A new gaming experience could provide support for those who experience anxiety. Zuzia Whelan learns more
Tag: art
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Dublin’s outdoor art gallery
Is graffiti in Dublin just vulgar vandalism or can it be considered a true art? As Hannah Lemass finds, the writing is on the wall for the old stigma tagged on street art
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‘I’m like a superhero or something’
What’s behind the continued popularity of Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Eimear Dodd goes hunting for answers (and the undead) (more…)
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Dark and Stormy – Caravaggio at the National Gallery
With a travelling exhibition of works by Caravaggio on display at the National Gallery of Ireland, Zuzia Whelan takes a look at what’s on offer, and why this is worth an entrance fee.
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You Me At Six does not disappoint at The Academy
By Rachel D’Arcy
It’s tough to break the ‘emo’ mould, but Surrey quintet You Me At Six managed to unleash a brand new, gritty edge at their first Dublin show in three years.
(Source: Rachel D’Arcy) If you’ve never heard of You Me At Six, I wouldn’t blame you. Despite never having particularly hit the mainstream in Ireland, they achieved top ten status with their last two albums at home in the UK, as well as embarking on a sold-out arena tour early last year. Having locked themselves away for a bit to write their newest effort, ‘Night People,’ the five lads embarked on their smallest tour in five years, taking in a night at The Academy last Monday.
You Me At Six haven’t played Dublin since a sold out Olympia Theatre show just over three years ago, so anticipation was at a stratospheric high. Despite it being an 18+ gig, queues formed along the cold, dark street of Middle Abbey Street over an hour before doors at 7pm. With under 18’s and those without ID turned away, those lucky 500 that made it through the doors were treated to what was definitely You Me At Six’s best Irish show yet.
While the ‘Stay With Me’ hit-makers kept true to the classics, sticking to what they knew best, front man Josh Franceschi’s almost guttural vocals brought a new dish to the table. Even ‘Underdog’ and ‘Reckless’, two of the more pop-infused tracks of their back catalogue, were given a darker, more adult revision.
An impressive lighting rig only added to the already impressive show, with blues, reds and strobes brightening the faces of Franceschi (and most importantly, Franceschi’s fantastic two-step during ‘Safer To Hate Her’), bassist Matt Barnes, guitarists Chris Miller and Max Hayler, and drummer Dan Flint. Drum beats were illuminated, riffs electrified and vocals emphasised all by the impressive light show, only adding to YMAS’s talent as performers.
For someone who frequents gigs at The Academy, I’d never seen an audience more in unison than at this gig. The lyrics were screamed along to by all the twenty-somethings reliving their teen years, and by those who are impatiently anticipating the upcoming album. Strangers threw their arms around one another, while friends sat on each other’s shoulders. It was a sight to see, only amplified by the energetic display put on by the band themselves.
With Franceschi teasing a return to Dublin in early 2017, it won’t be one that fans of the band – past or present – will want to miss out on.
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Halloween arrives early in The New Theatre
Last week celebrated the opening of Pygmankenstein’s latest show ‘Olympia’ in The New Theatre.
The show focuses on Nathaniel, a bright medical student who is heavily burdened from tales told to him as a child of a monstrous creature who comes at nightfall to steal the eyes of children who would not sleep.
The jittery Nathaniel lives with a peculiar ocular obsession, and visits every optometrist within radius of his home. He is best friends with his roommate and fellow student Lothaire, and fiancé to Lothaire’s sister Clara.
Apprenticed by his idol Doctor Coppola, it is she who introduces him to her beautiful, blind daughter Olympia.
The performance, described as ‘gothic-horror’, lasts for 70 minutes and is sure to leave your spine tingling.
The cast includes Michael David McKernan, Shane Robinson, Aenne Barr, Erin Gilgen, and Claudia Kinahan, all of whom executed their roles with precision and emotion.
The production, based on 19th Century horror literature, runs from the 12th to the 24th of October. Ending just before Halloween, there is a special fancy dress after party for those attending on October 25th.
Tickets range from €12 to €15 and are available at tickets.ie
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Art auction proves popular with punters
The Third Space Café in Smithfield was transformed into an art auction house as the Supporting Children Out Of Poverty (SCOOP) Foundation held its annual art auction on Wednesday night.
The auction was held to raise money for SCOOP towards building a new school in Cambodia, which is the third school they have built.
The auction saw 95 pieces of artwork go under the hammer from artists nationwide and even a few pieces from abroad were available as well.
The artists who provided pieces for the auction ranged from full-time artists to graduates from the National College of Art and Design (NCAD) in Thomas Street.
Also available for sale on the night was the ‘SCOOP Art Cook Book’ which was a book containing paintings from artists with the central theme of food. Paintings that featured in the book were also under the hammer at the auction.
The chief organiser of the event, Andrew Sweeney, was delighted with how the night played out. He said: “I was overwhelmed. It was an absolute success. It looks like we hit €20,000 under the hammer. I think there was about 100 people in the room, there was a really good energy around the place. Good things are going to happen from now on.”
On a side note, Sweeney announced that he was doing his final fundraiser with the organisation, having established it in 2011 so he felt that this one was important for him as well as the organisation.
“This is definitely one of the best for the publicity we got and the money we raised. This is my last one so I feel I’ve gone out with a bang,” he added.
There is hope also that there will be a dinner organised by the SCOOP Foundation before Christmas which will run along a similar theme to the cookbook project that was a major part of this auction.To find out more about the organisation and to buy the ‘SCOOP Art Cook Book’, you can visit their website scoopfoundation.com or else find them on both Facebook and Twitter.
