What do you get if you throw yourself into the Irish Sea 365 days of the year? Famous as a 'men-only bathing area' before being radically reclaimed in the 1970's by a group of nudist plunging women and as the site of the Martello tower (James Joyce's residence and opening to Ulysses), the Forty Foot has had its fair share of stories told. Join Niamh McCann as she unearths the compulsion and joy found both in her own personal journey as a ritual swimmer and the voices of the many other women who bathe there. This performance explores the effect of the daily dive and how it can lead us to staying afloat on dry land.

Developed as part of Project Brand New. Presented as part of Absolut Fringe 2011.
Research & Development/Mentoring Award from the Arts Council's Artist in the Community Scheme managed by Create.
Written & Performed by Niamh McCann
Produced by Lynnette Moran | Live Collision

 Early Bird: €10 (book before 31 Dec 2011)

D15 Youth Theatre will shortly be entering into its second term of its first year. Working with Eimear Morrissey, Mark Rogers and Ann Ryan, this talented group of 13-18 year olds meet in Draíocht every Tuesday evening and work on many elements of theatre from improvisation to Stanislavski technique to dance. From March the group will begin to work towards a piece of theatre that will explore what they have learned over the course of the term. If you would like to find out more about Youth Theatre, what it is and how to get involved next year please contact sarah@draiocht.ie or log on to the D15 Youth Theatre Facebook page for updates. 

“This body of work has been inspired by my ongoing exploration of physical, psychological and poetic space. I am interested in the delicate point where man and the natural world co-exist or in some cases collide. I strive to create places for poetic possibility, a space where time can be suspended, I extend to the onlooker a glimpse of intricate private worlds. Each narrative creates a dialogue between these internal and external conflicting worlds, thus providing a place to dream.” Caroline Donohue

Caroline Donohue (b1977) graduated in 2005 with a 1st Class Honours Degree in Fine Art Printmaking at the National College of Art and Design. That same year she was the recipient of the RDS Freyer Print Award and winner of the Graphic Studio Dublin's Graduate Student Award where she is currently a member. Donohue's work has been exhibited in Ireland and internationally. Recent exhibitions include - 'Where Boarders Meet' at the Graphic Studio Gallery, Dublin (2010), 'On Reflection', curated by Caroline Cowley/Cleo Fagan, Dublin (2007), 'Precaution' at IMMA, Dublin (2005), 'Triennale de Chamalières' in Lyon, France (2010) and 'Artist in Response' in Muzuem Drowy, Gorlice, Poland (2008-2010). Her work is included in public collections such as AXA Insurance Ireland, the Office of Public Works and Fingal County Council. She works mainly in the medium of etching, as well as drawing and assemblage.

Read Des Kenny's Exhibition Launch Speech here ... 

The term Unknown Knowns which constitutes the title of this exhibition, is the description used by the Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Žižek when he refers to the “unconscious beliefs and prejudices that determine how we perceive reality and intervene in it.” Things we know, but don’t know we know, dictate how we address situations we encounter. Obviously it is impossible to know what the unknown known is because if we did it would become the known known, but the work in this exhibition addresses the theme of unconscious knowledge. 

The three artists have explored and represented specific elements of this through their work. Shown through a diverse range of works, from the manipulation of materials that we know on some level are familiar to us, to the investigation into the possibility of another self and how this can determine our lives, to the idea of the second life and the attempt to survive for eternity, all three artists’ work delve into certain aspects of the unknown known.

With his latest work in the on-going series inspired by the Egyptian Book of the Dead, Andrew Carson explores notions of “online realities and virtual immortality”. This series derives from a particular chapter of the book which was written as a guide on how to survive the afterlife. It was written in order to prevent the deceased from “dying a second time”. The work draws parallels between contemporary social media interaction and ancient concepts of the soul; an idea which many people trust is known to them, yet, it is something which remains ephemeral and unknown.

Through her current work Sally-Anne Kelly is “exploring ideas about who we are, who we think we are, who we become, who others think we are, and who we present ourselves as being.” Her new series of photographs ‘The Hunted Self’ examines what we do not or cannot know about the self. She investigates the internal power struggle of the hidden and unknown self or double and how that can be realised as another or separate identity.

Lisa Shaughnessy’s practice is concerned with the physicality of the materials used and alludes to the processes used by the artist. The work presents ideas of construction and deconstruction. There is a blurring between the boundaries of painting and sculpture and what the viewer felt they knew about these materials becomes a little less certain but the fundamental qualities of the materials are still apparent. These known and familiar materials have been manipulated in such a way as to render them initially unknown.

The examination of this unknown known, equated by Žižek to the Freudian unconscious which recognises the importance of the unconscious in comprehending conscious thought and behaviour, creates a platform for this exhibition to reflect on the convictions of our knowledge and to propose that it is not vital for our existence to know that we have all the answers …

Fingal Arts Office is delighted to showcase recent local art college graduates with its annual exhibition opportunity Amharc Fhine Gall. The show seeks to increase the profile of emerging Fingal artists by giving them the chance to show in a professional, contemporary art space. It may be their first major show but with the professional presentation of their work and accompanying catalogue we hope it is the first of many. The opportunity also extends to the emerging curator who will work with the graduate(s) to create a suitable context to show this work to a wider local and contemporary art audience.

Curated by Ailve McCormack

Read Andrew Carson's Blog Interview here

Read Sally-Anne Kelly's Blog Interview here

Read Lisa Shaughnessy's Blog Interview here