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Out Now | March April 2025 issue of The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

The Visual Artists’ News Sheet – March / April 2025

 

In Columns for VAN March / April 2025 issue, artist Day Magee discusses their experience of the Basic Income Pilot Programme, due to end this year; while Aoibheann Greenan’s Wellbeing Column offers guidelines for artists to uncover the deeper motivations of their creative practice. Kicking off a new column series on the SSI/VAN Archive, is an opinion piece about hazardous art materials by John Bowyer Bell, first published by the Sculpture Society of Ireland in October 1981. Also on the subject of archives, Clare Lymer outlines NIVAL’s recent acquisition of the Belfast International Festival of Performance Art Archive.

The Critique Section for this issue includes reviews of several recent shows: ‘Bog Skin’ at the RHA; Brian Maguire at the Hugh Lane Gallery; ‘Bodies’ at Waterford Gallery of Art; and Michael Wann at Solomon Fine Art. For In Focus, Barry McHugh invites reflections from the MAVIS/ARC alumni and associates on the impact and legacy of the former MA programme at IADT Dún Laoghaire. 

Also featured in this issue are Orla Jackson and Joe Duggan’s Exhibition Profile on ‘Irish Art Now’ at the Embassy of Ireland in London; Sarah Long’s Book Review of Poor Artists; Rachel O’Dwyer’s Seminar Report on ‘Artworld Reputation in the Digital Age’; Lisa Fingleton’s Residency Report from Navdanya Biodiversity and Conservation Farm in Northern India; and Member Profiles on Kathryn Maguire and Louise Cherry.

On The Cover 

Michael Wann, Controlled Explosion, 2024 [detail], charcoal on wood panel, 30 x 30 cm; image courtesy of the artist and Solomon Fine Art.

First Pages 

  1. Roundup. Exhibitions and events from the past two months.
  2. News. The latest developments in the arts sector.

Columns 

  1. Home Birds. Cornelius Browne delivers an ode to life and love.

Geography Is Important. Miguel Amado reflects on the practice of KCAT Arts Centre artist Fergus FitzGerald.

  1. Vote of Confidence. Day Magee discusses their experience of the Basic Income Pilot Programme due to end this year.

Reconnecting With Your Why. Aoibheann Greenan offers guidelines for artists to uncover the deeper motivations of their creative practice. 

  1. POP ART: A Cautionary Note. From the VAI archives, an essay by John Bowyer Bell from 1981, focusing on hazardous art materials. 

Dry Run. Lian Bell speaks with members of the exhibition club Dirty Solutions about their test event at TBG+S last October.

  1. Preserving Artistic Legacy. Clare Lymer outlines NIVAL’s recent acquisition of the Belfast International Festival of Performance Art Archive.

Residency Report

  1. The Radical Art of Living. Lisa Fingleton reflects on a month-long residency at Navdanya Biodiversity and Conservation Farm in Northern India.

In Focus: MAVIS/ARC

  1. Two Decades of MAVIS/ARC. Barry McHugh invites reflections from the MAVIS/ARC alumni and associates on the impact and legacy of the MA programme. 

Critique

  1. Nigel Rolfe, Into the Mire, 2012, video.
  2. ‘Bog Skin’ at the RHA
  3. Brian Maguire at the Hugh Lane Gallery
  4. ‘Bodies’ at Waterford Gallery of Art 
  5. Michael Wann at Solomon Fine Art

Regional Focus 

  1. Oneiric. Clara McSweeny outlines the current exhibition at An Táin Arts Centre and the wider visual art infrastructure in Dundalk.

Exhibition Profile

  1. Irish Art Now. Orla Jackson and Joe Duggan discuss a recent exhibition at the Embassy of Ireland in London.

Book Review 

  1. Poor Artists. Sarah Long reviews a book by The White Pube.

Seminar  

  1. Artworld Reputation in the Digital Age. Rachel O’Dwyer reports on a recent conference at TBG+S. 

Member Profile

  1. Material Acts. Kathryn Maguire outlines recent developments in her practice.
  2. All That’s Left of You in Me. Cristín Leach considers the current work of artist Louise Cherry. 

Public Art

  1. The Presence of Absence. Laurence O’Toole outlines his public artwork commissioned by Richmond Homes for Sandyford Industrial Estate.

Last Pages 

  1. VAI Lifelong Learning. Upcoming VAI Helpdesks, cafés, and webinars.
  2. VAN Stockists. Regional distribution points for The VAN.