The Art of Choice - young people work collaboratively to acquire a piece of work for the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council art collection

Over the last number of weeks, Superprojects curator Cleo Fagan has been working with a group of young people (age 16-25 years) to research and select a contemporary artwork(s) to add to the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown municipal art collection. The aim of the project is to provide a temporary context for the interests and ideas of young people to inform the acquisition process for the collection. In undertaking this role, the group have entered into a process of learning about the artistic practices of an exciting range of professional artists. The group have seen the work of Neil Carroll, Dragana Jurisic, Hannah Fitz, Christopher Mahon, Mark Joyce, Niamh McCann, Mary Fitzgerald, Atsushi Kaga, Brian Fay, Emma Roche, Samuel Laurence Cunnane, Laura Fitzgerald, Bassam Al Sabah, Marcel Vidal and Joanne Reid. Visits to galleries have included The Kerlin Gallery, The Hugh Lane Gallery, The Project Arts Centre, The Oonagh Young Gallery, The RHA Gallery, Motherstankstation and The Green on Red Gallery. Also included were talks with independent curator Aisling Prior and Collections curator from The Irish Museum of Modern Art, Claire Walsh.

The group are due to make their final selection in December…

A Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council Arts Office project, funded by Creative Ireland. The project was initially proposed by the Grainstore, dlr's youth arts facility, and has been developed and co-ordinated in conjunction with Superprojects curator Cleo Fagan.

Studio visit with Hannah Fitz

Trip to The Kerlin Gallery to see the work of Samuel Laurence Cunnane

Trip to the Green on Red Gallery to see the work of Mary Fitzgerald, Mark Joyce and Emma Roche.

Art & Philosophy at Galway Arts Centre

Education Curator Katy Fitzpatrick and Professor in the Philosophy of Education Aislinn O’Donnell brought their exciting Art & Philosophy programme to the exhibition Human Being and Human Becoming at Galway Arts Centre. This exhibition features work by artist Siobhan McGibbon and collaborating artist-students from Scoil Chroi Iosa.

For the Art & Philosophy programme, Aislinn and Katy joined Siobhan and children from Scoil Chroi Iosa to work with 2nd and 5th Class students from another local Galway school - Claddagh NS. The Art & Philosophy programme ‘introduces students and their teachers to both philosophical enquiry and contemporary art practice. Centred on the voice, ideas, experiences, and imagination of children, it aims to cultivate and support their aesthetic responses, their imaginations, and their desire and curiosity to explore big questions about identity, becoming and what it means to be human.’

The artwork in this exhibition and the Art & Philosophy programme together provided participating students with an enquiring and fun platform to think about the future, the nature of existence, bio-technology, the body, art and more…

#ouranimalcousins #bigquestions #prolongedlooking #art+philosophy #art+philosophy+science

Students were given time to look at the artwork in the gallery, looking in silence for better concentration. Later questions included ‘How did wax turn into hands?’, ‘Why do they have no thumbs'?’

They discussed the work, making observations - noticing the ‘animal and animal’ hybrid creatures and ‘human and animal’ hybrid creatures. They wondered if they were looking at another galaxy or the future

Teachers and students explored the gallery together

As a way of exploring the movement of other animals, students first did their own choreography of everyday human gestures.

How would a crab draw? Exploring how other animals move through drawing

Children invented hybrid creatures and considered what life would be like for their creatures. They used different methods to express these ideas - storytelling, writing, drawing

During the philosophical enquiry, students discuss what ‘big ideas’ they might have after looking at the artwork.

Some big ideas being generated…

A question

Students presented their hybrids to each other.

Artwork made with children for children - Human Being and Human Becoming exhibition at Galway Arts Centre

This exhibition is part of Baboró International Arts Festival for Children and includes sculptural, audio and collage work by artist Siobhan McGibbon and her fellow artists - students from Scoil Chroi Iosa. Together, they have worked to imagine a future world where advances in science have transformed the human body into something quite different from what we know today…The work has emerged from an artist-residency that Siobhan did at the school over 9 sessions from May - June 2018.

Exhibition open until 27th October.

4-fingered (like newts) wax hands were created through a technique of moulding and casting. The children’s individual drawings were tattooed on the hands

This floating world contained collages of the children’s drawings of hybrid creatures and more

Hybrid creatures

Installation of exhibition at Galway Arts Centre has begun!

