ART REVIEW: From The North To The Republic

Belfast's Linenhall Library hosts a quietly powerful and gently symbolic photography exhibition

Sparkling colours are rare but sharp symbolism is plentiful in Valentina Culley-Foster's From The North To The Republic. This grim, gloomy but gripping sea of sights takes inspiration from local stories and local history on both sides of the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic Of Ireland, serving up a stark smorgasbord of mildly moving moments in the form of a photographic narrative. It could easily be titled The Hitherto Unseen Borderland.

Culley-Foster, born in the United States but based in Derry-Londonderry, has created and collated a collection of images chronicling views of a sectarian divide that are regularly noticed but rarely examined.

What catches the eye? Plenty. Stare at an image of a bilingual road sign (pictured) and you will see the whites of the sign submerged in oranges and greens, not coincidentally the three colours in the Irish flag. Tie this in with the capture of a painted tricolour on the backboard of a basketball hoop, where the middle of the "flag" is crossed out. It is the centre of the divide, the symbols of equality, both aesthetically and linguistically, that are being covered from the naked eye, a sign that the quest for a "middle ground" is a difficult one.

Such strong signals are clearly of great interest to Culley-Foster. The rusting roof of a border petrol station casts it in red and white, a schizophrenic reflection of not really knowing which side to be on. Elsewhere, we see little trees grow on one side of a Buncrana Road bus stop while weeds grow on the other, expressive of bitter perceptions and unnecessary hatred. It's a "with us or against us" vibe, a dominant theme in From The North To The Republic. At least two more images, one of a fork in the road in the country, the other of a fallen, Y-shaped tree crossing a stream, reflect uncertainty, while other images define divisions through colourful, religious and even corporate symbolism. The image of a BT booth on one side of an image is difficult to ignore.

But it is something much, much simpler that resonates most strikingly of all: a shot of Magilligan and Greencastle, two attractive seaside towns connected by a ferry service but separated by a border. It quietly, gently expresses that both sides really are more alike than certain divisive aspects of history, culture and mindsets would suggest, even more so than a photograph of Muff's Borderland and a picture of two houses separated only by a parking line, a gate, and the colours of their clothing.

The wear and tear of torrid troubles, and the confusion, fear, doubt, division and identity brought about and created by them, are quietly and succintly brought to life in Culley-Foster's work. It all comes to a head in one particularly prominent image at, of all places, the foot of the Foyle Bridge, where half of a painted message has been obscured by graffiti. "Imagine waking tomorrow and all..." And all what? And all our troubles will be gone? The neutral observer will never know the answer, but may well feel cheated at being robbed of a conclusion to this message through cowardly masking. Then again, perhaps any kind of "conclusion" is wishful thinking in these times; the entire image, like the exhibition as a whole, is reflective of timely and timeless turbulence.

From The North To The Republic runs until tomorrow, Friday August 29, in Belfast's Linenhall Library. Read more...

ART REVIEW: Irish Art In Derry

Derry-Londonderry's Gordon Gallery enters its final throes with a rich, varied mixture of abstract and pleasurable art

It is the closest equivalent of London's Tate Modern that Derry-Londonderry arguably has, and it is on the verge of closing down. Since re-establishing itself in 2005, Richard Gordon's commercial gallery in Pump Street has added dimension to a gradually developing artistic hub in the city.

From the literature of Bedlam's Little Acorns to the theatricality of the Playhouse around the corner and the splashes of colour all over the walls of the still relatively new Sandwich Company premises, the variety in Derry's Cathedral Quarter appears endless. Less so now that the London Street Gallery has already closed and the Gordon Gallery is days away from following suit, leaving the CCA to fly the flag in this corner of the historic city walls.

The final exhibition, Irish Art In Derry, reveals countless possibilities, all four walls at the back of the gallery adorned with paintings, prints and pictures. A collection of sculptures rest on two narrow, lengthy wooden tables at either end of the seating central to the bright, sterile-looking space.

