Yvonne Condon's chalk drawings of people passing the Infusion Caravan Project during Cork Midsummer Festival appeared in the fashion magazine "Elle" 10/15 in Italy. 
Friday, 16 October 2015
Thursday, 15 October 2015
Brent Pope "Inside Out" Documentary
Tonight we will see Brent Pope's journey to discover Irish Outsider artists which culminates in the stunning exhibition, Beyond. Don't miss this opportunity to see the making of the exhibition and get to know some of the artists involved.
Tuesday, 13 October 2015
GASP Artists in Irish Outsider Art Exhibition- "BEYOND"
Beyond- Irish Outsider Art
A Group Exhibition Curated by Brent Pope
Dublin 6th - 25th of October 2015
Cork 17th November- 4th Decmber 2015
Cork 17th November- 4th Decmber 2015
Three of GASP’s artists have been selected to showcase their
work in an exhibition of Outsider Art, the venture of popular rugby pundit
Brent Pope. He started a search for Outsider Artists due to his curiosity about
the genre’s profile in Ireland. His dream was to uncover the country’s hidden
Outsider Artists and it was realised when he put out a call on national
airwaves for submissions. He received an overwhelming response. Approximately
150 artists from around Ireland submitted work to this project and the final
show includes 18 artists, 3 of which are GASP’s Rosaleen Moore, David Connolly
and Yvonne Condon.
Our artist’s
journey to the exhibition started when researchers for the show contacted GASP
and videos of the artists working in studio were sent to the production
company. It was the first opportunity for the curator’s to see the artist’s
style and process. Images of the
artist’s work were also submitted. The final pieces for the exhibition were
chosen and were brought to Dublin.
David
Connolly’s “Dog” was chosen for the exhibition. It is a sculpture piece made by
Tom Campbell and painted by David. The work possesses his distinctive style. The devotion
he has to each piece and the unique and controlled movement of the brush he
uses. Blocks of colour merge on the sculpture, but are also layered upon each
other, balancing, to create a structural quality. The ridged texture of the
paint on the Dog is so prominent that the paintings surface quality could also be
considered sculptural.
Rosaleen
Moore had four pieces in the show. Two of which are from a GASP recent show
called Generations. Rosaleen’s work
was chosen because she strives to make Cork City look like a magical place with
vibrant colours and the addition of extra details from her imagination.
“Big
Yellow Nude” and an untitled portrait were Yvonne Condon’s submissions. Her paintings are snap shots
in time and her method reflects this as she completes them at high speed. The
amount of detail Yvonne manages to include in her paintings is quite a feat due
to her limited eyesight.
The long
awaited opening night of Beyond was
on the 6th of October 2015 in the Copper House Gallery. Most of the
18 artists, along with their friends and family joined Brent Pope and all those
who made the exhibition happen to celebrate the work. The group of artists exhibiting their work are from all over Ireland. Some are independent artists and some are from supported studio settings such as Cuig and KCAT. There was a wonderful
atmosphere in the gallery. It was emotional for some, an awakening for others
but all who came, had a desire to explore the art.
The
exhibition captured the interest of the viewers as soon as they walked through
the doors. The individual pieces told their stories through bright colours,
unique shapes and distinct styles, but the exhibition as a whole encompassed
a greater tale of how important it is for this work to be seen and promoted.
The art produced is raw; it can be therapeutic for the artists. It is not
created to impress or for financial gain but to simply express visually what is
within. Many but not all of the artists in this exhibition are living on the
margins of society and may have experienced social disadvantage or social
exclusion. Brent says, “To me, they represent what art should be, not about our
acceptance, validation or about personal financial reward but about the immense
pride and daily pleasure they derive from splashes of brilliant colour or
minuscule detail painstakingly rendered. These art innovators are truly
uncooked by culture”.
Brent Pope, Dorothy Cross, and Leszek Wolnik spoke at the
opening. Leszek, the curator of the gallery commented that it was one of the
best shows they had ever had in the gallery. Dorothy Cross, one of Ireland’s
leading international artists made an interesting point about how she had
recently seen a cave drawing that was undiscovered for thousands of years. She
remarked that it is comforting to know that the art and artists of this show
will not go undiscovered thanks to the people who support the genre. Brent Pope
gave an emotional speech, as he genuinely has a love and is deeply touched by Outsider
Art. He immersed himself in the exploration of the art and dedicated his time
to finding it and says, “I’m not an art
critic or expert; I just have a passion for this kind of art and the talented
people that create it.”For all involved, this exhibition has been a culmination of hard work and passion. Both the art and the artists are inspirational and deserve this opportunity to be acknowledged and celebrated.
"I cannot emphasise too strongly how touched and honoured I have been to finally realise this dream. This project has been my privilege." - Brent Pope. (Extract from the exhibition catalogue)
Press Coverage:
Ailbhe Barrett, an artist from Cuig, Cork City, was interviewed by Ryan Tubridy along with two other artists, on the Late Late Show on Friday the 9th of October 2015.
RTE
Television commissioned Firebrand Productions to create a documentary following
Brent Pope’s journey of discovering the artists and their work. It will be
shown on Thursday the 15th of October 2015. http://rteonenewseason.rte.ie/portfolio/brent-popes-outsiders/
Beyond runs in the Copper House Gallery from the 06.10.15 until the 25.10.15. www.copperhousegallery.com
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