Ffrench / Harte, ‘The Sovereigns’, 2012. Image courtesy of the Mermaid Arts Centre

Ffrench/Harte
‘The Sovereigns’
Mermaid County Wicklow Arts Centre, Bray
7 March – 11 April 2013

Rope bridges incite all sorts of responses. Linked to recollections of playground fun, tree house adventures or daring action movie escapes, they trigger feelings of excitement and fear. Encountering Ffrench / Harte’s rope bridge in the Mermaid Arts Centre’s bright and spacious gallery not only conjured up such impressions, it also helped relinquish them because this bridge could not be experienced in the expected way. Lumped on the floor and only partially extended, it came across as a weighty and cumbersome object; more an obstacle to movement than a conveyance. The only intimation of suspension occurs at one end. Here the terminus has been draped over a wooden partition and dangles freely on the far side of that wall. In this configuration the bridge seems to lie in temporary visual storage: a functional object temporarily, if not permanently, devoid of purpose. Housed in this climate controlled environment, it can readily be accessed for perusal and consideration. (more…)

5.Column. Get Together 2013. It’s For Everybody.
5.Roundup. Recent exhibitions and projects of note.
6.Column. Emily Mark-FitzGerald. The Feedback Loop.
8.Column. Seán O Sullivan. Visual Arts Workers’ Forum.
8. News. The latest developments in the visual arts sector.
9. Regional Focus. Visual arts resources and activity in Sligo.
12.International. Ireland in Venice 2013:  Richard Mosse. Jason Oakley talks to Richard Mosse about representing Ireland at this year’s Venice Biennale. (Achived)
13. Residency. Interventions and Transformations. Sue Morris on her residency at AIR Krems, Austria. (Achived)
14. Institutional Profile. DIY Support. Miranda Driscoll, co-director of the Joinery, Dublin, offers an account of the venue’s ethos and activities.
15. How is it Made? Belief and Conviction. Rory Tangney describes how he funded and created his large-scale installation at Camden Palace Hotel, Cork.
16. Career Development. Art and Opportunity. Dougal McKenzie on balancing preparedness with understanding the importance of the ‘lucky break’ in his art career.
17. Symposium. Inspired Not Hindered. James Merrigan reports on ‘Pathways to Practice’, a symposium organised by Arts & Disability Ireland and the Fire Station Artists’ Studios  (28 Feb 2013).
18. Art & Philosophy. New Objects, New Realism? Sinead Hogan interviews Paul Ennis on two recent philosophical concepts, Object Orientated Ontology & Speculative Realism.
19. Critique. ‘The Artist’s Overcoat – Exploring the Studio and Collections of F E McWilliam’; Ffrench/Harte, ‘The Sovereigns’ Mermaid, Bray; (Achived) ‘Analysing Cubism’ IMMA; ‘Monuments’, Lismore Castle Arts; Anthony Haughey ‘Citizen’, Highlanes Gallery; Seamus Nolan ‘10th President’, TBG&S.
23. How is it Made? Border Post. Nick Stewart discusses Which is The: 49 Views, a publication that evolved from a week spent driving along and across the Irish border.
24. VAI & DAS Residency. Questioning Viewership. Joanna Hopkins, 2012 winner of the VAI & DAS Residency Award, discusses her experience of the residency. (Achived)
25. VAI / TGC Residency Award. Details of the Visual Artists Ireland / Tyrone Guthrie Centre Valerie Early Residency Award.
25. Residency Profile. Exploring Hidden Histories. Margo McNulty  on her one-week residency utilising the print facilities at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Co Monaghan.
26. Professional Development. A Hungry Ear. Kati Kivinen, a Helsinki-based curator, discusses working on VAI’s Professional Development Programme.
27. International. Growing Connectivity. Anne Mullee interviews Barcelona-based curators Mariana Cánepa Luna and Max Andrews  about their on-going #OpenCurating project.
28. Profile. Engagement & Innovation. NeXus Arts, an independent artist-led curatorial team based in Drogheda, outline their projects to date and future plans
29. Discussion. More Than a Second Glance. Jonathan Carroll reports on ‘Dialogues on contemporary art, discourse & collaboration’ a panel discussion (24 Jan 2013) held at Pallas Projects / Studios, Dublin.
30. Regional Contacts.  VAI’s Northern Ireland Manager Feargal O’Malley and VAI West of Ireland Representative Aideen Barry offer accounts of activities and issues in their areas.
31. Project Profile. Agency & Child-Adult Connectedness. Susanne Stich discusses ‘Small Worlds’, a series of moving image arts workshops for children, which she has run at Void, Derry since 2011.
32. Artoons. Pablo Helguera’s Artoons – the foibles and ironies of the art world.
32. Professional Development. VAI professional development training and events programme for spring / summer 2013 onwards. Book now to avoid dissapointment!
33. Opportunities. All the latest grants, awards, exhibition calls and commissions.