One particularly eye-catching sculpture is "The Factory Floor" by Belfast-born sculptor Deborah Brown. The appearance of four bronze figurines trapped between two tall metal pillars on a steel grey sheet is symbolic of both the work they do and the routine they have fallen into; a routine they can't seem to break free from, even if they want to. Their shrunken, hunched, lumbering postures suggest anaesthetisation to their jobs, institutionalisation to their surroundings; but it appears to be institutionalisation born out of apathy, with no redeeming features. It is a simply remarkable work.

Another personal favourite is Chris Wilson's Island (Tory), pictured. Wilson himself presents this sculpture as one of a set that juxtaposes opposing perspectives with a single form. With that in mind, one feels he has accomplished his mission statement through sound positional sense and strong attention to detail. The five small houses on the edge of the cliff are emblematic of traditional dwellings; the location of said houses, the cracks in the rock face below them, and the rock supporting the cliff, encapsulate a feeling of consistently living on the edge.

The four walls surrounding these sculptures, and many more (including Brendan Jamison's Tate Mausoleum, constructed entirely out of sugar) consist primarily of coloured oil paintings. The most abstract of all are possibly the works of Feilim Egan, Patrick Bradley and Philip Flanagan, all three using blocks to provide unique takes on overhead viewpoints; a means of creating their own realities. While I admire Bradley's lively colour mixtures, and am intrigued by the dusk and undersea views presented in Egan's work, it is the simplistic vibrancy of Flanagan that impresses most. His work, in a way, captures the spirit of the exhibition: it is more about one's perception of the image rather than the inspection of the subject. It's less about what we see, and more about how we see and symbolise it in our heads.

There are, of course, exceptions to this rule, such as the still life paintings of Trudie Mooney, the arguably brash but arresting work of Colin McGookin, and the representations of isolation in Martin Gale's "Long Gone" and "New Girl". But, on the whole, Irish Art In Derry is an exhibition that leaves one with more questions than answers; a fine, fitting legacy for this sadly departing gallery to leave behind.

Irish Art In Derry runs until tomorrow, Saturday July 19, in Derry-Londonderry's Gordon Gallery. Read more...

ART REVIEW: UNSEEN

Elements of Willie Doherty's vivid, haunting and awakening exhibition astound

Wandering into one of three video rooms at Willie Doherty’s UNSEEN exhibition in Derry-Londonderry's City Factory, the very first thing I see is a running man. Dressed as any typical businessman would be, and bathed in eerie red, he is constantly scurrying over the lower deck of the city’s Craigavon Bridge in what looks like a desperate attempt to escape from someone, somewhere, to the allegedly safer confines of the city side.

It is a sprint ad infinitum, filmed from several angles on two screens side by side on a thirty second loop. Titled "Re Run", it is emblematic of the pain and danger in both sides of Derry-Londonderry. Clearly the man will never reach his goal in the video itself, but does the clip not suggest, with his worried features and the crimson light very prominent, that he will never truly be safe no matter what side of the city he is on? Is it a clear symbol of schizophrenic divisions in the City Of Culture 2013?

This is one of numerous perspectives that we will be privy to in this deceptively one-note but in reality extremely vivid, haunting and awakening exhibition. Cast in an aura of gloom, Doherty's three decade old collection of photography and videos uses elements, artifacts, objects, light and people as an eye-opener to what he perceives to be the – yes – "unseen" aspects of this cultured city.

A series of simultaneously intriguing and frightening photos, some colour, some monochrome, re-imagine a "darker" side of Derry-Londonderry not as a wasteland, but as a bittersweet tableau with images of terror, regret and the odd glimmer of hope. Amongst the imagery, we see a drop of water resting on a plant, a long pathway adorned with roadblocks in the shape of gravestones, rock upon rock on the east banks of the River Foyle, a burning car, and a burnt out car on the side of a road that would otherwise shine with possibilities. Were you to consider these solely as art, they would approach vibrant, eye-popping beauty, but they bring with them the extremely troubling underbelly that some, or many, battles may be won but some "wars" – or conflicts – will never end. That reaping the fruits of our labours can be only a temporary reprieve.

