Docks and Doubles

I’ve had a busy few weeks since I last updated. I completed my pieces for the Syracuse show by the end of January. I ended up making a video as well as two paintings. The paintings are based on two models I made of locations I shot in Sweden and which also feature in the video. The video is called “Doubles” and is just over 13 minutes long. I am dealing with the notion of original vs. copy and how we can ever be sure to distinguish one from the other. I feel that I’ve gained a lot from working with this particular subject and I’m dying to show the work I’ve made to the public. I think it will influence my future practice, which is great to be able to say about a project.

drawing

The crate containing the works created by the six participating artists is now on it’s way to New York and the show will open in the Red House Arts Centre in Syracuse on the 18th of March. I am very excited about it! I will post more information about the show and the work I have in it in due course.

Now I have another project underway. It’s the Dock Discourse project, curated by architect Aoife Considine, which has been going on for about a year. I made some work for it last summer. (See Dock Discourse section of my site). Aoife is currently chairing a series of talks in the Galway Arts Centre on the notion of local/public space and its development. The talks go under the name Genius Loci. The speakers so far have included Michelle Browne, Maeve Mulrennan and Aine Phillips. Very interesting to listen to!

There will be a Dock Discourse group show in the 126 gallery in June, which we are to submit proposals for by the end of this week. I am, as before, concentrating mainly on the structure of the two multi-storey car parks in the area and the view of the dock from there. I am planning to make some large paintings. Today I sketched the motive I’m going to paint onto a 1×1 metre canvas I’ve stretched and primed over the past week.

Yesterday I made this drawing on grease proof paper over board:
drawing

drawing

I’ve been experimenting with different surfaces and materials over the past week. I am really looking forward to working large again since it’s been a while!

model

Improvised shapes based on structures within the car parks.