Cecily Brennan. Man with Eczema. Egg tempera on gesso. Image courtesy of the artist. Recently shown at ‘Living Loss’, Lewis Glucksman Gallery, Cork (23 Nov 2012 – 10 March 2013).

5. Roundup. Recent exhibitions and projects of note.
5. Regional Column: Northern Ireland. Feargal O’Malley. Artist Residencies.
6. Column. Jonathan Carroll. The Life of Ryan.
8. News. The latest developments in the visual arts sector.
9. Regional Profile. Visual arts resources and activity in Mayo.
12. Tribute. Valerie Earley. On these pages, with friends and colleagues, we celebrate Valerie Earley, Visual Artists Ireland’s Membership Manager, who sadly passed away 9 January 2013, after a two-year fight with cancer.
14. Art writing award. Commemoration – A Forward-Looking Act. Joanne Laws, winner of the Visual Artists Ireland / Dublin City Council Arts Office critical writing award (2013), addresses the subject of the visual arts responses to the ‘decade of centenaries’ (Archived)
16. How is it made. Time, Liberty And Atonement. Remco De Fouw details the conception, fabrication and installation of his commissioned work ‘A Voice’ for the Irish Prison Services headquarters in Longford.(Archived)
17. Art and philosophy. Art & Philosophy – Why Now? In the first of three articles prompted by a growing interest in certain strands of philosophy by artists and curators, Sinead Hogan considers the nature of the relationship between art and philosophy.
18. International. O’Doherty Un-Freezes A Beating Heart. Mary-Ruth Walsh reflects on Brian O’Doherty’s keynote address ‘Strolling With The Zeitgeist: Five Decades’ at last year’s Frieze Art Fair (11 Oct 2012).
19. Critique. Reviews of recent exhibitions, events, publications and projects. (Archived)
23. Advocacy. Moving Beyond Token Fees. Noel Kelly, CEO Of Visual Artists Ireland reports on how the findings of VAI’s ‘Survey On Payments For Visual Artists’ show the direct results of the cutting of public funding for the arts. (Archived)
24. Residency. Language That Tells. Bridget O’Gorman profiles ‘Dig Where You Stand’, a year-long residency-based project in South Tipperary.
25. Career Development. Creating Work & Context. Peter Richards tracks the development of his career as an artist, highlighting how he has combined this with his work as a curator.
26. How is it Made? Doctor in the House. Ciara McMahon discusses the concepetion and delivery of her project The Aesthetic Screening Clinic.
27. Project Profile. Productive Perambulators. Michelle Browne discusses some of the initial outcomes of ‘Walking (with a buggy) in the City: A Research Project in the Public Realm’.
28. Opportunities. All the latest grants, awards, exhibition calls and commissions.
30. International. Breaking Bread. Sheena Barrett, Arts Officer And Gallery Curator For The Lab, Dublin profiles Break Bread Open, an event held at the 2012 Liverpool Biennale as part of Liverpool and Dublin’s Cultural Corridor.
31. Art in the Public Realm. The Mercurial Challenge Of Collaborative Arts. Annette Moloney reports on ‘AIC10’, an event held at IMMA (27 Nov 2012) marking a decade of collaborative art projects funded through the Arts Council Of Ireland’s Artist In The Community Scheme and managed by Create.
33. Art in the Public Realm: Roundup. Public art commissions, site-specific works, socially-engaged practices and other forms of art outside the gallery.
34. Career Development. Alphaville to Anti-Tour. Dennis McNulty retraces some formative projects and experiences that have contributed to the evolution of his working methods.

INTO THE LIGHT: THE ARTS COUNCIL – 60 YEARS SUPPORTING THE ARTS

Mark Garry, Folds, 2010, ‘Into the Light’ Installation view, Model Niland, Sligo

Crawford Art Gallery, Cork
(4 Dec 2012 – 23 Feb 2013).

Dublin City Gallery, The Hugh Lane
(28 Nov 2012 – 24 Feb 2013)
.

