le cool issue *182

Basic Space website launch

You want to impress people. You want to know what's relevant and new and impressive. So I'll tell you, pay attention. Basic Space. It's what the Irish art crowd are proudest to brag about. You may be familiar with them from playing host to an air-hanger-sized warehouse behind Vicar Street, an exercise in branding pop-up shop and a NY Times feature. Since then a summer residency at IMMA and an exchange with young French artists has entertained them. Oh, and they built a boat and sailed it up the Shannon. However, right now is key. Where are they now? Accustomed to only the best working environments they accepted an offer of a Tiger era retail space (open plan, concrete and glass front). A Basic Space sign has been installed, a brand new website launched and they are inviting all along for a visit because, just like you, they want to impress people.

Full le cool Dublin issue - HERE -

le cool issue # 121

Cyclorama

Wait until it's dark then walk down the alleyway beside Vicar Street. See how many empty vodka bottles you can count but don't get too distracted. Keep your eyes keen for a door propped open that leads inside a large warehouse containing a screen that shows a continuous video of an even larger warehouse than the one you have walked into. You can walk behind the screen. I was surprised at how mute and secretive it felt there. Within the larger warehouse within a warehouse there is a wrap-around screen stored. The innermost warehouse is used to film scenes for films and the screen to create an illusion of infinity. The scenes are filmed there and transported to cinemas and homes around the world, onto laptops, potentially endlessly. The video doesn't show this though. It's just a space filled with harmonious parallels and tensions.


The Lynette Thing

A yearly pre-christmas event run by Amber Miles who has the honest intentions to let everyone who wants to come along have a drunken, jolly, green and black party. She says 'last year was really just a party. I'm very excited about this being more.' What do you mean by that, Amber? How much more? She means a whole new venue (one I've personally never been to) the three story big old Supafast building on Capel st. WNot satisfied? Throw in loads of DJs- Eberhart, Kevin Bacon, A.W.O.L.(live), James Mcloughlin, Ladies of the Night and more, loads of fun people, BYOB, some art that I imagine will act more as decoration and a colour theme. Do follow the colour scheme. Amber's a fun, fun girl but if you turn up wearing orange and pink you will be fined extra at the door. Strictly green, olive, lime, emerald, jade, moss, sage, mint, viridian... spinach... brussel sprout?

See where this pieces were first - HERE -

le cool issue # 109

Host

Basic Space is currently one of the most exciting art venues around. You have to absolutely check it out. It effortlessly taps into the great romantic art fantasy and is a perfect example of vacant space opportunities within the city. This warehouse (what a cliché) is huge. The building is limited only in its obscure expiry date, available until it is knocked down to make room for a hotel. In the mean time artists use it for a studio, exhibitions and screenings, the odd shoot and filming. Host is 17 artists who applied and were selected to commit themselves to a six week long 'summer camp' with the aim to exhibit. The work is varied, the only thing that brought these artists together was the warehouse's ability. The exhibition previews tonight and is one of #DubCon11's other venues. I can't stress enough how excitingly large a space this is.

The le cool issue that included this piece - HERE - 

le cool issue # 93

NCAD shows

Looking for proof that people are open to approaching things in a fresh and, more importantly, creative manner? Check out this trio of NCAD shows, dotted around the city. The MA Interim exhibition on Francis St. occupies four spaces which the students approached; two antique shops, an old restaurant and an empty store. "Half the work is how to respond to a space that isn’t a traditional white cube," says Frank Wasser, an MA student who is also co-curating Moxie Studio's show, Applause, of nearly fifty 3rd year Paint and Sculpture undergrads. Basic Space, a massive warehouse at the back of Vicar St. recently given to students for use, has allowed NCADers to think in a much larger way about their work. It's used also for exhibitions and Threads, an NCAD based collaborative group, will be showing on Wednesday. It feels exciting.

 

Shiva Linga Paintings

Shiva is male creative energy. Linga symbolises him. Sculpturally he is expressed like a phallus, but these paintings show Shiva unborn as ovals and are serene. Which they should be, each was made in northwest India for domestic meditation. Depicting not just a God but a history of worship and tradition, even entirely out of context in a gallery space they retain a contemplative aura. Shiva appeared in visual form over 5000 years ago, possibly the longest evolution of an image. A large sheet boasts The Thousand Names of Shiva. Among these are some real gems including Emitter of all Fragrance and Delight, The one with Dreadlocks, Drawing his Semen up (the Central Channel), Spiritually Intoxicated, Fond of Limbs, With Lips Suspended as Space and Earth, Best of the Best of All Gods, and Having a Great Collarbone. Sounds like my kind of guy.

 

Garvan Gallagher - Wearing Purple

These photographs delighted me. Part of the Bealtaine festival, the portraits are of folk from the artist's home town of Donegal. Growing up they blended casually into the village but now, they stand out as Senior Citizens. Gallagher gave over a large amount of control to them with each portrait taken by the subject themselves, though within the artist's specifications. He gives a sweet anecdote of his old accordion teacher dressing up in honour of the sitting. Each sitter was given a disposable camera to record their life. A car park outside Lidl appears, as do fields, sheep and garden walls. And there's Kathleen McGinley in her kitchen! I appreciated that though these elders are the postman, teachers and not artists themselves, the images captured are mostly considered, well framed shots, recorded with care.

See full issue - HERE -