Responding to Brian Maguire’s exhibition La Grande Illusion
Poetry Workshop for Adults
Invisible Becomes Visible
11, 18 and 25 January 2025, 1.45-4.15pm
Led by poet Grace Wilentz, three-part series of workshops engaging with “La Grande Illusion”, a major exhibition of the work of Brian Maguire. In each workshop, participants will spend time with the exhibition, before being guided to write original poems in response to it. Brian Maguire is an artist whose practice has been defined by sustained engagement with social justice and human rights. In this workshop, we will focus on how Maguire’s work in “La Grande Illusion” encounters climate justice, migration and making ‘the invisible become visible’. As Maguire says, art has the power to make ‘the invisible become visible’. We’ll explore what this means, with a focus on how your own creative practice might relate to serving the overlooked, omitted and forgotten. While no prior experience is necessary, all will be expected to participate actively in discussions and take part in writing exercises. In return, you can expect to come away with new poems, and discover fresh approaches to engaging with urgent social justice concerns in your own creative practice.
Fee: €100, advance booking via Eventbrite
While no prior experience is necessary, all will be expected to participate actively in discussions and take part in writing exercises. In return, you can expect to come away with new poems, and discover fresh approaches to engaging with urgent social justice concerns in your own creative practice.
Course Outline
Illusion and Witness I: poetry workshop on climate in the work of Brian Maguire
Led by poet Grace Wilentz, this is the first in a series of workshops engaging with “La Grande Illusion”, a major exhibition of the work of Brian Maguire. In each workshop, participants will spend time with the exhibition, before being guided to write original poems in response to it.
Brian Maguire is an artist whose practice has been defined by sustained engagement with social justice and human rights. In this workshop, we will focus on how Maguire’s work in “La Grande Illusion” encounters climate justice.
As Maguire says, art has the power to make ‘the invisible become visible’. We’ll explore what this means, with a focus on how your own creative practice might relate to serving the overlooked, omitted and forgotten.
Illusion and Witness II: poetry workshop on migration in the work of Brian Maguire
Led by poet Grace Wilentz, this is the second in a series of workshops engaging with “La Grande Illusion”, a major exhibition of the work of Brian Maguire. In each workshop, participants will spend time with the exhibition, before being guided to write original poems in response to it.
Illusion and Witness III: poetry workshop on conflict in the work of Brian Maguire
Led by poet Grace Wilentz, this is the third in a series of workshops engaging with “La Grande Illusion”, a major exhibition of the work of Brian Maguire. In each workshop, participants will spend time with the exhibition, before being guided to write original poems in response to it.
-
Grace Wilentz Biography
Biography
Grace Wilentz is the author of The Limit of Light (The Gallery Press, 2020), named one of the best books of the year in The Irish Independent and The Irish Times. Her recent awards include a Next Generation Artist Award and a Literature Bursary from the Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon. Grace is currently Writer in Residence at Notre Dame in Dublin and her second collection, ‘Harmony (Unfinished)’ was published by The Gallery Press in autumn 2024.
Image: Grace Wilentz photographed by Siobhán Butler
