Set among the remains of a boarded up room, a group of strangers look in from outside. A set of keys unlocks the door to hidden gems left behind. What was that promise that you made? In 1995, CoisCéim produced the critically acclaimed Reel Luck which looked at Ireland on the cusp of the Celtic Tiger. Touch Me looks at society today and its transformation from tiger visions to the exodus of the once majestic cranes. From this lonely landscape David Bolger rakes through the spoils of an unprecedented era to discover a new beauty, in the promise of the future. What are the new symbols of fortune? What makes us happy now? Based in Dublin, CoisCéim’s work has been seen worldwide and the company has won many awards including two Fringe First Awards at Edinburgh Fringe. CoisCéim were most recently in Draíocht with Swimming with my Mother which toured Ireland along with David’s short dance film Deep End Dance in 2011.

Featuring live music by award-winning composer/saxophonist Kenneth Edge and six star performers, Jen Fleenor, Olwen Grindley, James Hosty, Robert Jackson, Nick McGough and Emma O’Kane.

Video interview with David Bolger here ...
Video interview with Kenneth Edge here ... 

CoisCéim are delighted to provide Movement Workshops suitable for Secondary School Students, Youth Theatre Member, Active Retirement Groups and Dance Students at a time suitable for you. Please email emer@draiocht.ie if your group is interested in participating.

 Early Bird: €12 (book before 31 Dec 2011)

Using a combination of pen and ink, along with a mixture of mediums and textures, artist Genevieve Harden will guide and encourage students in experimenting and creating alternative self portraits.

Book now through Draíocht’s Box Office on 01-8852622. For more info email emer@draiocht.ie

Draíocht has a number of Access Places available on all its courses. If you would like to nominate someone to participate who may not have the fee, please contact Emer McGowan on 01-8098027 or email emer@draiocht.ie in confidence. Draíocht is committed, within its resources, to access to the arts for all.

Focusing on still life, artist Allyson Keehan will lead this class in exploring oil painting techniques. Composition, observation, perspective and colour theory will all be taught as students develop an understanding of oil painting and work with related mediums. Draíocht will provide initial materials and students will then be required to purchase materials of their own (a list will be provided). All levels are welcome and elements of this course could also be suitable to students preparing portfolios.

Book now through Draíocht’s Box Office on 01-8852622. For more info email emer@draiocht.ie

Draíocht has a number of Access Places available on all its courses. If you would like to nominate someone to participate who may not have the fee, please contact Emer McGowan on 01-8098027 or email emer@draiocht.ie in confidence. Draíocht is committed, within its resources, to access to the arts for all.

Draíocht’s Artist in Residence Deirdre Byrne will lead this course looking at examples of different drawing styles used by a variety of artists. This course will explore mark making and tone, amongst other elements of drawing, and will have a focus on landscapes. Students will work towards creating their own finished pieces.

PLEASE NOTE: No class on Monday 19^th March

Book now through Draíocht’s Box Office on 01-8852622. For more info email emer@draiocht.ie

Draíocht has a number of Access Places available on all its courses. If you would like to nominate someone to participate who may not have the fee, please contact Emer McGowan on 01-8098027 or email emer@draiocht.ie in confidence. Draíocht is committed, within its resources, to access to the arts for all.

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