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Phoenix Rising: Art and Civic Imagination

Stephan Brandes, Per Laborem, 2014, © the artist 

  • Exhibitions

07 November 2014 - 29 March 2015

Stephan Brandes, Per Laborem, 2014, © the artist 

Éirigh an Fhéinics: Ealaín agus Samhlaíocht Cathartha

This exhibition and related events explore the current place of civic ideals in urban life and contemporary art practice. It references Dublin’s 1914 Civic Exhibition which was inspired by the work of Scottish biologist, sociologist and planner Patrick Geddes and which attempted to re-imagine Dublin as “the phoenix of cities” during a period of economic, social and political strife. The exhibition showcases contemporary artists’ responses to the urban environment using different strategies to understand and represent the city. It includes work by Stephen Brandes, Mark Clare, Cliona Harmey, Vagabond Reviews, Stéphanie Nava and Mary-Ruth Walsh.

An accompanying newsletter presents research generated in the lead-up to and during the exhibition. Printed copies are available in the exhibition and pdfs can be downloaded from the links on the right of this page. Most content is also available at: https://civicimagination.wordpress.com/.

With the support of the French Embassy in Ireland

Read more about the exhibition in Totally Dublin.

Interview with Cliona Harmey

Interview with Mary-Ruth Walsh

Link to Mary-Ruth Walsh’s film ‘Take a deep breath now’ on Vimeo

Interview with Mark Clare

Interview with Stéphanie Nava

Article on Vagabond Reviews’ ‘Scientia Civitatis: Missing Titles’ from ‘The Blue Notebook’

 

Mark Clare, La Fontaine du Réalisme, 2013

Mary Ruth Walsh, Video Still, 2014

Mary Ruth Walsh, Video Still, 2014

Vagabond Reviews, Scientia Civitatis: Missing Titles, 2014

Cliona Harmey, Section of image transmission from NOAA 18 (northbound 73E) received vis USB radio, 2014

Stephanie Nava, Rear Window, 2014. Courtesy the artist and Galleria Ricardo Crespi, Milan

Mary Ruth Walsh, Hidden Presence, 2014, © the artist

Phoenix, maker unknown, 18th – 19th century gilded wood

Cliona Harmey, Fixed Elsewhere, 2014, © the artist

Mark Clare, Le Fontaine du Réalisme, 2014, © the artist

Stephen Brandes, Civic Committee, 2014, © the artist

Vagabond Reviews, Scientia Civitatis: Missing Titles, 2014, © the artist

Vagabond Reviews, Scientia Civitatis: Missing Titles, 2014, © the artist

Mary Ruth Walsh, Take a deep breath now, video still, 2014 © the artist

Mary Ruth Walsh, Take a deep breath now, video still, 2014, © the artist

Stephan Brandes, Per Laborem, 2014, © the artist

Stephan Brandes, Civic Committee, 2014, poster, installed on Church Street, Dublin 7

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