Launch Event: Navigating a Future
Artists Showcase & panel discussion
On Friday 20th May, the launch of Navigating a Future took place at Ballina Art Centre. The evening was a celebration of the work produced by commissioned artists and included; a showcase of the artworks, a live panel discussion and launch of digital publication. The event was officially launched by Cllr. Mark Duffy Leas Cathaoirleach, Ballina MD who congratulated the commissioned artists and Mayo Arts Service, Mayo County Council for their work on the project.
In November 2020, Mayo County Council commissioned four artists for a public art commission entitled ‘Navigating a Future’. The commissioned artists were Breda Burns, visual artist; Catherine Donnelly, dance artist; Breda Mayock, musician and visual artist and Áine O’Hara, visual artist and theatre maker. Key to the thinking behind this commission was the desire to give artists living in the county an opportunity to respond to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and to consider our lives going forward.
There was a screening of the artworks by the artist Breda Burns, Catherine Donnelly, and Breda Mayock. Breda Burns focused on the artists experience through her artists interviews. Her audio-visual work Artists’ Voices to be continued combines these interviews with footage from a swimming pool and lighthouse. Catherine Donnelly’s movement and dance artwork provided an opportunity for her to explore her relationship with music through the film Going Under; and the film explores letting go of what cannot be controlled. Breda Mayock’s commission resulted in Waves, a four track EP and Through, a music video. Both inspired by landscape close to her home and the experience of lockdown.
The panel discussion with the artists was led by Sarah Searson, curator and commissioned interviewer. Sarah Searson was commissioned to interview the artists and edit a digital publication for the project. The digital publication is available online here. An exhibition of the artwork shown of the night, will run upstairs at Ballina Art Centre until 25th June 2022.
This commission is part of Mayo County Council’s Public Art Programme, funded by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage under the Per Cent for Art Scheme.
For more information in each artists project for this commission go to project page here or contact Aoife O’Toole, Acting Public Art Coordinator, Mayo Arts Service, Mayo County Council: aotoole@mayococo.ie.
