Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane is collaborating with the National College of Art and Design (NCAD) to exhibit three film-based installations by Jonathan Cummins. Go Home (2010–2013) and Out The Road (2012– ) will be exhibited at The Hugh Lane while When I Leave These Landings (2004–2009) will be shown concurrently at NCAD Gallery, Thomas Street, Dublin 8. The exhibition will also be exhibited in collaboration with VOID, Derry, as part of the City of Culture 2013 Programme.
Rooted in a simple act of sustained conversation, these inter-connecting works address the impact of extreme ideological conviction on self, family and society. Evolving from an art project in prison, the work engages with four anti-agreement political prisoners during their time in prison and for a period of time after their release and when they go home. The conversation eventually extends to the families of the men. Produced over several years, these intimate artworks trace lives lived and in so doing reflect on difficult subject matter.
A series of conversations, under the general heading of ‘The Impossible Conversation’ anticipate and explore questions raised by the exhibition content. This programme of conversations will culminate in a symposium with international speakers on 11th May at Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane.
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Related Documents
The Impossible Conversation 1: Art, Institutions and Society – Ann Louise Gilligan (pdf)
The Impossible Conversation 2: To Whom Should We Listen – Brian Maguire and Aislinn O’Donnell (pdf)
The Impossible Conversation 3: Difficult Conversations – Sharon Todd (pdf)
It Is Our Prison – Brian Maguire (pdf)
Who will refuse me the right to listen – Aislinn O’Donnell (pdf)
On Listening, if you wish… – Aislinn O’Donnell (pdf)
Prison – compiled by Aislinn O’Donnell (pdf)
A Response to ‘When I Leave These Landings’ – Siún Hanrahan (pdf)
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Profile
Jonathan Cummins is a lecturer in time-based media, a researcher and Art and Context Cluster leader with the Research Institute of Art and Design. His teaching supports cinematic arts, image making and writing on the BDes Hons Design for Visual Communications and research supervision with the Research Graduate School.
His work, which is made for gallery and screen, employs documentary and drama alongside participatory and durational approaches of working to reflect on themes such as ideological belief, ethics and representation and community. He has exhibited his film-based practice at EVA, Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane, NCAD Gallery, Void, Centre Culturel Irlandais Paris and other venues. An active curator, he has curated exhibitions for artists including Katrina Palmer, Brian Maguire, Santiago Sierra, Phil Collins, Eija-Liisa Ahtila and John Gerrard.
