Thursday 9th February – Friday 13th April 2012
New Ecologies of Practice: A short season of projects by Catalyst Arts [Belfast] / Occupy Space [Limerick] / The Good Hatchery [Offaly] / Basic Space [Dublin]
NCAD Gallery is presenting a series of new projects which will represent the work of a number of artist led initiatives, working throughout Ireland, which embodies a new approach and a challenge to institutional visual arts programming.
In this programme we would also like to highlight the National Visual Arts Library (NIVAL) housed at NCAD Library. In recent years, and pre-dating recession in some cases, Catalyst Arts [Belfast]; Occupy Space [Limerick]; The Good Hatchery [Offaly] and Basic Space [Dublin] have established strong, coherent and critically significant presences in the Irish visual arts context and, in their strategic ideologies, argue for a reconfiguration of inherited thinking about the nature and purpose of art and the nature and purpose of art institutional practice. This aligns with other transnational artist led initiatives and ideologies which respond to ‘situations’. For this project artist-led Catalyst Arts presents ‘Director’s Cut’ a selection of work sourced from the organisation’s archive symbolising a legacy of commitment from past members and directors. Transforming the gallery ‘Director’s Cut’ will display artefacts, past publications, a selection of posters, the re-exhibit of Art Rebels, a selection of slides with notes by the current Catalyst directors and the original Catalyst Arts neon sign designed by David Shrigley. In addition, a number of archive posters will be fly-posted in proximity to NCAD, re-contextualising them in light of this exhibition. Catalyst Arts ‘Director’s Cut’ is open from 9th- 25th February at NCAD Gallery celebrated by an opening view on Monday 13th February 6pm. *Catalyst directors Rob Hilken and Alissa Kleist will give a talk on the Catalyst Arts archive to its present day function on 13th February 5pm in the Harry Clarke Lecture Theatre, NCAD.
Occupy Space is a non-commercial gallery in the heart of Limerick City, established through the Creative Limerick Scheme in 2009. As part of the programme at NCAD Gallery they have invited Art Links Limerick (ALL) to present their on-going research about Irish water to the public in the form of an Interactive Public Studio (IPS). ALL will disseminate their research to date while continuing to use the gallery as an open studio space over a three day period, encouraging interaction and dialogue within the space. Occupy Space will also present a series of lunchtime talks and presentations from Creative Limerick spaces and the Creative Limerick Coordinator. Occupy Space at NCAD Gallery is open to the public for participation from 27th February – 3rd March 2012.
* Presentations by Aoife Madden, Creative Limerick Coordinator and by Noelle Collins and Kevin O’Keeffe of Occupy Space on Tuesday 28th February, 12 – 2pm, NCAD Gallery * Presentations by Creative Limerick Spaces: Faber Studios, Ormston House and Raggle Taggle on Friday 2nd March, 12pm – 2pm, NCAD Gallery
The Good Hatchery is an artist-led initiative and space based in the remote bog lands of North Offaly. In its development, large portions of The Good Hatchery have been constructed from recycled artworks and salvaged materials from the exhibitions that its members have been involved in throughout the years. Its development is on-going. Through a series of collaborations, curated projects and free residencies it challenges methodologies of contemporary art making and often investigates relationships between site and resource. A new installation, Good Hatchery, will be presented at NCAD Gallery. Opening view Monday 12th March 6-8pm. Exhibition continues until 21st March 2012. * The Good Hatchery directors Carl Giffney and Ruth E.Lyons will host a seminar on Thursday 29th March at 5pm Harry Clarke Lecture Theatre, NCAD.
BASIC SPACE located on Vicar Street, across the road from the NCAD Gallery has been running since August 2010 and during this time has existed as a space for exhibitions and projects. For the duration of a week BASIC SPACE Shop will open at the NCAD Gallery. Mementoes from artworks and performances, limited edition collectables and memorabilia from exhibitions, and the opportunity to be involved in “Sq Foot of BASIC SPACE” scheme, will all be up for grabs. Avoiding romantisization of BASIC SPACE while outlining the physical and ideological elements that structure the space, the visitor can ‘browse’ the shop, but will be immediately involved in accumulating a knowledge of BASIC SPACE that is recognisably estranged from the memorabilia. * BASIC SPACE Shop opening view Monday 26th March 6-9 pm, it is open to the public from 26th–30th March from 10am-9pm and remains in situ at NCAD Gallery from Thursday 22nd March–Friday 13th April 2012. BASIC SPACE Artist talk Wednesday 28th March at 5pm Harry Clarke Lecture Theatre, NCAD. * Refreshments & Discounts available on the opening view night.
In addition to work by the artist-led initiatives the exhibition programme includes The Artist-led Archive – Sustainable Activism and the Embrace of Flux open to the public to view by appointment at the National Visual Arts Library (NIVAL) housed at NCAD Library. The archive was initiated by the artist and curator Megs Morley in 2006 as part of an on-going investigation into artist-led initiatives in Ireland. The project aimed to decipher the kind of cultural conditions that led to artist-led initiative’s birth, their economic independence (or lack of), their organizational structures and how all of these factors effected their activities and life spans. For more information on The Artist-led Archive please see www.theartistledarchive.com. *NIVAL is open Monday-Friday 10am– 5pm Contact: +353 (0)1 636 4347 or +353 (0)1 636 1102 and romanod@ncad.ie. For more information on NIVAL please see www.nival.ie
To coincide with New Ecologies of Practice exhibition What Do You Stand For Now? is a public seminar and discussion that looks at some artistic and curatorial practices from the last few decades in Ireland. In particular, they all proposed methods and models of display and distribution as alternatives to established mainstream and institutional practices. What Do You Stand For Now? is chaired by Francis Halsall and Vaari Claffey, speakers include Valerie Connor; Mark Garry; Garrett Phelan; Sarah Pierce; members of The Enquiry, Gradcam and others. What Do You Stand For Now? Saturday 31st March, 2012, 12.30-5pm at the National College of Art and Design, (Harry Clarke Lecture Theatre), Dublin. In currently redesigning its own provision, NCAD is an appropriate context in which to explore aspects of this increasingly visible dynamic in the visual arts, as articulated in the NCAD Gallery space and the accompanying events and discussions.
The National College of Art and Design Gallery, 100 Thomas Street, Dublin 8. NCAD Gallery opening hours 10am–5pm, Monday-Saturday. For more information please see gallery.ncad.ie or contact +353 (0) 1 6364390, gallery@ncad.ie
Artist websites
www.catalystarts.org.uk www.occupyspace.com www.thegoodhatchery.wordpress.com www.carlgiffney.com www.ruth.ie http://basicspacedublin.wordpress.com http://www.theartistledarchive.com