VAN November/December 2022 issue profiles several recent exhibitions by artists at different career stages, working across a diverse range of media. Nick Miller interviews Philip Moss about his recent exhibition of painting at the RCC Letterkenny; Maximilian Le Cain covers Evgeniya Martirosyan’s ‘To Ashes’ at GOMA Waterford; Aengus Woods considers Lucy McKenna’s mixed-media works, recently presented at Solstice Arts Centre; and Jonathan Brennan reviews Ron Mueck’s hyper-realist sculptures at The MAC in Belfast.
In his latest Plein Air column, Cornelius Browne considers the sea as an omnipresent force in the work of Donegal painters; while in other columns, Chronic Collective discuss their advocacy for improved accessibility in the arts, and The Arts Council outline their new EDI toolkit.
For our Ecologies section, Cleary Connolly and collaborators discuss their Eco Showboat tour of Irish waterways to raise awareness about climate change. This issue also includes performance art, member profiles, a Regional Focus on Galway City, and much more.
On the Cover: Enda Burke, Deirdre by the Window, 2021, photograph; image courtesy of the artist
Columns
9. Sea Interludes. Cornelius Browne considers the sea as an omnipresent force in the work of Donegal painters.
Reflections on a Radical Plot. Clodagh Emoe chronicles the evolution of a long-running ecological project.
10. Chronic Collective. Tara Carroll and Áine O’Hara discuss the art collective and their advocacy for improved accessibility in the arts.
Oh Infamy. Iarlaith Ni Fheorais discusses a new film.
11. Making Change Happen. The Arts Council’s EDI toolkit.
Reflections on Making. Pauline Keena’s residency at BAG.
Regional Focus
12. Civic Contribution. Megs Morley, Director, Galway Arts Centre.
13. Engage Art Studios. Rita McMahon, Managing Director.
Evolution of Artist-Run. Lindsay Merlihan, Director, 126.
14. New Directions. Kate Howard, Galway City Council.
Full Steam Ahead. Anne Marie Deacy, Visual Artist.
15. Galway: A Suburban Perspective. Hilary Morley, Visual Artist
Rainy Metropolis of Ambition. Enda Burke, Visual Artist.
Ecologies
16. Eco Showboat. Connolly Cleary outline their recent tour of Irish waterways to raise awareness about climate change.
Land-made. Padraig Cunningham outlines his contributions to the Eco Showboat Shannon expedition this summer.
17. Mesocosm. Christine Mackey assembles a glossary of key terms pertinent to her Eco Showboat research and project.
Art Publishing
18. The Story of Art Without Men. Varvara Keidan Shavrova reviews Katy Hessel’s book, published by Hutchinson Heinemann.
Critique
20. ‘Bones in the Attic’ at Hugh Lane Gallery
21. Eithne Jordan at Highlanes Gallery
22. Michelle Malone at The LAB
23. Caoimhe McGuckin at Riverbank Arts Centre
24. ‘Braid’ at Lord Mayors Pavilion
Exhibition Profile
26. Unseen. Nick Miller interviews Philip Moss about his painting practice and recent exhibition at the RCC Letterkenny.
28. To Ashes. Maximilian Le Cain reviews Evgeniya Martirosyan’s recent solo exhibition, ‘To Ashes’, at GOMA Waterford.
29. Kurnugia NOW! Celina Muldoon outlines her recent collaborative research project and current exhibition at The Dock.
30. A Dormant Light. Aengus Woods reviews Lucy McKenna’s recent solo exhibition at Solstice Arts Centre in County Meath.
32. Staggering Verisimilitude. Jonathan Brennan reviews Ron Mueck’s ongoing solo exhibition at The MAC in Belfast.
Performance Art
34. Live Art Ireland. Deej Fabyc outlines the renovation of Milford House
in Tipperary and the founding of Live Art Ireland.
36. Ritualistic Repair. Day Magee reflects on ‘Performance Ecologies’ at Interface
in the Inagh Valley, Connemara.
VAI Member Profile
37. Alive and Picking. Kathryn Crowley discusses her practice.
Remotely Radical. Emma Campbell reflects on a recent exhibition at Vault Studios in Belfast featuring the work of VAI members Sally O’Dowd, Charlotte Bosanquet, and Grace McMurray.
38. Augmented Auguries. Brenda Moore-McCann interviews artist and VAI member Claire Halpin about her painting practice.