Northern Ireland's Venice artists: the names (Wednesday 17 November 2004)
 |
| From left to right: Peter Richards,Seamus Harahan, Nicholas Keogh, Richard West (Factutom), Sandra Johnston, Paddy Bloomer, Alistair Wilson, Ian Charlesworth, Mary McIntyre, Darren Murray, Stephen Hackett, Aisling O'Beirn and Blathnaid Hogg, Michael Hogg; absent from photo: William McKeown, Katrina Moorhead |
The excursion of a stack of artists from Northern Ireland to Venice last week was no low-season tourist jaunt. These were the chosen few - though 'few' is maybe not the correct term here - who will be representing Northern Ireland at the next Venice Biennale, which opens in June 2005.
The artist in question?: Patrick Bloomer, Ian Charlesworth, Factotum, Seamus Harahan, Michael Hogg, Sandra Johnston, Nicholas Keogh, Katrina Moorhead, Darren Murray, Mary McIntyre, William McKeown, Aisling O'Beirn, Peter Richards and Alistair Wilson. If most of these names look familiar, it's because you've been diligently reading your CIRCA.
 |
| The Institute Santa Maria della Pietà , Venice, venue of Northern Ireland's participation in the Venice Biennale 2005. |
It's to be a two-pronged initiative, one lasting the duration of the Biennale, the other targeting a major symposium on contemporary art to take place in Venice in the autumn. It looks as though Hugh Mulholland, Director of Belfast's Ormeau Baths Gallery and Curator for Northern Ireland's representation in Venice, has very good reason to be pleased not only with his selection of artists, but also with the chosen venue. He has secured the Institute Santa Maria della Pietà, which is along the seafront a short distance from Piazzo San Marco and on the trail - and this is very important - to Giardini and the Arsenale, where the heavyweights flex their artistic and national(istic) muscles.
It's also conveniently close to where the superrich park their cruisers.
You can read the full press release here .
Comment 1 on 2004-11-18 19:53:12
A very poor representation of female artists.!
Comment 2 on 2004-11-18 19:55:32
How many of these artists are actually Northern Irish?
Comment 3 on 2004-11-18 20:07:13
To the writer of comment 2: fear not, your time will come.
Comment 4 on 2004-11-19 12:02:12
Apart from Aisling O'Beirne would the real Biennale artists please step forward.?
Comment 5 on 2004-11-19 14:36:13
Very Belfastcentric choice,Hugh should get out more.
Comment 6 on 2004-11-19 14:38:54
I look forward to the return photo, smiles, tans, chinos, and designer sun-glasses - art is so transformative
Comment 7 on 2004-11-19 15:55:57
Typically whiney comments from whiney artists. I think it's a great choice, well done Hugh!
Comment 8 on 2004-11-19 16:03:55
Looks like an interesting line up, the makings of a great show. Space must be some size to accommodate this number of artists!
Comment 9 on 2004-11-19 20:03:35
Comment4 By 'Real Biennale' artists do you mean the ones in the 'exhibition' as opposed to the performances and screenings around the 'symposium'?
Is there a heirarchy here?
Comment 10 on 2004-11-20 16:46:37
excellent choice, good luck, hugh
Comment 11 on 2004-11-20 20:35:17
Comments no. 2, 4, & 5 are a joke. No other curator works harder, visits as many artist studios & exhibitions, is more aware, informed or supportive of art practice in Northern Ireland than Hugh Mulholland. You may not always agree 100% with a curator's particular selection, but in Hugh Mulholland's case his choice is always well considered and carried out with intelligence and integrity. This is plainly a wonderful opportunity for Northern Irish art, it is unfortunate that in Northern Ireland there are so many people who are too quick to find fault with other's endeavours and ironic that it is always the people with vision, who are prepared to make things happen, that end up being criticised.
Comment 12 on 2004-11-21 14:20:37
I'm not familiar with all the artists selected, but of those that I know, Sandra Johnston, Mary McIntyre, Asling O'Beirn, Darren Murray they have all produced interesting work over the last couple of years and deserve the opportunity the Venice Biennale presents. Im's sure the combination of their work and the other artists will make for an interesting show. I look forward to seeing it. Good luck!
Comment 13 on 2004-11-21 18:27:27
i count nine artists from the north, in the line up. the rest make strong and regular cultural contributions locally.
Comment 14 on 2004-11-22 19:17:51
good selection mary
Comment 15 on 2004-11-22 19:18:32
Comment 12 yeah in Belfast
Comment 16 on 2004-11-22 19:22:28
It's a pity that there aren't a few more well known female artists such as: Susan MacWilliam, Moira McIvor,Sharon Kelly,...the list is quite endless if one chooses to look further a field.It's a lost opportunity not to have included them.
Comment 17 on 2004-11-22 19:26:13
Unfortunately here the chocolate box artists far out number the more
sincere players.Good luck as the Venice Biennale curaters will eat you for breakfast!
Comment 18 on 2004-11-22 23:01:07
Yes you tell them comment 12 ,Hugh is a regular visitor to Orchid & Flax studios and his integrity is intact in this case as he would never stoop to nepotism.Goodluck
in Venice.
Comment 19 on 2004-11-26 23:15:23
Comment 20 sounds very nervous, calm down and re-read your comment before making one.Thanks. Please try again and make some sense this time.
Comment 20 on 2004-11-27 16:08:16
I hope the participating artists get financial support to create the new work they have been selected to create: unlike the OBG Perspective show which patronisingly exploitates the selected artists.The six grand in this case would be better spent divided between six selected artists each year encouraging general development of the visual arts instead of a win/loose situation that only encourages the divisive competative culture that stops artists ever becoming a structured, supportive grouping.
Comment 21 on 2004-11-28 22:55:34
Welcome to the Circa 'gripe-board', where the bored and the bitter vent their petty resentments.
Comment 22 on 2004-11-29 13:29:57
Comment 21 is making a complaint about the comments therefore you are just as gripey as the rest ! Don't throw stones.
Comment 23 on 2004-11-29 13:32:58
Comment 21 there are a lot understandably out there.
Comment 24 on 2004-11-29 16:59:50
I think the curator was working to meet the requirements of section 75. I see persons of different religious belief, political opinion, age, marital status and sexual orientation. I see men and women, persons without disability, persons with dependants and persons without dependents. As usual, disabled artists aren't included.What can you expect from a gallery that has steps at the front door!
Comment 25 on 2004-11-29 18:26:43
why dont you step off a curb 24 and knock some sense into yersel.
Comment 26 on 2004-11-30 01:58:44
just how many disabled contemporary artists are there in northern ireland anyhow havent seen one
Comment 27 on 2004-11-30 14:29:42
join the dots--university of ulster-o.b.g.-which artists is connected to which and back to the curator-healing? how many lived here when belfast felt beyond healing?
Comment 28 on 2004-11-30 19:49:06
exactly comment 25
Comment 29 on 2004-12-02 08:39:05
I was at The British Council Press Launch for N.Irelands artists. It is clear from his presentation that Hugh Mulholland knows exactly what he is doing. I think we can look forward to an impressive show.
Comment 30 on 2004-12-05 00:18:21
to comment 17. I'll sincerely knock the bollocks out of you and the venice biennale curaters while eating a box of choclates for breakfast.
Comment 31 on 2004-12-10 18:20:23
Really great location that can't be missed. Well done!
Comment 32 on 2004-12-13 23:30:46
Belfast's artists extended family.
Do you have an opinion on this news item? If so, please click here for our comments form.