Through 1997's "Out Of Sight", we see the gap and divide between hope and fear, the benefits of a service station positioned behind a brick wall that may well be more of a barrier than it seems. And in 1985's "To The Border", we immediately recognise the Letterkenny Road, but drained of all colour and present-day amenities. Black and white, not a soul in sight. Childhood memories of being driven down this twisting, turning road to Glenveagh Castle vanish when confronted with the stark realities of the past and present which Doherty has bravely documented.

"The Black Spot" video is what it is – an unsettling presentation of the dark, quiet mood cast over a residential area on the outskirts of the city. When placed alongside every exciting and colourful event that we witnessed last year, it takes on new meaning. For a while, we did not seem so aware of how creepy a city's suburbs can be, or maybe we just preferred not to think about them. UNSEEN unveils the Derry-Londonderry we forgot we knew – or, perhaps, the Derry-Londonderry we did not want to know, but feel more enlightened for having discovered, or rediscovered. A triumph. Read more...

We've Made It Happen: Our City Of Culture 2013

A message from the editor on the final night of a momentous year for Derry-Londonderry

My fellow City-Of-Culturistas...

This is the 92nd time I'm going to be posting to you from this website in 2013, and the last. The end of this Legenderry year, as we've liked to call it, is almost upon us. It has been a pleasure, a privilege, and a downright honour to be one of your "correspondents" in writing and photography in this city, this year. Many of you have spoken to me and said, "well done", but I could say as much to you, if not more. But before the year ends, I'd like to share some thoughts with all of you in relation to this lovely city we live in.

I can still recall when, as a slightly younger man who didn't quite know where his career was going, I first heard when Derry-Londonderry was up for this inaugural cultural honour. It was there when I realised, like no doubt many of you did at the time, that I could make a difference, and passions for both writing and photography that I once thought were on the verge of dying were reawakened.

We won the honour. We had our moment. And now, two and a half years later, the city's cultural landscape shines strong and tall in a Silver City Risen from darkness to light. A new vision and a new legacy, created by the fittingly titled Sons And Daughters of Derry-Londonderry, so many of whom swept us up in a tidal wave of musical glory near the start of this remarkable year.

That, of course, was only the beginning of a series of standout events that defined Derry-Londonderry, so good they named it twice, as a thriving arts and cultural landscape. But it was, and is, more than that, of course.

When watching Finding Nemo for what seemed like the umpteenth time recently, seven words in the screenplay truly resonated with me: "When I see you, I see home." Seven words that are worth a thousand in the context of Derry-Londonderry, for it might not have been, and still might not be, the best place in the world to everyone, but it is our place. We created it. We are in tune with absolutely everything about it: people, landscapes, landmarks and opportunities.

And to my pleasant surprise, that was exactly how Derry-Londonderry felt to just about every tourist and traveller I’ve met on my travels around the city throughout 2013. We are a City Of Culture, but we are also a City Of Community and Great Company.

During these last twelve months, I've made it my aim, in some way or another, to both develop as a cultural writer and bring you the best from the City Of Culture 2013. Last year, Si's Sights And Sounds was born, and continues to thrive today. But it never belonged to me. It belonged to you, the people who provided me with the material to write about. I spread the word, but you made the words. I was just the messenger, someone who was lucky enough to be in the right places at the right times. The real heroes of Derry-Londonderry 2013 are the people as a whole, the technicians, artists, actors, directors, writers, photographers, musicians, spectators and so on who made it happen, men and women who relayed a continuous cavalcade of sights and sounds to a global audience. Without the people, the cultural "delights" we praised would not have had the heart and soul that they undeniably did.

No doubt, you will ask me if I have regrets, and I do. The economy is one of them. As much as Derry-Londonderry has flourished on the surface, there is the clear and present fear that the city is, in reality, dancing on a volcano, and that the lack of job opportunities may force many of our great talents, be they newly found or established, to look elsewhere. Tonight is no night for dwelling on that, but another significant matter ought to be addressed: what will we do now our year in the spotlight is over?