Limerick City Gallery
(30 Nov 2012 – 18 Jan 2013)
.

The Model, Sligo
(7 Dec 2012 – 24 March 2013).

‘Into the Light: The Arts Council – 60 Years of Supporting the Arts’ marks the sixtieth anniversary of the Arts Council and comprises a series of four exhibitions at Crawford Art Gallery, Cork, Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane, Limerick City Gallery and The Model, Sligo, respectively. ‘Into the Light’ was developed by Lead Curator, Karen Downey and is accompanied by a publication, which features illustrations of works by over 100 artists and commissioned essays by Diarmaid Ferriter and Caoimhín MacGiolla Léith. Each of the four partner curators was invited to select works from the Arts Council collection to create a discrete exhibition that would reflect the interests and the ethos of each specific institution. Partner institutions were chosen, which themselves had a history of collecting and, in two cases, works from the institutions’ own collections are on view side by side with works from the Arts Council collection.

It is interesting that, although the four partner curators were free to select the works that they felt best reflected their own concerns, and a variety of curatorial approaches is certainly apparent, there are still some overarching themes that run through the four shows. For example, all four venues address the concept of the institutional frame, albeit from different perspectives. (more…)

Cover Image. Machteld van Buren, Lady Germany, 2012, collage on paper, 140 x 100cm.

5. Roundup.Recent exhibitions and projects of note.
5. Column. Emily Mark Fitzgerald. Philanthropy and the Arts.
6. Column. Chris Clarke. After the Fact.
7. Column. Treasa O’Brien. Knowing Me, Knowing You.
8. News. The latest developments in the visual arts sector.
9. Regional Profile. Visual arts resources and activity in Clare.
13. Policy. A Structural Necessity? Claire Power considers the issue of internships.
14. International Profile. Collective Citadel. Brenda Moore McCann profiles Cittadellarte in Piedmont.
15. Institution Profile. Go Where There is No Path. Mechtild Manus, the new Director of the Goethe-Institut Ireland talks about intercultural exchange and the Institut’s upcoming programme.
16. Art in the Public Realm: Profile. Home as Universe. Jennie Moran profiles her collaborative art/architecture project with architect Laura Harty, for older people’s housing in Naas, Co Kildare.
17. Debate. Autonomy or Not to Be? Jonathan Carroll reports on ‘Autonomous Practices, Autonomous Objects, Autonomous Institutions’, a debate held at the NCAD Gallery, Dublin (6 Nov 2012).
18. Residency. Unpredictable Rhythms of the Earth. Siobhan Macdonald reports on her residency at the historical seismic observatory of Emil Wiechert in Gottingen, Germany.
19. Critique. Reviews of recent exhibitions, events, publications and projects.
23. Project Profile. Fighting Amnesia. Zineb Sedira discusses her exhibition ‘Becoming Independent’ at the Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin.
24. Art in the Public Realm: Profile. From Landscape to Artscape. Terre Duffy, Public Art Manager for Donegal County Council, reflects on 21 years of public art commissioning in the county.
25. Career Development. Participation, Process & Partnership. Lisa Fingleton discusses the fundamental values and ideas that have directed her career path. 26. How is it Made? Testing the Limits. Art critic Marianne O’Kane Boal talks to Adrian O’Connell,about the his recent exhibition ‘Off Limits’ at Platform Arts, Belfast
27. Seminar. Who Speaks on Whose Behalf? Dorothy Hunter reports on the seminar ‘On Conflict, Memory and Commemoration’, held at Belfast Exposed on 31 Oct 2012.
28. Opportunities. All the latest grants, awards, exhibition calls and commissions.
30. Project Profile. I’ve Got a Notebook (and I know how to use it). John Gayer discusses the ’Artist Notebook Project 2012′, at the McKenna Gallery, Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge.
31. How is it Made? Migration & Transformation. Anthony Haughey discusses’Citizen’, his cross-border exhibition, shown at Highlanes Gallery, Drogheda and Millennium Court Gallery, Portadown.
33. Art in the Public Realm: Roundup. Public art commissions, site-specific works, socially-engaged practices and other forms of art outside the gallery.
34. Residency. Roam Home to a Dome. Linda Shevlin reports on her residency at the Organic Centre, Rossinver, Co Leitrim.
35. Regional contact. Processes of Change. VAI Northern Ireland Manager Feargal O’Malley discusses recent public art projects and commissions.