Some shots from the first day of installation of Human Being and Human Becoming exhibition at Galway Arts Centre. Artist Siobhan McGibbon arrived this afternoon and has started work….she will be joined by her collaborating artists, students from Scoil Chroi Iosa, on Thursday!
#stayposted #contemporaryartbychildren #contemporaryartforchildren

First glimpse of Caoimhe Kilfeather work for Uillinn

Last week, Superprojects curator Cleo Fagan took a visit to the studio of artist Caoimhe Kilfeather and had the exciting experience of seeing a model of her work for the exhibition in Uillinn: West Cork Art Centre, January 2019. This work is being created especially for an audience of children. Coaimhe made the model (see image) in order to determine what size her works should be to best fit the exhibition space. Caoimhe used the gallery's architectural drawings to build this 'scale model'. The exhibition at Uillinn will also include a collaborative commission with artist Siobhan McGibbon and local school group, as well as work by artist Karl Burke. 
#planninganexhibition #howartistswork #scale #treehouse #enclosures

National Programme - Contemporary Art FOR and BY Children

Superprojects is delighted to announce that between 2018 and 2020, in partnership with Galway Arts Centre, Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre, Limerick City Gallery of Art and Carlow VISUAL, it will be working on a national exhibition and engagement programme that will allow children to explore ideas of consciousness and the body; through viewing, discussing and responding to contemporary art creatively.

The programme includes a major commission of work by artist Caoimhe Kilfeather, and the commissioning of artist Siobhan McGibbon to make work collaboratively with children in a number of schools. Sculptural work by artist Karl Burke will also feature, as will a temporary response room - ‘The Make Space’ - designed by trained artist and practising primary school teacher Anne Bradley. The ‘Art & Philosophy’ initiative, with education curator Katy Fitzpatrick and professor in the philosophy of education Aislinn O’Donnell, will engage school groups in discursive and creative sessions that involve a series of questions, tasks and exercises; designed to enhance participating students’ experience of responding to the works on exhibition.  

The first of these exhibitions and programmes is Human Being and Human Becoming, opening on the 15th October 2018 at Galway Arts Centre, as part of Baboró International Arts Festival for Children. The exhibition will feature work by Siobhan McGibbon and third class children from Scoil Chroí Íosa, who together have created their own science fiction, speculating on what transhuman possibilities the future may hold for the human body.  

For more information on Siobhan McGibbon’s artist-residency at Scoil Chroí Íosa, Galway, May - June, see here.

These commissions and programmes are made possible through the support of The Arts Council.

Tattooed wax hands partially inspired by the strange cellular regenerative powers of newts, and the similarity between their mating dance and The Floss...

A small glimpse of some the work by artist Siobhan McGibbon and Scoil Chroi Iosa students for forthcoming Baboró International Arts Festival exhibition at Galway Arts Centre...Superprojects paid a visit to artist Siobhan McGibbons' studio in West Cork today where Siobhan was working on 'tattooing' the students' scanned drawings onto the wax limbs they had previously created, using moulding and casting, on their residency with Siobhan. This work, and more, will be exhibited at the Galway Arts Centre's exhibition 'Human Being and Human Becoming', as part of Baboró International Arts Festival for Children, from 15th - 21st October
#futurebodies #transhumanism #imagingingthelivesofotherbeings

Film on Everything is in Everything

Please feel free to take a look at documentation film on project Everything is in Everything, with artists Clodagh Emoe, Jenny Brady and students from Hartstown Community School, D 15. We are really proud of this great project, the work of the students, and the film that documents it all so well. 

Artist Residency with Siobhan McGibbon begins in Scoil Chroí Íosa, Galway

Artist Siobhan McGibbon and third class students begin their artistic adventures into the exciting world of transhumanism, biotechnology and possible futures...Over the next 9 sessions they will research ideas and produce work that will be exhibited at The Galway Arts Centre as part of Baboró International Arts Festival for Children, this October 2018.

In this session, Dr. Sarah Grundy from CURAM spoke to the class about the real science that inspires Siobhan's practice. Sarah talked to the students about the difference between regular cells and stem cells, explaining how stem cells can regenerate and the benefits of this ability.

Lions can’t regenerate so when this one lost his leg they had to make a prosthetic one.

The studio that has no roof - film now online!

This 9-minute film documents the commission of the outdoor social space by zero-degree machine and gardener Niall Maxwell, artworks by artist Atsushi Kaga and a range of artist-led workshops; all at Bracken ETNS, Balbriggan. #contemporaryartforchildren

Still image by Dragana Jurisic

Some photos from Everything is in Everything screening at IMMA....

Some shots from a fun and special at IMMA for the premiere screening of moving-image artwork 'The Butterfly Effect', created by artists Clodagh Emoe, Jenny Brady and students from Hartstown Community School, working in collaboration. Also screened was the documentation film on the project 'Everything is in Everything' - shot and edited by Jenny Brady. 

Project artist Clodagh Emoe, introducing the moving-image work 'The Butterfly Effect', prior to the screening

FRONT ROW (from left): Students from Hartstown Community School; Paul Reid, CE Fingal County Council; Councillor Mary McCamley, Mayor of Fingal; students from Hartstown Community School
SECOND ROW (from left): Sue Rainsford, writer; Julie Clarke, Youth and Education Officer, Fingal Arts Office; Anne Moylan, teacher, Hartstown Community School; Students from Hartstown Community School with Clodagh Emoe, artist and Cleo Fagan, Superprojects curator
THIRD AND FORTH ROWS: Students from Hartstown Community School

From left - Cledia, Patricia, Jevic - students from Hartstown Community School

From left - Julie Clarke, Youth and Education Officer, Fingal Arts Office; Paul Reid, CE Fingal County Council; Anne Cradden, artist; Orla Kelly, artist

Superprojects to present at The Arts in Education Portal National Day

We are delighted to be one of the presenters at The Arts in Education Portal National Day on Saturday 21st April in Maynooth University

See here for details of all presentations and workshops on the day. The programme 'reflects a broad range of projects, approaches and art forms from within the arts and education sectors; both practical and theoretical'.

