30 Jun 2012

"Apposite Extravaganza: Cheating Progress" - Volvo Ocean Race



Apposite Extravaganza: Cheating Progress
Part of the Volvo Ocean Race Galway

With work by: 126 Artist-Run Gallery, Nina Amazing, Aideen Barry, John Brady, Michelle Brown, Carol Anne Connolly, Roisin Coyle, Dorothy Cross, Benjamin de Burca, Economic Thought Projects, Simon Fleming, Ann Maria Healy, Martin Healy, John Herrick, Ken Lee, Maggie Madden, Louise Manifold, Fiona Murray, Angela O’Brien, Occupy Galway, Tadhg O'Cuirrin, Roisin O’Sullivan, Sheila Rennick, Amy Taylor, and Sarah Quick. Curated by Jim Ricks

Exchange House, Fairgreen Road, Galway (Adjacent to the Radisson and Revenue)
June 30 – July 8, 2012. Open daily 12 – 6 pm.

Opening Reception: June 29th, 6 pm with a performance by Economic Thought Projects.
As part of the Volvo Ocean Race Closing Stopover in Galway, Let's Do It Galway presents an exhibition of contemporary visual art just a short walk away from all the action in the Race Village and Global Village.  Occupying the first two floors of the Exchange House on Fairgreen Road, adjacent to the Radisson and to Revenue, the space is over 20,000 square feet. Uniquely, it will feature over 25 artists from, or living in Galway and is curated byJim Ricks (US).

Typical of contemporary practice, the show features a diverse range of works ranging from the recreation of a local sitting room, a tornado like sculpture of miniature houses, a shark’s heart, as well as photography, sculpture, painting and video.  It has an equally diverse range of artists, as it features recent graduates and emerging artists to those of national and international significance.  Together in this exhibition they form an exciting component of the Volvo Ocean Race events in Galway and draws particular attention to a sometimes overlooked, yet extraordinarily dynamic part of Galway’s rich cultural life: visual artists.
  
Although always open to interpretation, the themes in Apposite Extravaganza: Cheating Progress reflect the broad set of interests of the artists.  Many take an insightful, careful and often humourous look at the important issues of our time.  Many of the works deal with issues that relate directly to Galway and Ireland, others to larger global concerns.  Others seek to deconstruct the sometimes impenetrable world of art museums and institutions. 

The empty space on Fairgreen Street has been reworked and modified especially for this exhibition and has been kindly provided by property owner John Hughes. The curator has chosen to highlight an interesting cross section of local intellectual talent.  The varied practices of these artists have been woven together in a way that is provocative and engaging for the general public.  Along with the unique treatment of the venue and the diversity of those involved,  strands within the exhibition include research and showing works in development as well as the inclusion of individuals, organisations and communities normally in the supporting role or on the margins of  Galway’s cultural sphere.  It promises to be a visually stimulating and energising exhibition.

This exhibition was made possible by the kind support of Galway City Council.  
Special thanks to: Galway City Council, John Hughes, Lets' Do It Galway, Lisa Hallinan, Jim Ricks, Aisling Riannon, Michael Connolly, Michael Mee, Niall de Buitlear, Temple Bar Gallery & Studios, Royal Hibernian Academy, Visual Artists Ireland, Alan Butler and Kai Cafe + Restaurant without whom this project wouldn’t be possible.
 

1 Jun 2012

In all things - Eamon O'Kane



126 presents:


In all things

Eamon O'Kane



June 13th - July 7th 2012

Preview: Saturday June 9th - 7pm




Image courtesy of the artist

In all things
For his most recent exhibition artist Eamon O´Kane has chosen to focus on the chemical element Carbon. O´Kane has produced a series of charcoal animations and constructed a site-specific installation of new charcoal wall drawings and sculptures examining the molecular and crystal structure of carbon and other elements. Carbon is the 15th most abundant element in the Earth's crust, and the fourth most abundant element in the universe by mass after hydrogen, helium, and oxygen. It is present in all known life forms, and in the human body carbon is the second most abundant element by mass (about 18.5%) after oxygen. This abundance, together with the unique diversity of organic compounds and their unusual polymer-forming ability at the temperatures commonly encountered on Earth, make this element the chemical basis of all known life.

The work in the show also draws on the legacy of Frederich Fröbel (the inventor of the Kindergarten) and the effect of his education techniques on society, especially in relation to the development of creativity. Fröbel originally trained as a crystallographer and then he designed the educational play materials known as Fröbel Gifts, or Fröbelgaben, which included geometric building blocks and pattern activity blocks. These simple wooden blocks and shapes have inspired many artists, architects, mathematicians, engineers and designers such as Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier, Piet Mondrian, and Charles Eames. Who were all were educated in early childhood using Fröbel Gifts. In addition the works in the exhibition relate to his childhood home in Co. Donegal including the history of this house, which has been central to the artists practice for many years. In this exhibition the artist brings together all the disparate aspects of his art practice together under one theme.
Eamon O' Kane (b. in 1974 in Belfast, Ireland. Lives and works in Bergen, Norway and Odense, Denmark).
O’Kane studied at National College of Art and received MFAs from University of Ulster and from Parsons School of Design, New School University, NY. Solo exhibitions include Rare Gallery, New York, USA; Crawford Art Gallery, Cork, Ireland; ArtSway, New Forest, UK; Centre Culturel Irlandais, Paris, France; Economist Plaza, London, UK. He has participated in e v+ a, Limerick seven times including 2005 when he received an OPEN e v+ a award. He is recipient of awards including the Taylor Art Award, The Tony O’Malley Award, The Pollock Krasner Foundation grant and a Fulbright Award. His artwork is in numerous collections worldwide including Deutsche Bank; Burda Museum, Baden Baden, Germany; Sammlung Südhausbau, Munich; Aspen RE, London; Rugby Art Gallery and Museum Collection.