With that in mind, I refer to what was done with the famous Crystal Palace after the Great Exhibition of 1851: remove the building blocks of a short-term success and relay it for the long term. Even with both Ebrington's Venue and the Turner Prize Exhibition on their way down and out, respectively, there remains the chance to cement the whole of Derry-Londonderry as a cultural city by the people, for the people. Because that is what it should be, if it isn't already. Our newly found momentum must be carried well into the future, for there remains the danger of living in the moment and not considering the long-term consequences. Even if a feeling of "could do better" exists in the Derry-Londonderry air, what also exists is a genuinely warm, winning and welcoming spirit that will surely endure.

It has also been asked that, as big as a certain Big Weekend was, was there really a need for it? And the answer, in my view, is a resounding Yes. Not everyone was fortunate enough to live the experience at the Prehen Playing Fields nearly a decade ago, and this truly was Big. Even the music, to me, was almost irrelevant; what we saw during those nights were unprecedented levels of confidence, light and unity spreading around the city. All may not really be hunky dory in this current climate, but for the audience on those days, all was. They wanted big moments, and we delivered. Sons and Daughters. The spectacular Political Mother. CHIC, so good he came twice. The Fabulous Fleadh. Music City, especially the Sky Orchestra. The inaugural Walled City Tattoo. The Return Of Colmcille. Lumiere. And many more. Events that told the tale of a city both in touch with what made it what it is, and the wider artistic world.

Even something as simple as a tweet or a Facebook status update could reach out and touch thousands, millions even. My own City Of Culture status updates were inspired by legendary American actor Stan Freberg, but who, or what, inspired you? You may have found such things as the cobblestones on London Street, and the views from the walls, as inspirational as anything you could read. That's a cultural strength for you; inspirations, assets, success, from the least likely of places. And there have been many of those.

It's been a year of contrasts, a year of history. And one night, as I looked across the River Foyle at the illuminated STITCH IN TIME sign, an endeavour of industrial light and magic that stands proud and tall over everything around it, I found it hard not to contrast the numerous aspects of the city. The big and the small, the past and the future, the understated and the grand.  It is not merely, as Ronald Reagan put it, a "shining city upon a hill", but a city at sixes and sevens, as skilfully illustrated on one memorable summer night at The Guildhall.

A Stitch In Time may symbolise several of the things in this city, be they factories, craft or camaraderie. But we must not allow this year to remain a mere stitch in time, a footnote to be cast away into the forgotten annals of history. Better, instead, to think of what At Sixes And Sevens, and indeed every single cultural endeavour in 2013 illustrated: we have made history, and we have history, still, to make.

There isn't one aspect of this city that I take for granted today, from the wide open space in Ebrington Square, to the numerous art galleries, to the walls, to venues both indoor and open air, to the spectacular foot and cycle bridge that has symbolised our city for more than two years. We've made it happen. We, the sons and daughters of Derry-Londonderry, have made the city what it is.

And here's to carrying our spirit and soulfulness through to 2014 and beyond.

Happy New Year to all of you. Read more...

The Turner Prize 2013: First Impressions

The UK's most prestigious art exhibition visits Derry-Londonderry. Our writer tours the four galleries and presents his initial thoughts

Leaving the relatively shiny cobblestones of the now nearly two-year-old Ebrington Square behind me, I tread onto a short twisting gravel passage sandwiched between mossy surfaces. Lest I sound too poetic or artistic, the brick building in front of me looks relatively ordinary; worn-down and old-fashioned, as you'd expect from a site that ceased to be an army barracks a long time ago. But wait a minute. Twisting and turning everyday life or run-of-the-mill objects into art that makes a powerful statement; isn't that what the Turner Prize is all about?

The inside of the building is as professionally prepared as you would expect any "prestigious" art house to be. Programmes and art books are easily accessible in the reception area. Legenderry coffee, tea and food, prepared by the staff from the city's most famous Warehouse, await upstairs for those needing to take a breather.

Into prize nominee David Shrigley's exhibition I step, and before even looking at the artwork (more on this in a moment) I am struck by the spotlessness of the gallery's walls and floor, the lighting and the London accented voices I hear. It is as if one has been instantaneously transported to England's capital city.

