Landmark Public Art
Artist Name(s) | Ian Wilson, Aideen Barry, Fionnuala Hanahoe, Jennifer Brady, Elaine Griffin, The Performance Corporation, Cleary Connolly & Rob & Matt Vale |
Artwork title | Landmark Public Art |
Context/Background | The Landmark public art programme of commissions, which commenced in 2010, were launched to the public over a long weekend in April 2012. Per cent for art funds had been pooled to create a collection of commissions for a wide range of artists working in a number of art forms. Key to the thinking behind the programme was a desire to strategically commission works that would complement each other in the same environment, add value to each project and attract artists working at all levels, from emerging to well established. |
Description | A series of commissions including two permanent artworks commissions, two temporary commissions, a residency project and two bursary programmes for emerging artists were developed as part of the project. Briefs were prepared and advertised in 2010, with a well attended site visit taking place. An independent judging panel made up of practicing artists and arts commissioners and managers, alongside community representation and local council expertise, assessed the applications and selected the artists and proposals for the programme. All commissions culminated in a series of events and artwork launches from 20–22 April 2012. A professional development training programme for local artists, CONNECT, was also developed to complement the commissions. This was devised and developed by artist Aideen Barry in collaboration with Gaynor Seville. The first event in this series was a Fake Public Art Judging Panel. There was an overwhelming response to this initiative. See details and information on other the project’s networking events, seminar, workshops and the launch of an iphone App, artconnect, a useful networking and information source for artists. Ian Wilson – Residency Aideen Barry - CONNECT Co-commissioner. Cleary Connolly – On Sight Elaine Griffin - Landmarks The Performance Corporation – Across The Lough http://www.theperformancecorporation.com Jennifer Brady – The Known World (Bursary) Fionnuala Hannahoe – Bridging Sounds Rob and Matt Vale - Lough Lannagh Ripples |
Mediation | Professional development for local artists and a desire to actively involve local people throughout the process was also of high importance in the planning of the programme. Gaynor Seville, Co Mayo's Public Art Co-ordinator, who devised and managed the programme, was keen that the funds available would not be disbursed to disjointed individual commissions for unrelated sites and communities. Consequently one site was identified to act as the common thread for the commissioned works. This is the area of Lough Lannagh, a naturally beautiful resource close to the heart of the county town of Castlebar, but fairly hidden and underused. The curation of the project was also led by the knowledge that other physical improvements were to take place in the area, such as a new bridge, creating a circular walk around the lake, new paving and walkways. All commissions culminated in a series of events and artworks launched in April 2012. Read Sarah Searson's accompanying essay and interviews with the artists |
Biographies | Ian Wilson (b. Belfast 1964) obtained his DPhil in composition from University of Ulster. His music has been performed and broadcast at New York's Carnegie Hall, London's Royal Albert and Wigmore Halls, Amsterdam's Muziekgebouw and Concertgebouw, and Vienna's Musikverein and at festivals such as the BBC Proms, the Venice Biennale, the ISCM World Music Days, the Bath Festival and the Ultima Festival in Oslo. He has written approximately 130 pieces including two chamber operas, concertos for organ, cello, alto saxophone (two), violin (three), piano (three) and marimba, orchestral pieces, 13 string quartets and many other chamber, vocal and multi-media works. www.ianwilson.org.uk Anne Cleary and Denis Connolly, who live and work in Paris, have exhibited worldwide. Much of their work is collaborative, with a strong socio-political aspect, both through its subject matter and in its engagement with people. Exhibitions include: Farmleigh Gallery, Dublin (2012); Dublin Contemporary 2011, The Barbican, London (2010); The Pompidou Centre, Paris (2009); Sesc Pompéia, Sao Paulo (2009); Yokohama Triennial, Japan (2005). http://www.connolly-cleary.com Fionnuala Hanahoe. In addition to her public art practice, Fionnuala has designed and implemented numerous workshops such as for Dublin City Council in The Tack Room at the Red Stables Artists’ Studios, the Kilmainham Arts Festival at IMMA, and the Rose Festival. She has also conducted workshops in various community centres in Dublin, working with organisations such as CREATE and Bradog. www.fionnualahanahoe.com The Performance Corporation - CEO Jo Mangan and Artistic Director Tom Swift set up The Performance Corporaton in 2002 with a mission to create daring theatrical adventures in surprising places. It has a portfolio that includes the BIG House festival, award-winning theatrical work and a commercial arm that animates spaces and places from museums to stately homes. Jennifer Brady (b. Dublin 1983) received an MA in Visual Arts Practices, DIADT, (2010) and her B.A from NCAD (2005). She has exhibited widely in Ireland and internationally, including recent solo shows in the 2011 Unbuilding programme, Mermaid Arts Centre, Dublin (July 2011) and 126 gallery, Galway (2010), as part of Tulca 2010 programme, curated by Michelle Browne. Selected group shows include Public Gesture, The Lab, Dublin (2010), Snakes and Ladders, curated by Daniel Figgis (Dublin, Wexford and New York – 2009), Flicks: The Cinematic in Art curated by Cliodhna Shaffrey, the Highlanes gallery, Drogheda (2009) and Sounds Like Art, Draíocht, Dublin (2009). www.jennifer-brady.com/ Elaine Griffin is a visual artist based in Westport, Co Mayo. She works in various media, including glass, concrete, bronze and digitally rendered media. elainegriffin.net/ Aideen Barry (b. Cork 1979) is a visual artist working in the mediums of performance, film, musical composition, drawings and animation. Barry has received awards including: New Work Award from the Arts Council of Ireland, Tyrone Guthrie Award for 2007, the Travel and Mobility Award from the Arts Council of Ireland and she received the Experimental Film Award at the Silent Light Super 8 film Festival in Cork in October 2006. Her work has since been shown in Paris, the UK, Thailand, Canada and China. www.aideenbarry.com Rob and Matt Vale |
Commission Type | Local Authority |
Commissioner Name | Mayo County Council |
Commissioning process | Open competition |
Project commission dates | August 31, 2010 - April 29, 2012 |
Public Presentation dates | August 31, 2010 - April 29, 2012 |
Partners | |
Artform | Visual Arts,Music,Film,Theatre |
Funded By | Mayo County Council |
Percent for art | Yes |
Budget Range | 70000 - 150000 euro |
Project commission start date | 31/08/2010 |
Project commission end date | 29/04/2012 |
Location | Lough Lannagh, Castlebar, Co Mayo |
County | Mayo |
Town | Castlebar |
Google Map Insert | View this projects location |
Website | http://www.landmarkpublicart.com/ |
Content contributor(s) | Gaynor Seville, Anne Mullee |
Relationship to project | Co Mayo Public Art Co-ordinator, web editor |
Public engagement | A series of workshops and networking events open to the public took place during the project; the public were also invited to engage with the live performances and guided tours |