Cover Image. Dreaming of the Celestial Mountain. Agnes Conway, 2011.

5. Roundup. Recent exhibitions and projects of note. The latest developments in the arts sector.
5. Column. Mark Fisher.
6. Column. Jonathan Carroll.
8. News. The latest developments in the visual arts sector.
9. Regional Profile. Visual arts resources and activity in Antrim.
13. Art and Politics. Living Museum. Brian Kennedy on a recent trip to visit artists in Syria. (Archived)
14. Project Profile. In to the Light. Fiona Fullam talks to Karen Downey about a new exhibition showcasing the Art Council Collection.
15. Festival. Landscape, Change and Flux. Ciara Peters talks to Gregory McCartney about his role as Curator of the Tulca Festival 2012.
16. How is it Made? A Sleeping Face. Agnes Conway on her recent commission for Marlay Park.
17. Career Development. Some Possible Infinities. Alan Bulfin describes working as an artist in Finland.
18. Education. The Artist’s Apprentice. Lily Power talks to Siobhán Parkinson about a new children’s book inspired by Velázquez’s Las Meninas.
18. Policy. Here and Now. Una Carmody gives findings from a recent study of Irish arts audiences.
19. Critique. Our four-page Critique supplement features six reviews of exhibitions, events, publications and projects – that are either current or have recently taken place in Ireland.
23. Festival. The Art of Communication.Yvonne Cullinan profiles the Trans-Art Festival, Cavan.
24. Residency. Artelier. Nick Kaplony describes the Artelier residency programme, run by ArtQuestUK.
24. Profile. John Carrick. John Beattie profiles Firestation’s….JohnCarrick.
25. Policy. Cultural Strategies. Ray Yeates discusses Dublin City Council’s up coming plans for the arts.
26. Artist-led Project. Subject to Ongoing Change. Fergus Byrne profiles The Performance Collective. (Archived)
27. Advocacy. Issue and Impasse. April Britskion CARFAC’s debate with the National Gallery of Canada.
28. Opportunities. All the lastest grants, awards, exhibition calls and commissions.
30. Debate. Remains of the Present. Michelle Browne reports from performance symposium,’Remnant’.
31. How is it Made? Outside In. Suzanne Mooney describes recent work developed in Seoul and Tokyo.
32. International. Notions of Hospitality. Anne Mullee reports from the 2012 Liverpool Biennial. (Archived)
33. Art in Public. Public art commissions, site-specific works, socially-engaged practices and other forms of art outside the gallery.
34. Regional Contacts. VAI’s Northern Ireland Manager reports from the region.
35. Studio Profile. Sustainable Spaces. Maria Tanner profiles a new studio space in Dungarven,Waterford.

Cover image: Colin Darke. For Courbet III (2011)

5. Roundup. Recent exhibitions and projects of note. The latest developments in the arts sector.
5. Column. Treasa O’Brien.
6. Column. Christopher Clarke.
8. News. The latest developments in the visual arts sector.
9. Regional Profile. Visual arts resources and activity in Leitrim.
13. Profile. Space Time Travel. Artist Sara Haq writes about her unique use of barter and exchange.
14. How I Made. The Artist’s Studio. John Beattie describes his upcoming exhibition at the RHA,Dublin. (Archived)
15. Profile. Night School. Áine Macken introduces her unusual night club art classes. (Archived)
16. Event. Of Other Spaces. Aoife Desmond reports from Manifesta 9.
17. Conference. Like a Buck. Alan Phelan gives his impressions of a recent heritage conference at the University of Gothenburg.
18. Issue. Are you Re -entering the Art World? Noel Kelly provides advice and guidance for those who are.
19. Critique. Our four-page Critique supplement features six reviews of exhibitions, events, publications and projects – that are either current or have recently taken place in Ireland.
23. Profile. Long-term Let. Emma Loughney assesses the long-term sustainability of vacant space initiatives.
24. Interview. First Resort. Jack Nyhans interviews the initiators of a new residency in Donegal.
26. Seminar. Art Law Canada. Kathleen Killin reports from the CARFAC Art and Law conference.
27. How I Made. A Congregation of Vapours. Sound artist Fergus Kelly writes about the production of his new album.
28. Opportunities. All the latest grants, awards, exhibition calls and commissions.
30. Event. 100 Thoughts. Jonathan Carroll reports from Documenta.
31. Issue. In Sync. Maeve Mulrennan details a recent project aimed at engaging autistic children in the visual arts.(Archived)
32. Art in the Community. From Context to Exhibition. Michelle Brown illustrates Create’s Learning Development Programme.
33. Art in Public. Public art commissions, site-specific works, socially-engaged practices and other forms of art outside the gallery.
34. Regional Contacts. VAI’s Northern Ireland Manager reports from the region.

