gaby Smyth & Co. 10 Sept, Dublin only.

*Group Dynamics 20 Nov, VOID, Derry. In partnership with CAF / Community Arts Forum.

Money Matters for Artists Patricia Clyne-Kelly. 5 Oct, Cork. 12 Oct, Dublin.

Technical & Installation Skills for Visual Artists (details tbc). In partnership with VOID, Derry.

Legal & Contractual Issues for Artists Linda Scales. 28 Oct, Cork. 30 Oct, Dublin.

Peer Critique – All Media Caroline McCarthy (Spring 2010). In partnership with VOID, Derry.

Promoting Your Practice Presentation Skills Kerry McCall. 19 & 20 Oct, Cork. 9 & 10 Nov, Dublin.

DOWN

Art Publishing & Getting Reviewed Niamh O’Malley. 3 Dec, Cork. 10 Dec, Dublin.

*Using the web to your advantage 11 Dec, Down Community Arts. In partnership with CAF.

Online Visibility Workshop Niall Flaherty. 18 Sept, Cork. 25 Sept, Dublin.

Using The 'Net, Podcasts, Blogs & Copyright Caroline Campbell. 18 Sept, Cork. 25 Sept, Dublin.

ENNISKILLEN

Exhibiting

In partnership with Fermanagh District Council

Public & Private Galleries Jerome Ó'Drisceoil & Eilís Lavelle. 9 Sept, Dublin. 27 Oct, Cork.

Money Matters for Visual Artists Annette Clancy, 29 Sept.

Initiating Artist-Led Exhibition Opportunities & Spaces Brian Duggan. 19 Nov, Dublin.

Earning Opportunities Annette Clancy, 30 Sept.

Initiating Artist-Led Exhibition Opportunities & Spaces Mark Cullen. 26 Nov, Cork.

Peer Critique

OMAGH

Peer Critique – Painting Diana Copperwhite. 7 Sept, Dublin only.

In partnership with Omagh District Council.

Peer Critique – Multi-media and Installation Conor McFeely. 23 Oct, Dublin only.

Presentation Skills – Communicating your Practice Kerry McCall 22 & 23 Jan 2010

Peer Critique - Ceramics Ingrid Murphy. 20 Nov, Cork only.

Approaches To Public Art Cliodhna Shaffrey & Sarah Searson. 4 Nov, Cork. 11 Nov, Dublin.

Further details on all courses available from

www.visualartists.ie

BOOKING

(click on 'Professional Development Workshops') Dublin, Limerick, Portlaoise, Belfast, Derry, Down, Enniskillen, Omagh bookings Contact: Monica Flynn at VAI. E: monica@visualartists.ie / T: 01 8722296.

Cork bookings Contact Elma O’Donovan E: elma@nationalsculpturefactory.com / T: 021 4314353.

BOOKINGS FOR workshops in partnership with CAF / Community Arts Forum Contact Heather Floyd / Director E: hfloyd@caf.ie Early booking is advisable as places on workshops are limited and only guaranteed upon receipt of payment along with a current CV. You will be asked to forward details about your work and to fill out a participant information form (outlining your expectations of the training) prior to attending each workshop. NB Should you need to cancel a workshop booking for any reason, please note that cancellations that are received less than ten days prior to a workshop, cannot be refunded.

36

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

September – October 2009

HOW IS IT MADE? the nonlinearity of the narrative structures in these works also closely corresponds to the traditional ways scrolls were used.

In terms of the imagery the project has had a number of consistent themes. They depict the anecdotal and the minutiae of everyday life. In this way the scrolls are a diary of life in London, Ireland and Tokyo for us both at that particular time in our lives. In this sense they are also autobiographical - often in a more direct way than our own individual work.

The works reflect our changing surroundings and changing circumstances. Some of the work is introspective, with a focus on the interior and the small and familiar things in everyday life. And by turns some of the work is about the city and nature in broad terms.

Sometimes these elements intermingle so that grandiose themes co-exist with humble anecdotes.

The context / venue – Wolf on Arm

Andy Parsons discusses HIs ongoing collaboraTion WITH Hidehiko Ishibashi and their exhibition ‘Drawing Between’, showN at Wolf on Arm, the artist’s temporary project space on Wolfe tone street, Sligo in April.

This spring – from February to April – I worked on the Young Model initiative for the Model Niland in Sligo. I converted a disused pharmacy in Sligo town, on Wolfe Tone Street into a studio and project space for the creation of work with local young people. I titled the space and the project ‘Wolf on Arm’ – an adaptation of the former name of the premises Wolfe Tone Pharmacy.

