Great turnout for Birr Visual Arts Trail launch

THERE was a great turnout for the Visual Arts Trail Launch in the Old Cinema, Brendan Street, Birr on Friday evening.

It was fantastic to see such strong support from the general public for this very important event during Vintage Week, an event which underlines Birr's longstanding and profound love of the Arts.

Much praise should go to Birr man Owen de Forge who curated the Open Submission exhibition in the Old Cinema. This Open Call invited artists to explore the theme of “Presence” in works created within a 30 x 30 cm format.

Owen is now based in Dublin and his work has been featured in the Hennessy Craig Award Exhibition at the Royal Hibernian Academy of Arts in Dublin and in solo exhibitions at Garter Lane Arts Centre and The Dean Art Studios.

Owen said he received 140 submissions which he whittled down to 64. There was much to enjoy for us viewers in the work of these 64 artists. Many of the works were very attractive indeed and would be fit to grace the home walls of even the severest critic. They are open for viewing until Thursday evening August 6th (opening hours 1pm to 6pm) and are all very reasonably priced. Definitely worth a visit.

Owen told the large gathering at the launch that the Old Cinema was an excellent place to exhibit in. He also said he was delighted to see so many people at the launch, because it showed a very strong support for the Arts and for Vintage Week.

Owen said it had been an honour to have been the Curator of the show. He said his first exhibition was held some years ago during Birr Vintage Week.

He said he had been deeply impressed by the large array of talented artists out there in the region. “I didn't enjoy whittling down the number of artists to 64 but it had to be done so they could fit into the small space available. I am very impressed by the high standard, by the skillset, that is now on display on the walls.”

Caroline Conway, Arts Co-ordinator on the Vintage Week Committee, oversaw the art display in the main Old Cinema building which featured the work of four acclaimed artists in a show called “Domestic Mythologies”. This is a very colourful and visually striking show. It has a sense of fun and a sense of being quirky, but there are also serious messages contained with the artworks for those who wish to delve a bit deeper.

After the show, my curiosity piqued, I had a look at the four artists' websites where they explained some of the messages and themes in their work. This investigative journey increased my appreciation of what I had seen. Modern art can sometimes be off-putting for those of us with more traditional tastes, but a bit of patience, perseverance and examination can reap rewards.

I chatted to several people during the show and they told me what they thought of it. They all loved it. They said their immediate response to the works was a love of the bright colours, a love of the off-beat approach by the artists, and a positive appreciation of the works' visual appeal. Several were full of praise for Caroline, for once again co-ordinating another excellent exhibition in the Old Cinema (and indeed for once again co-ordinating another excellent Visual Arts Trail throughout the town. The colourful woollen creations adorning the town's street furniture drew a lot of favourable commentary).

Caroline said the theme of the Arts Trail this year is “Presence”, with a focus on “the magic of being here, together, in place and time. Throughout the festival, the arts make their presence felt in unexpected ways, with outdoor artworks woven through the town and pop-up performances appearing in public space.”

She said the committee wanted more art, more colour, in the streets. They were aiming for an enhanced festival feel on the streets, and in this they certainly succeeded. “The town looks really well now,” remarked Caroline. “There is more of a festival feel.”

Maeve Mulrennan, Offaly Arts Officer, gave an excellent speech during the launch, from which it was evident she had spent a considerable amount of time viewing the various art exhibitions and soaking up the atmosphere. She said she loves the Birr festival. “There's a feeling of the shackles being taken off and a sense of anything goes. People can express themselves by dressing in ways they wouldn't normally or exhibiting art works. People can switch off from the world for a little bit and enjoy a sense of relaxing and having fun.”

Maeve pointed out that the Arts are extremely important in our lives because they can make us reflect on important themes; they can offer us a sense of inspiration and transcendent perspectives. They are a conduit for our inner worlds, for our imaginations. “We live in difficult times. Art can't change the world, but it can help us as we navigate through it.”

She said she loves the energy, the buzz, in Birr during the festival. She praised the hard work of the festival's committee and the festival's volunteers. She also praised Birr Tidy Towns for improving the town's appearance.

She said textiles and the domestic sphere are two important themes during the festival. She said her grandfather used to make rugs using the same technique that one of the artists in the Old Cinema used. This was Asha Murray's wool-tufting technique.

Maeve urged everyone to take part in the Visual Arts Trail Late Night Walk on Wednesday evening August 5th. It starts at the Old Cinema at 8.30pm.

The launch finished with the announcement of the winner of the Open Submission Award. This was Sheila Hough. It means that Sheila will have the opportunity to hold a solo exhibition of her works during next year's Vintage Week.