Book here! 

Premiere screening of students' moving-image artwork at IMMA!

You are cordially invited to....

We made the shortlist for Fingal Arts Office's Infrastructure!

Completely delighted and excited to be shortlisted with architect Donal Lally/zero-degree machine and artist Alan Butler for Fingal Arts Office's Infrastructure programme. #collaboration 

Editing Workshop with Jenny Brady at IMMA

In Jenny Brady's editing workshop in IMMA's Studio 5, participating students re-engaged with the video artwork they previously created with artist Clodagh Emoe, as part of 11 week project 'Everything is in Everything' at their school - Hartstown Community School, Dublin 15.

Shot by Jenny, this moving-image artwork was developed in collaboration by the students and Clodagh; using choreographed movement, objects, scriptwriting and performance - to explore themes of causality and regret in modern life. The purpose of Jenny's workshop was to facilitate the students to make editing decisions and to give direction to Jenny on how to edit the final draft of this film, using found footage harvested from YouTube; considerations of script, text, sound, imagery, and how best to communicate themes...
#unsungartofediting #waltermurch  #meaningincontext #movingimage #foundfootage

Drawing all around, with Beth O'Halloran

In her drawing workshop for Junior Infants at Bracken ETNS artist Beth O'Halloran and the children looked at how drawing and line can be seen anywhere, when one takes time to look...

Children looked at 'drawings' made by planes, spiders, snails, raindrops...Beth introduced them to the idea that animals might make drawings with their bodies. She read them the story 'The Snail and the Whale' by Julia Donaldson, where a humble little snail writes (or draws) an important message for his whale friend.  Following this they went into the garden and together used magnifying glasses to explore the surfaces of the garden, and locate such incidental drawings. They then made drawings of their own, using both usual and unusual methods and materials such as lemon juice, feet, hands, markers and seeds. #drawingallaround #childrenarenaturals

Animations by Aideen Barry and 4th Classes

Take a look at the amazing work 'Animating Nature & Animating Architecture' created by 4th Classes and artist Aideen Barry, at Bracken ETNs, Balbriggan.....

'My favourite moment was when we watched our cartoons. It made me feel like a real artist.'

- 4th Class student, 9

#magicmagicmagic #thestudiothathasnoroof 

The Chase! With Amanda Coogan

In these workshops at Bracken ETNS, performance artist Amanda Coogan and participating children used costume, props, music and gesture to create wildly imaginative performances that took place in the garden.

Amanda started her workshop by showing the children some images of her work, bringing attention to the use of costume and props to create character. She told the children how she made these costumes and props herself. She introduced the idea of gesture or 'action' through 'dabbing', a move that all the students knew well. She then played Bach’s Harpsichord Concerto in D minor and asked them what kind of scenes the music evoked in their imagination. Themes of jeopardy and pursuit emerged: animals being chased by a king who wanted to eat them, animals running from the pound, the titanic; witches, wizards, ninjas, fairies, robbers - all chasing through the forest. Within the classroom and garden each of the two classes alternatively created an installation of a mountain and a river; and a series of vivid costumes. #freeplay #musicandimagination #artandthebody #wearableartworks  #amazingimaginations

Animation magic with Aideen Barry

In Aideen Barry's workshops at Bracken ETNS she invited participating 4th Class children to make individual drawing animations and a collaborative stop-motion animation. For her drawing animation workshop she showed the students some of her own animated work including Levitating - a work where she appeared to be hovering above the surface of the ground as she went about her day. She told the children that it took 12 images to make one second of an animation. Giving them 12 sheets of animation paper each, she asked them to close their eyes and imagine something happening in the garden that they could turn into an animation - ants battling, spiders spinning, flowers growing, worms wriggling.... In her next workshop she and the class made a collaborative stop-motion animation using cardboard boxes as props. #stopmotion #drawing #movingimages #artmagic #thestudiothathasnoroof

Animations coming soon! 

Superfolk workshop at Bracken ETNS

Superfolk's workshop gave consideration to what animals we share our locality with, as well as to seeing the intriguing traces they leave behind, visible when we take close inspection...

'Fur, feathers, crumbs, footprints, skin shedding, nests, dens, droppings, smells...' The workshop included a hunt for animal prints hidden throughout the garden, some detective work discovering identity of prints and, back in the classroom, the creation of individual stamps and a collaborative print. #animaldetectives #observing #natureallaround #artimitatingnature #thestudiothathasnoroof