Aoife Barrett

Tuesday, 7 February 2012

Dwelling

Installation, work in progress

Work in progress!

I take inspiration from the role of the archaeologist, investigator and digger, exploring the concept of objects as a container and symbol for our actions, experiences and memories. The purpose of my work is to explore and attempt to make sense of the material world and built environment created by humans.

Previous work has been preoccupied with the recurring image of the house, symbolising a person’s need for shelter and protection. The use of recurrent motifs or themes is an integral part of my work. I use words combined with images of tents, ships, boxes, books and other material things to connect to thoughts and emotions in the past. These ideas demonstrate the role of the archaeologist who tries to grasp the human meanings that were held to artefacts, searching for traces of the human mind in the archaeological record.

Through the medium of printmaking, 3D installations and photography combined I investigate the idea of an object as something with a real presence above being purely functional as a venue or shelter. Light also plays an important part in my work, creating an atmospheric space and turning lifeless objects into living, breathing beings.

Recent bodies of work have focused on an exploration of thoughts about the ‘pilgrim’ or ‘traveller’. The tent is used as a metaphor to express abstract concepts of the mysterious place of sanctuary and survival; the ship a symbol of pilgrimage, salvation of the soul and sanctuary. Influences spring from various historical sources- the museum, ancient sites, Paleolithic art, hieroglyphics, medieval Christian motifs as well as that of the marginal society. All materials worked by human hands recount something about themselves and about us, to where connected ideas emerge.

Studio shot, November 2011

Prep work for the Cashel Arts Fest, Nov 2011. Theme of birds and animals. I'm working on monoprints, relief prints and collographs

Art Work Embassy

The Elysian, Eglinton Street
Saturday 19th November – Sunday 4th December

As part of the Art Trail Festival in Cork this year there was a large-scale exhibition event (Art Work Embassy) in the cavernous space of The Elysian which brought together artists and artworks from a wide range of artists, groups and organisations in the City and surrounding areas. Art Work Embassy was designed as the hub of the festival, a meeting point, a space for artist talks, interactive and participative projects, the starting point for studio visits, and the site of a developing and flexible programme of activities.

http://www.arttrail.ie/?page_id=425

As a member of the Backwater Artist's Group I exhibited the installation piece below, which is still a work in progress.


"As I walked through the wilderness of this world I lighted on a place where was a den"

The title of this piece comes from the opening sentence of the book A Pilgrim's Progress. Both the title of the book and the sentence seemed very relevant to my work at the moment as I've been concentrating alot on the idea of the 'traveller' and the search for a sanctuary in unknown territories.

The houses are made from pages of the book which have been printed onto with drypoint and monoprints.

A plaster couch and armchairs hidden in one of the boxes

The Backwater Artists Group at Ar Work Embassy, The Elysian

These guys lived in the gallery for the duration of the exhibition. They definitely stole the show!

Sunday, 27 November 2011

Cashel Arts Fest-November 2011

As part of this year's Cashel Art Fest there was a Pop-up Gallery ARt Trail around the town. Professional artists, sculptors, photographers and craft workers were invited to interpret the theme of animals and birds. The art trail made use of the empty commercial spaces throughout the town. This impromptu exhibition showcased eight professional and up and coming artists’ creations in a street gallery structure. Cashel was transformed, temporarily, into a gallery space with the shop fronts doubling as a frame for the works. This method of exhibition is a vehicle through which the art experience is integrated into and shared with the community in a gentle and unforced manner, making art more accessible to everybody. http://www.cashelartsfest.com/exhibitions.php

Below are images of the work I exhibited in the Art Trail.

We knock down their homes to build ours

Season of Mists and Mellow Fruitfulness V, mixed media on Japanese paper, 13x19cm

Season of Mists and Mellow Fruitfulness IV, mixed media on Japanese paper, 16x23cm

Season of Mists and Mellow Fruitfulness II, mixed media on Japanese paper, 23x17cm

Season of Mists and Mellow Fruitfulness III, mixed media on Japanese paper, 23x17cm

Season of Mists and Mellow Fruitfulness I, mixed media on Japanese paper, 40x17cm

Go And Tell The King That The Sky Is Falling In, mixed media on Japanese paper, 70x50cm

Between the Folds, drypoint and carbarondrum on Fabriano, 23x17cm

Bird House Installation

Saturday, 26 November 2011

More work from Dartmoor!

(See below for more information on Dartmoor Arts Project)

The Key Pieces (series), Mixed Media, 30x20cm each

I expereimented with these prints, trying to create an old document feel, to make the print into an artefact in itself. I layerd different colours and overlapped different techniques (drypoint, screenprint and monoprint). The drypoint plate was made using an old map reading tool found in an antique shop, which became part of the piece.

A Key Piece (close up of one)

I can read you like an open book, screenprint, 16x14cm (book size)

This piece was made by screenprinting on to the pages of an old book which were then sewn back together in a way where they are all join together but can still be pulled out. The book is an old atlas, which fits in with my theme of travel and journeys. I often go through second hand bookshops looking for old books which are relevant to my practice. Another book I worked on while at Dartmoor was The Pilgrim's Progress! I found this one particularly interesting and relevant. I love working with books, whether its printing onto the pages or turning them into something different.

Friday, 25 November 2011

Show Time!!

During September 2011 I had my first solo exhibition at the Backwater Studios. Below are a few select images from it.

Exhibition Statement

Lost and Found 2011 16^th September - 2^nd October

Aoife Barrett graduated with a BA Honors Degree in Fine Art Printmaking from Limerick School of Art and Design (2010). She also holds a BA Honors Degree in Archaeology from the University College of Cork (2006).

Since graduation she has exhibited in a number of group shows including A4 Printmakers, The Poly Arts Centre, Cornwall (2011), The Woman Factor, The Back Loft, Dublin (2011), Impressions, Galway Arts Centre, Galway (2010), The RDS Student Art Awards, Dublin (2010) and Limerick Printmakers Print Exhibition (2010).

Awards received include South Tipperary Emerging Artist Award (2011), Cork Printmakers Twelve Month Bursary (2010), Fine Art Travel Bursary, Horwath Bastow Charleton, Limerick (2010), RDS Printmaking Award (shared) (2010).

My work explores the idea of what Jean Arp called the “secret soul of things”. I combine and layer 3D installations, photography and prints, exploring the concept of objects as a container and symbol for our actions, experiences and memories. All materials worked by human hands recount something about themselves and about us, to where connected ideas emerge. I use the cast-offs of society to construct the unregulated yet vibrant expressiveness of the human being to personalise space and to create a visible inner world.

As an archaeologist I have always been interested in the role of archaeology and history in building an image of the past and how that effects the present. When we discover something that once belonged to somebody else, even something mundane, we use it to tell us something about that society as a whole. As an artist I am more concerned with the individual.

I use words, combined with found objects and images of tents, boxes, books and other material things to connect to thoughts and emotions in the past. These ideas demonstrate the role of the archaeologist who tries to grasp the human meanings that were held to artefacts, searching for traces of the human mind in the archaeological record.