Critique supplement appears with each edition of the Visual Artists News Sheet. In 2011, it was decided that a self-contained section of critical engagement with exhibitions that feature in Irish venues or which feature Irish artists internationally will be a valuable addition to the wide range of vibrant critical writing that exists in Ireland today.

Each Critique features six reviews of exhibitions, events, publications, and projects that are either current or have recently taken place in Ireland or abroad. Critique reflects the broader aims of The Visual Artists News Sheet to be relevant to the broad spectrum of visual artists working in all disciplines. The reviews are commissioned to reflect upon and critique a diversity contemporary Irish visual arts practice – in terms of media, generation and geography. Based on these criteria, the exhibitions that are featured are taken from the extensive listings that are provided to Visual Artists Ireland for inclusion in our eBulletin and online media.

Critique relates to VAI’s commitment to developing the professional contexts and infrastructures for artists working in Ireland, that have included talks and critical writing bursaries developed in partnership with The Lab, Dublin, and are are a key feature of our National Get Together.

The review writers have been drawn from a panel that was assembled from an open call out held earlier in 2011. A rigorous analysis is made of each writers approach to critical engagement. We have strict guidelines that are based on international standards that each writer must adhere to.

Please note that whilst we are very open to being made aware of exhibitions, events, publications, and projects by the provision of press releases and announcements for our eBulletin, Critique only publishes writing which has been commissioned specifically for each edition.

Cover Image. Doireann Ni Ghrioghair, Ruins, 2012, image courtesy of eva International

5. Roundup. Recent exhibitions and projects of note. The latest developments in the arts sector.
5. Column. Jonathan Carroll.
6. Column. Mark Fisher.
8. News. The latest developments in the arts sector.
9. Regional Profile. Visual arts resources and activity in Fermanagh.
12. Interview. New Directions. Kerry McCall talks to Orlaith McBride, Director of the Arts Council. Archived in our ‘Articles’ section.
13. Issue. Art and the Law. Monica Flynn and Vivian Meacham report on a recent seminar.
14. Profile. Monster Truck. Padraic E Moore looks at the development of Monster Truck Gallery and Studios
15. Profile. Pallas Projects. Mark Cullen talks about Pallas Projects/Studios’ new space and programme.
16. Collaboration. Featherweight Portable Museum. Alissa Kleist profiles a project initiated by Catalyst Arts.
17. Festival. Around the Block. Grace McEvoy reports on Link Culturefest, a BlockT initiative. Archived in our ‘Articles’ section.
18. How Its Made. Factory Direct. Jeannette Doyle discusses her recent work at the Andy Warhol Museum.
19. Critique. Our 4 page Critique supplement features six reviews of exhibitions, events, publications and projects – that are either current or have recently taken place in Ireland.
23. Critique Special. Static. Emma Mahoney critiques the critics at the ‘Exit Limerick’ graduate review.
24. Event. Get Together. Lily Power gives an overview of the VAI Get Together 2012.
25. Issue. Bite-Size Licensing. Alex Davis discusses licensing and copyright for artists.
26. Seminar. Document! Sabina McMahon reports on a recent seminar that took place at NIVAL.
27. Profile. Model Youth. Marianne O’Kane Boal profiles a recent exhibition put together by young curators at The Model, Sligo.
28. Opportunities. All the lastest grants, awards, exhibition calls and commissions.
30. Profile. Fair Game. Kathleen Madden reports from the first Frieze, New York. Archived in our ‘Articles’ section.
31. Interview. Dublin to Liverpool. David Jacques talks to Mary Cloake, Director of Bluecoat, Liverpool.
32. Education. Drawing Conclusions. Baibre-AnnHarkin looks at 2012 National Drawing Day events.
33. Art in Public. Public art commissions; site-specific works; socially-engaged practices and other forms of art outside the gallery, with a special focus on Mayo Co Council’s ‘Landmark’ project.
34. Regional Contacts. VAI regional contacts report from the field.
34. Issue. Noel Kelly discusses the HEA’s Creative Arts and Media Programme Review announcement.
35. Profile. Forget Fear. Jonathan Carroll reports from the 2012 BerlinBiennale.