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Top three for free
Feel like the world is constantly asking you for something? We sure do and this is why we’ve put together this new feature of exciting things to do and see in our fair city. A breath of fresh air in the age of commidification of almost everything. Enjoy!
Music
For the musically inclined, All City Records and First Second Label celebrate a new EP from Dublin based electronic outfit, Minos with a party in The Bernard Shaw. Expect scattered rhythms and improvised electronics throughout the evening as a live audio visual performance is in store.Also on the bill is Irish artist Hubie Davison, known for putting out dreamy, ambient and ethereal house music on labels like Berlin’s Leisure System. Davison will share the music duties with First Second Label’s boss man Daire Carolan in a back to back fashion.
Guaranteed to be an interesting night of music and free of charge as per usual for The Bernard Shaw. Need some fresh air? You can also check out the outdoor area around the back for a more laid-back atmosphere, play a game of pool, or get yourself a handmade pizza on The Big Blue Bus, but that’ll cost you!
Check out their EP out now on First Second Label, streaming via Soundcloud.
Art
This week the free art tip goes to the annual Sculpture in Context exhibition which returns to The National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin. The exhibition is celebrated as the largest and most prestigious outdoor sculpture exhibition in the country.A great idea for a day trip, with the delicate landscapes of the Botanic Gardens, along with the unusually warm weather that some would call our ‘Indian Summer’, it’s certainly an opportunity to enjoy some of Dublin’s nature before winter has us fully in its grasps.
If you’re there on a good day you may find some of the artists of the selected works meandering around the grounds, who are, from my own experience, friendly, happy to talk and full of extra insight about the discourse of their work.
The exhibition takes place both indoors and outdoors, running from September 3rd until October 16th. The gardens are open to the public on weekdays until 5pm and 6pm on weekends.
Activity and discussion
Want to further your Irish history knowledge? With 2016 marking the 100 year anniversary of The Easter Rising, now may be the time to impress your friends and to brush up on your knowledge by joining historian Fearghall McGarry on the launch of his essay The Abbey Theatre and Easter 1916 and subsequent discussion of the theater’s involvement in the rising of 1916.The launch and discussion take place in The Abbey Theater on Tuesday October 6th at 1pm.
Tickets are free but must be booked in advance, you can do so here..
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IMMA presents Primal Architecture
It might be getting cold outside but in the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA), things are getting all hot and bothered. Clammy palms and rosy cheeks at the ready.
The new exhibition, Primal Architecture, combines works from international and Irish artists exploring sexuality, pseudo-autobiography, identity, power and nostalgia.
It is art so let’s not be immature. I said Art; you know art for arts sake, which explains a room, filled with coloured lumps of clay. But it’s art so therefore it must be brilliant, right?
There is a disclaimer at the door warning visitors and perverts alike that this exhibition contains adult themes and explicit imagery.
However, the warning is a futile attempt in the face of Irish conservatism, which has led to a nation with the sexual maturity of a gnat. That is, a very small and repressed gnat.
With baited breath you cross the threshold. I have read the disclaimer, I’m ready for it.
Entering the exhibition you are met with an assortment of books piled on wooden platforms. After reviewing the first book of poorly sketched vaginas I fell subject to my cultural identity, profusely blushing, with my equally awkward Irish counterparts gazing deeply and thoughtfully at the floor. No doubt wishing it would swallow them up.
The exhibition is split into eight rooms, forming an autonomous sequence of chapters displaying the artist’s interpretations of the human condition.
Borrowing its title from the work of influential American artist Mike Kelley in which he uses sculptural forms to map the history of his personal genealogy.
The highlight of the exhibition was the work of Kevin Atherton. His piece shows the artist arguing and conversing with his younger self on two screens. The double self-reflexive portrait is both amusing and poignant.
Leading to a series of photographs by artist Linder. The images are softly pornographic and to be frank, mundane; naked women with their flowers covered with large flowers.
As a whole the exhibition has the distinct feeling of something too big being pushed into a space too small leading to a disappointing performance and leaving the viewer feeling confused, a little frustrated and waiting for the all important climax which didn’t quite happen. Sigh.
As an art lover, I hate to criticise. It was an interesting exhibition. The name is perhaps too large for the tame portrayal of sexuality; a glimpse of renaissance cleavage or the tiny penises of Roman sculptures are arguably more erotic.
Quite simply, Primal Architecture, did not live up to what it said on the tin – or the disclaimer.
Exhibition runs from November 8th 2014- March 1st 2015. Entry is free.
Images: Sarah Fitzgerald
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Ireland’s writers celebrate the visual arts
Carravagio’s The Taking of the Christ. Picture: Aaron Hennessey The National Gallery of Ireland is currently celebrating 150 years of existence. An impressive feat, I’m sure you’ll agree. So too is the manner in which they are celebrating this milestone.
The Gallery asked 56 of Ireland’s most celebrated writers to contribute a piece of work to a collection of theirs. This new collection is called Lines of Vision: Irish Writers on Art and contains stories, poems and essays. Each writer who contributed was asked to choose a painting from the Gallery’s collection to use as the source of inspiration for their piece.
The works chosen hang together in a beautiful exhibition which reinvigorates works of art which may have become either over-familiar or forgotten to visitors of the gallery. Not that we’re exactly spoiled for choice in comparison to some of our other European counterparts, but there is real beauty to be found here, or the representation at least.
Each painting is accompanied by a short bio of the writer who chose it. There is a 15 minute film at the end of the exhibition which compliments it nicely.
Also in conjunction with the exhibition, there are numerous talks and workshops happening in the gallery, most of which are free.
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