A significant part of the project was the creation of works in the buildings shop front window spaces – alongside large pieces inside the space that were visible from the street. The works that were created with the young people used the found poetry of the title ‘Wolf on Arm’ as jumping off point as well as the notion of engaging with public space.

The ‘Drawing Between’ exhibition was designed to be more like a screening or performance event than a conventional exhibition – and was thus an extension of a concern with creating accessible art events at ‘ground level’ for the town.

The collaboration between Hidehiko Ishibashi and myself began

The Exhibition

Andy Parsons and Hidehiko Ishibashi 'Drawing Between' installation view, Wolf on Arm, Sligo.

Visual Exchange while both of us were still living and working in London in the 1990s.

We had both previously studied at MMU (Manchester Metropolitan University) and had worked in the same studio after graduating. We got to know each other in earnest when we formed a spectacularly bad artists football team and took it on the road. Hidehiko now lives and works in Tokyo and I am based in Sligo.

My recent work has explored the language of power using two strands of imagery; the natural world, specifically animals such as eagles and wolves, whose depiction has long been associated with the visual grammar of power and empire, and different architectural styles particularly classicism and modernism.

Besides studying at MMU, Hidehiko also trained at the University of Ulster. His practice involves film making drawing and printmaking.

Hidehiko’s work often depicts of the street life of the city. In 2003 he

Andy Parsons and Hidehiko Ishibashi. Acetate.

formed SIB a company dealing in Fine Art, publishing and film. Last year SIB staged the highly successful Northern Irish Film Festival in Tokyo (www.niff.jp). Hidehiko has also produced artist’s books, and received a commission from the Arts Council An Chomhairle Ealaion.

He has shown widely in Japan, England and Ireland.

Our first joint show was in Tokyo at Gallery Sudo in Roppongi in 1999. The success of this first joint exhibition helped to reinforce the idea of a constant exchange of ideas and a rolling programme of shows in London and Japan. It also encouraged the development of our collaborative practice that could be sustained despite our different locations.

Drawing Between The works in ‘Drawing Between’ were the result of postal swaps of partially complete works. We agreed that upon exchange of the works, that we were free to work on pieces in whatever way we chose. Other than this, verbal and written discussion was kept to a minimum – except about the basics: the size and type of paper we could use to ensure that each set of drawings would have some uniformity when they finally came together to be exhibited.

The other decision we took was that we would not embark on any form of conversation as to content or what the work would / could be about. This was a deliberate decision and was far from an abdication of responsibility. Our thinking was that conversation and dialogue would take place between us in purely visual form. Thus we think of the final body of works as comprising a physical and metaphorical journey – that have arisen from the combination of our cultural influences and different sensibilities.

Andy Parsons and Hidehiko Ishibashi. Scroll drawing.

The resulting ‘visual conversation’ involved spontaneous improvisations, as well as meticulously planned interventions. We were careful to not try to second-guess each others ‘next steps’ in order to keep the sense of spontaneity in the whole process.

The collaboration produced a large body of work in a variety of media including large scrolls (30 foot long), drawings, etchings, collages, photographic pieces, video and installation. In addition we produced two books, published by Floating World (1), which document the overall process, as well as being artworks in themselves. The production of the books has added another element to the whole project by disseminating the ideas we have been exploring to a wider audience.

Much of the work, particularly the scrolls were very fragmentary in their structure, and owe a great deal to surrealism. Also they mimic in visual terms the prose style of One Way Street by Walter Benjamin (1928) (2), in their use of the everyday alongside the grandiose. In a way

The ‘Drawing Between’ (23 – 24 April 2009) project involved a complete transformation of the pharmacy space. Besides the whitewashing walls, large freestanding screens were constructed – which created a rather theatrical environment. Along with the wallmounted display of some of the scroll works, our collaborative drawings were projected into the space, using old-fashioned flat bed overhead projectors and video projection. The main part of the show was a triptych made up of three 8x4 ft screens, two with overhead projections and one with an animated film of all the projections and their component parts.

The overhead projections were made up from layered sheets of acetate onto which Hidehiko and myself had transferred photocopies or drawn directly onto with markers. Both of like the idea of making transforming rather humdrum tool and materials normally associated with office / corporate presentations – marker pens, acetate and overhead projects. Our hope was that when people entered the space that there was a bit of ‘magic’ there for them – with the drawings, light and colour combining to create a memorable visual spectacle.

Overall the exhibition was about the act of drawing itself – the interaction of hand, page and materials. In this sense the show aimed to swim against the tide, in being so unabashedly about visual poetry.

The works explored a number of themes. At a basic level they looked at globalised culture, specifically youth culture. Why does a t-shirt in Ireland have Japanese text on it and a t-shirt in Tokyo have English text? The drawings explored how the clothes we wear, the design that surrounds us every day and the buildings we live in have similarities and differences that yield profound insights into the broadest currents of culture and history.

