Alchemical Reserve – Installation images at the Joinery
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Alchemical Reserve – The Joinery Gallery – 23rd to 28th March
Alchemical Reserve Jessica Foley & Siobhán McDonald
Alchemical Reserve began as an experiment in sharing & developing art-making, between artists Jessica Foley and Siobhán McDonald. Our practices are both very different, but we share common interests thematically and philosophically in many ways. We decided to exhibit together to explore these similarities further and to see where the process might lead. To focus this journey we have used geography as our formal constraint, namely the Bogland Reserve at Killaun.
This exhibition has become a focal point for us to extend our own work, and to share the offshoots of that process with a wider public.
EXHIBITION SCHEDULE
WED 23rd
THE WRITING WORKSHOP 5.30 – 7pm
This workshop will be facilitated by Jessica Foley, and will draw its subject matter from the exhibition Alchemical Reserve – there will be experiments with thaumotropes (simple homemade 19th century animation devices) and wisdom from the i-ching, and mostly there will be chat, writing and tea drinking. No experience required, all welcome.
Please contact jessica.dylan.foley@gmail.com to reserve a spot or inquire for more information.
EXHIBITION OPENS FULLY FROM 7pm – 8pm
We hope you will join us, we don’t have a budget for wine or beer, so bring along your own if you fancy a tipple!
THURSDAY 24th
Open all day 12-6pm
In conversation… 6pm – 7pm
A relaxed, informal conversation between the artists, writer/artist Fiona Fullam, and the public.
All welcome (There will be tea & biscuits, dress warmly)
FRIDAY 25th
Open all day 12-6pm
SATURDAY 26th
Open all day 12-6pm
Both Jessica and Siobhán will be in the gallery all day. Siobhán will be running demonstrations of her seismogram apparatus throughout the day and Jessica will be making thaumotropes with any one interested.
SUNDAY 27th
Open all day 12-6pm
ADDITIONAL EVENT AS PART OF ALCHEMICAL RESERVE:
BFJB will be playing some jazz tunes this sunday from 5pm at The Joinery (Arbour Hill, D7) as part of Alchemical Reserve, a show by Jessica Foley & Siobhán McDonald.
No cover charge, BYOB policy, loads of great art on show… can’t think of a better way to start a Sunday evening. Can you??
:: music by BFJB :: alan elliott (bass) – mathias …baumann (guitar) – owen o’neill (tenor sax) – aidan o’donovan (drums) ::
Report of the Y.E.T.I.
I’m sure I’ve mentioned this before, but my interest in the bogland reserve goes way back. Most of my family were involved in the establishment of the reserve and the building of the walkway. Though I was only about 8 or 9 years old at the time, the enthusiasm of the people involved in the project was inspiring and wonderful. I recently found the Report on KILLAUN: St. Brendan’s Community School, Birr – Community Educational Bogland Reserve.
Reading through it I’m amazed at the vitality & scope of the project, and how simple it’s objective is – to conserve the bogland, to pull it back from it’s 20th century role, solely as an energy ‘resource’, and to establish it once again, in some small part, as an ecology of it’s own reward – a fundamental part of what sustains the diversity of life existent in the countryside of the Midlands of Ireland. Here are some excerpts from the Report:
I should say that Y.E.T.I. stands for Youth Environment Trust Initiative, and was a group of students, self-organised and assisted by teachers in the school, who came together in the very early 90′s to conserve a local area of bogland that was gifted to them by Bord na Mona.
23 days till…
…the reserve gets transplanted in bits & pieces of mind and matter to the gallery space at the Joinery. The first alchemy. We’re working on a few ideas for ‘events’ and so on to take place during the week, so a rough sketch is:
Weds 23rd
6-7pm The Writing Workshop all welcome, you’ll just have to email me in advance… more on this anon.
7-8pm Welcome one & all – meet the artists, chat about the work, have a beverage of some sort…
Thurs 24th
‘In Conversation…’ Myself, Siobhán and hopefully Slavek Kwi (who has made a sound piece on the bog, facilitated by Siobhán) will have a chat about our work with whoever comes along.
Fri 25th
We’ll just be open for people to come along & check out the work – one of us will probably be present.
Sat 26th
A day of demonstrations – Siobhán will have her seismogram set up in the gallery, and will demonstrate how it works, and I’ll be making thaumotropes with whoever wants to join in.
Sun 27th
Open all day, with a chill out afternoon/evening of quality jazz… to be confirmed!
We’ll be tightening this all up over the next few days – so watch this space for more info. The show will definitely be open from 12-6pm Thurs to Sunday… with longer hours on days with events probably.
