Soundings – Collective memories of the sea
13 December – 24 January
dlr LexIcon Gallery, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
dlr LexIcon this weekend celebrates the opening of its inaugural exhibition, Soundings, in its state of the art, brand new municipal gallery.
Soundings is curated by artist Michael McLoughlin with thanks to Dún Laoghaire RNLI lifeboat crewmembers. It features the work of six artists – Gary Coyle, Anthony Haughey, Emma Johnston, Sabina MacMahon, Julie Merriman and Lisa Reburn.
Introducing the exhibition, curator Michael McLoughlin said, “Soundings explores the relationships between Dún Laoghaire, the sea and its people through artworks, talks and workshops. It brings together six artists with connections to Dún Laoghaire who have investigated maritime histories, memories, testimonies and archives. Soundings talks, workshops and performances will offer further opportunities to explore and engage with the local maritime themes. Throughout this exhibition there are themes that ebb and flow between the work of the six artists — the connections between the local, the town and the port.”
Soundings events will feature a performance of Gary Coyle’s At Sea, a spoken word performance based on the artist’s daily swimming diaries and photographs (15 Jan), a special screening of A Tribute to Sound, a short film by Simone Corr which commemorates the decommissioning of the foghorn from our coastline (21 Jan) and Prospect, a video piece by artist Anthony Haughey exploring migrant journeys from sub-Saharan Africa to Europe (24 Jan).
To explore and celebrate Dún Laoghaire RNLI, the crewmembers have created a video piece and a series of photographs, these can be viewed in the project room of dlr LexIcon. There has been a lifeboat present in Dún Laoghaire since 1803 with the RNLI establishing a station in 1861. Today the RNLI operate two lifeboats in the harbour and in 2013 alone rescued 67 people.
Opening day events on Saturday 13 December include a curatorial tour by Michael McLoughlin and crewmembers from the RNLI, a TOG workshop where participants will learn how to create and experience a Skull Radio, and families are invited to join in on the fun and help create a maritime frieze on the windows of the project room in dlr LexIcon.