The works also aimed to suggest developing new relationships to the art of the past. The projections were intended to bring to mind the work of 19th century Japanese master such as Hiroshige – in the simplicity of the colours and directness of the designs. Specifically, in one of the images – of a young couple standing in downtown Roppongi with the Tokyo tower behind them, might be thought of as real and at the same time as artificial as the characters in Hiroshige’s views.

Hidehiko Ishibashi has recently opened his own gallery in Hachoubori, central Tokyo, and our next exhibition of collaboratively made work will be staged there this autumn.

Andy Parsons Notes 1. www.floatingworldbooks.com 2. Walter Benjamin. One-Way Street and Other Writings. Verso.

The Dock, St George’s Terrace, Carrick on Shannon, Co Leitrim.

Email: info@thedock.ie Website: www.thedock.ie Tel: +353(0)71 9650828

NOTIONS OF CAPITAL Aideen Barry & Anne Ffrench Carol Anne Connolly Linda Shevlin

19TH OF Sept – 7th of Nov 2009 Curated by Claire Mc Aree image: One Size Fits All, Carol Anne Connolly, 2009

Sofia Dahlgren, Winter Light, Video still, 2005.

Figuring Landscapes Screening Programme of film and video artists from Australia and the UK on themes of landscape – only Irish screenings.

Engagement Encounter & Surroundings Enactment & Anti-Terrain Tickets from: T: 01 272 4030 www.mermaidartscentre.ie E: gallery@mermaidartscentre.ie mermaid arts centre, main st, bray, county wicklow

Thurs 17 Sep @ 6pm Free Thurs 24 Sep @ 6pm €5 Sat 26 Sep @ 8pm €5

Kate Byrne, Marie, video still from Painting a Mask, duration 7:30 mins, 2009

Kate Byrne

Anita Groener

Nobody photographs me anymore

Mesh

29 August – 3 October

10 October – 21 November

Comprising a video, a photographic installation

A new series of drawings and paintings for

and drawings, this exhibition explores the

WCAC referencing the journey of Gilgamesh

psychological and emotional response of the

exploring the universal search for meaning in

viewer when confronted with life and death

life.

issues.

West Cork Arts Centre North St, Skibbereen, Co.Cork T: +353 28 22090 E: info@ westcorkartscentre.com w: www.westcorkartscentre.com

IRELAND’S PRE-EMINENT ANNUAL EXHIBITION OF CONTEMPORARY ART, NOW IN ITS 34TH YEAR

As a collaboration among artists, curators, sponsors, workers and committee members, e v+ a presents yearly to audiences in Limerick evidence of the best that contemporary art offers for the assessment, understanding and celebration of the contemporary culture that surrounds us.

“Football” by John Campion, 2007 Sculpture Award Winner

The Irish Concrete Society

2009 SCULPTURE AWARD

OPEN / INVITED e v+ a 2010 EXHIBITION OPENS: FRIDAY 12 MARCH 2010 EXHIBITION CLOSES: SUNDAY 23 MAY 2010

The Irish Concrete Society is pleased to continue a special Award scheme for sculpture, in which the Society wishes to make an Award for excellence in the design/construction of a sculptural project.

In addition, the Society is sponsoring a cash prize of €1000 to the winning sculptor.

This Award scheme enables the Society to acknowledge the work of

OPEN e v+ a 2010 calls for submissions from all artists, using any and all materials, media, styles and genres.

sculptors who use concrete as a medium of expression. Entries are eligible which use concrete as the main visual element in the sculpture.

The adjudication will be carried out by an independent jury convened by the Council of the Society.

There is no predetermined concept/theme for e v+ a exhibitions; the concept/theme evolves out of the sense the Curator finds in adjudicating the offered submissions.

Nominations for the award may be made by sculptors or others directly involved in the nomination. Nominations must refer to work completed since August 1st 2007 which is currently in Ireland and which can be made available for inspection by the jury later in the year, if requested.

All entries will be displayed at an Awards Evening held in early 2010, at which the winner will be announced.

The closing date for the return of nominations is Friday 30th October 2009 and nomination forms may be obtained from Emma Flood at the address below.

Irish Concrete Society,

Tel: 041 9876 466

Platin,

Fax: 041 9876 400

Drogheda,

Email: secretary@concrete.ie

Co. Louth

Deadline for all submissions is Friday 27 November 2009 Updates on e v+ a, its 2010 Curator, submission applications and guidelines at www.eva.ie

All forms of Metalwork and Sculpture commissions undertaken

Bronze Foundry

Anthony Scott Labharcarn

John Behan Ghost Boat

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.

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