05 Jan Exhibition Task Review Overview Perception
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1KfmvPumjms6QFq9K6O2vEnwWTXB2qpyV78FO5bQCu4A/edit#slide=id.gb179d61ec9_0_0
Exhibition review task reviews/overviews/perceptions
Vestige @ Droichead Arts Centre by Louth Craftmark
I discovered this exhibition through Facebook and engaged via a 21 minute video. I was most taken by the artists speaking about their work and sharing their intentions. It was an engaging experience. Using the theme of Vestige as a communal starting point each produced a piece/s of work as a response. Historically this group have produced sales orientated trade shows, uncurated, so how would the format change the significance of their outputs. I was interested in unravelling my own engagement as audience. Personally I was aware of the positions of some of the Craftmark artists that had not been selected for this show and politically how that in turn positions them amongst their peers within, what is by design, a collective.
To fully explore the position of audience and fully critique audience engagement I needed to regard audience as users. The usual traditional rituals of an opening exhibition performed but with the convergence of content that flows across multiple media channels (websites,social media platforms,tweets). Convergence here represents a shift in the paradigm, top down corporate relations tussle with the bottom up participatory culture of the Craftmark group. In terms of my participation, as a user I could like, share or comment on the post that introduced me to the video on FB. The video was launched on December 9th. On Monday 14th there had been 178 views, 4 shares and 7 likes to date. The viewing room on the Droichead Arts website was more restrictive, providing a brochure view with prices.
As a site of production the video champions the artist at the heart of the work, but how does this affect those artists not present or represented? Does it recontextualise the origins of the Craftmark group too much? I’m left wondering if the timing and the cultural divide has contributed to the shows lack of success and lack of audience engagement.
Vestige @ Droichead Arts Centre by Louth Craftmark
The scale, colour and composition of this work drew me in. The materiality of the rust and the letterpress pieces as a vestige of time conceptually created an interesting and aesthetic dialogue
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Robert Kelly “Without words” Letterpress and Rust print with Acrylic wash
168 x 321 cm 1/1 HRM €3,500
Vestige
- a trace or remnant of something that is disappearing or no longer exists.
“the last vestiges of colonialism”
- BIOLOGY a part or organ of an organism which has become reduced or functionless in the course of evolution.
Vestige is a selected body of work from Louth Craftmark members featuring contemporary craft design and visual art. Taking the word ‘Vestige’ as a starting point, members were asked to explore what trace, imprint or evidence of their practice they expect to leave behind for future generations. Artists include: Grace Brennan, Jane Campbell, Mary Cowan, Orlaith Cullinane, Maureen Finn, Robert Kelly, Michael Kobuladze, Caoimhe McCarthy and Rachel Tinniswood.
The selection panel was made up of artists Brian Hegarty & Vivienne Byrne, and Droichead Director, Collette Farrell.
Accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zSbkIkVcTA
I came across the advertisement for this exhibition in the Irish Arts Review. It is a magazine issued quarterly. This collective launched in November 2020 in response to the impact Covid 19 was having on the art community. The ad lead me to the website. The website led me to a list of artists, a list of work and self guided tour and an optional guided virtual tour.
This is my performative response to the strange environment of the guided digital tour, the non descript rectangle thumbnails of work,floating about the virtual space from the context of a desk, a desktop and a third recording device. Realities shifting, blurring and crossing over each other.
ETROP Video 4mins 55sec
Silver is an exhibition to celebrate 25 years of Bridge Street Studios in association with An Tain Arts Centre
It is a showcase of work in the windows of vacant shops and premises in Dundalk, bringing some creative flair to the town centre. Over 45 pieces of artwork will be displayed in premises dotted around Dundalk Town Centre. Bridge Street Studios was due to host “Silver” as a gallery exhibition in Dundalk, but with current restrictions, they have had to pivot and adapt to the current government guidelines.
They encourage the public to use a map for a self-guided tour and visit each outdoor venue to view the artworks through the shop windows while adhering to social distancing guidelines.
I met a friend, we had a coffee walking through the town in the dark looking at a phone screen map. We participated by finding, looking at, and discussing the artworks (and life in general.) I have a responded with an image.
Thank you for listening and looking.
References
Rose, G Visual Methodologies An introduction to researching with visual materials, 4th Ed. London sage Publications Ltd
https://droicheadartscentre.viewingrooms.com/viewing-room/1-vestige-louth-craftmark/