The Big Picture

The Big Picture – 4 – 6 August 2011

RUA RED, Tallaght

Artists: Jane Cassidy, Melissa Conlon, Ed Devane & Brian-Michael Thornton,Chris Flynn, Shane McKenna and Killian Redmond (Redmonk)
Curated by:  Aoife Giles & Ciara Scanlan.

The Big Picture space in Tallaght was an Interactive Information centre intended to showcase the future of South Dublin’s ambitious architectural vision. This development floundered and the utopian vision perpetuated in the space is in stark contrast to the reality.

But the space is still there, with latent potential for new and creative outcomes. Now is the time to reactivate the space and for 3 days and nights, 6 artists are taking over with a series of performances and interactive installations.
Over the 3 days the public were invited for free to take part in this extravaganza of performance, sound, music, interactive instruments, touch screen technologies altered with animations and projections as the Big Picture comes to life by an innovative group of Artist’s who have worked over a period of months the unused and untapped resources of the Big Picture.   Photographs: Aoife Giles and Melissa Conlon.

Freedom of the City

Rua Red, Tallaght 16 July – 6 August 2011

Two Group Exhibitions of Visual Artists working with MART.

Curated by: Aoife Giles & Ciara Scanlan

Assisted by: Matthew Nevin

Photographs by: Aoife Giles

SHOW 1 in Gallery 2 at Rua Red as part of Glitch Festival.

Show Runs July 16 – August 6 , Mon to Sat, 10am – 6pm.

Rua Red, South Dublin Arts Centre Tallaght, Dublin 24

Artists: Debbie Jenkinson, Nicky Teegan, Colleen Keough, Eleanor Lawlor, Darragh O’Callaghan, Emanuel Rohss, Emma Wade, Ane Sagatun, Laragh Pitman, Darragh O’Callaghan.

—-

SHOW 2 at The Big Picture as part of The Glitch Festival

Dates: 4th – 6th August

Thurs & Fri, 5pm – 11pm Sat, 12 noon – 11pm

For three days, six artists are taking over the Big Picture space with a series of performances and interactive installations that play with the underused resources of the Big Picture’s big screens.

Artists: Chris Flynn, Melissa Conlon, Shane McKenna, Killian Redmond, Jane Cassidy and Ed Devane.

—-“Freedom is the consciousness of necessity” Marx

In this time of socio-political upheaval are we on the precipice of a new way forward? Now more than ever artists have the power to step out side the system and utilise their power to transform the cityscape, whether it through intervention, subtle takes overs or insertion into the public consciousness. Freedom of the City references the medieval concept of “free status”. The recipient enjoyed privileges such as the right to trade and own property, and protection within the town. This tradition is especially popular in America-a place of Irish immigration to present day. MART are embarking on a 3 city tour with ‘Invite or Reject’ an exhibition exploring the preconception of Irish immigrants of the ‘American Dream’ versus the too often reality of rejection. The juxtaposition of the the US tour and the ‘Freedom to the city’ is poignant. Ireland being a relatively young independent state where ‘freedom’ is a powerful word in its history. The current economic crisis has placed our identity under scrutiny as we question our “Free Status”. The ‘Freedom to the City’ show in Rua Red is the ‘Homebase’ for the USA tour. The Artworks here are rooted in our right to stay,and to leave, our right to excel and our right to Freedom of The city!

Invite or Reject

June, July & August 2011 – New York, Chicago and Los Angeles 

‘Invite Or Reject’ supported byImagine Ireland; an initiative by Culture Ireland.

‘Invite or Reject’ was an ambitious new exhibition curated by MART’s Ciara Scanlan and Matthew Nevin. MART www.mart.ie, is a non profit art organisation based in Ireland and our primary aim is to educate and promote Art to the public; Art in the sphere of New Media, Installation and Performance.

The exhibition consisted of 5 leading Irish Artists work shown in world renown contemporary art galleries in the heart of 3 of most influential cities in the US: New York, Chicago and LA. We have asked artists to submit work that is challenging yet irresistibly welcoming for American audiences to interact and communicate with the art works. This exhibition shall showcase some of Ireland’s leading and emerging visual artists and highlight the strength of our work in the international contemporary art scene.

MART’S ‘Invite or Reject’ refers to the duality of understanding and miscommunication that existed when Irish people first immigrated to America. It is a preconceived notion that Irish people are welcoming and hospitable. It was common for the Irish to be rejected and treated as second-class citizens for the early part of 19th centaury. The current political and social climate in America means it is difficult to gain an entry visa to work there which leaves it now as more of a holiday destination to Irish in stark contrast to history. Through the Art we will showcase we hope to breakdown stereotypes, interact and engage the audience. Many of the artworks are physically interactive and can be added to by the public. The Art works ‘Home’ will be in the gallery, but we want to move outside the gallery space, have a presence on the streets, within the public domain and have satellite branches of work that enter the city.

Artists: Ella Burke, James L Hayes, Sofie Loscher, Matthew Nevin, Nicky Teegan, Ciara Scanlan, Benjamin Gaulon, Joan Healy, Colleen Keough, Margaret O’Brien, Stephen Woods, Adrian Duncan, Benjamin Gaulon, Adam Gibney, and Tony Kenny

MART is proud to announce that this project is part sponsored by Culture Ireland’s strategic focus on promoting Irish Arts in the US in 2011.