But back to Shrigley. Renowned for drawings and animations that satirise and commentate on what people do and say, the Macclesfield-born artist has chosen 2012's "Life Model" as the basis for his exhibit. And what do we have here? A tall, mechanical and nude humanoid figure, with rather large ears, a long nose, a prominent fringe and very, very thick sideburns.

"He" even blinks at inconsistent intervals, and "urinates" in a metal bucket placed below him. On its own, the model seems rather creepy, suggesting a man "going about his business" with absolutely no awareness of his appearance to others. The black humour that Shrigley's work has been praised for comes to the fore here.

The true "joy" in this exhibit, however, lies in its interactivity. Various visitors are invited to draw or paint their own artistic impressions of the mechanical model, and each impression is exhibited on the walls of the gallery for everyone to see. One visitor thinks that the sculpture looks like "your man from Lord Of The Rings" (Gollum, surely?), one visitor thinks the art is "more Andy Warhol than Shrigley", and one visitor writes, beside his own drawing of the model, that "his fig leaf fell off".

Levity, cultural references, and matters of fact, all on the same wall. Analytical and artistic minds working hand in hand through the eyes of their beholders. It would appear that both Shrigley and his audience have completely grasped the message of the Turner Prize.

Laure Prouvost has earned her reputation through films and installations with a richly layered, fractured narrative, disorienting stories with surreal interruptions. Perhaps it is no surprise, then, that I find her unconventional storytelling, in the "Wantee" and "Grandma's Dream" films, to be a little baffling – muddled videos in wildly different but strangely comfortable surroundings. Yet because of that, it is distinctive.

"Wantee" is displayed within a collection of empty chairs and empty tables in a dark room. It's like Amelie minus the excessive colour and quirk. "Grandma's Dream" can be watched on a soft carpeted floor, in a tiny pink enclosure that reminds one of an attic with light and without all the dust and clutter.

The films themselves inspire actions and reactions through bizarre imagery – one such image that springs to mind is a teapot attached to the back of a passenger jet – and excellent sound. When "Grandma" sinks into muddy water, and when a piece of paper is scrunched up, you really sense it happening.

A conflicting spectrum of emotions awaits us in another darkened room, the gallery where the paintings of Lynette Yiadom-Boakye lie. There is a narrative connection between the six paintings, with expressions, features and actions of the solitary figure (or two, as is the case with "The Generosity") in each painting saying more than a detailed background ever could.

Opposite "The Generosity", which appears to imply two men struggling to survive in a very tough scenario, lies a painting of what appears to be a soldier in battle. Perhaps there is a war theme here. Not too far away from the starkly untrustworthy smile of "Bound Over To Keep The Faith" rests another painting of a genuinely happy man. I also see a portrait of a man relaxing contentedly on a beach, and another with a man staring into the distance, as if he does not quite know what to do.

It is the very lack of a background, in addition to the emphasis on specific features – the eyes, teeth and socks stand out in this darkened room – that makes these images as interesting and open to interpretation as they are.

All sorts of interpretations can be taken from Tino Sehgal's exhibition, which isn't really "art" in the expected sense of the word at all. When we think of art, we often align it with painting, drawing, music, dance and so on, things that titillate the eyes and ears of the beholder. Sehgal focuses on the brain of the beholder. Two words, in this case, "market economy", are presented to the visitor by an attendant. It is then left for the visitor to have as detailed a discussion about the aforementioned two words with the attendant as he or she possibly can.

Whether questioner or answerer agree with one another or not is irrelevant – the whole exhibition is about formulating a stimulating discussion, filling one’s head with ideas, and improving one's way of thinking. It's a remarkable idea – Brain Training without imagery. Like every other exhibition in this year's Turner Prize, it defines not only the artist's individuality but the visitor's individuality, one of four galleries that merges the thoughts, dreams and fears of the populace into a not always cohesive, but satisfying, whole.

The Turner Prize 2013 will be staged in Derry-Londonderry's Ebrington Barracks from October 23 2013 (today) to January 5 2014. The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony at Ebrington on Monday December 2. For more information, visit www.turnerprize2013.org. Read more...