Folly (Stage One)

Folly takes the form of acts of foolishness, both premeditated and unforeseen. Stage One sets out to explore the way in which the nonhuman world resists our intentions and thwarts human mastery. A 3.3m tower constructed from steel and scrap wood was erected and anchored on the beach on 21 August 2009, . Conditions were very windy and it was the highest tide of the summer (5.2m). The question was whether the structure would stand, float, or break away and drift off to sea. As the tide came in, it lifted the structure which floated directly above the anchor, surfacing and submerging with the force of the tide. It came to rest on the sand at midnight. This was repeated in the morning, and the structure came to rest on the sand in a different position. The anchored leg was bent at quite a strong angle by the force of the waves.

The project was included in a recent publication by YH485 Press, *periphery, curated by Aaron Juneau, Jonathan Watts and Harriet Mitchell
www.yh485press.org 

Fiona Woods is a visual artist whose practice includes curating and writing. She has completed an MA on the Art in the Contemporary World at NCAD (2009). Recent presentations of work include: Breach, September, 2009, The Joinery, Dublin; and X/change, Courthouse Gallery, Co. Clare. Ongoing work in the public realm includes Walking Silvermines (with North Tipperary County Council); collection of minds, with ps2, Belfast; and Rhyzom, Culture 2007 research project www.rhiz.eu/artefact-29987-en.html. 

Local audience, team of volunteers including local people and friends/artists, and tourists