Local Spaces

An ArtTrail project which refers back to the days when a strong sense of community prevailed is 'The Kitchen Table', organised by Fiona Kelly and Amanda Rice, which takes place daily between 11am and 3pm at 24 Nicholas Street.  Fiona and Amanda have redecorated the two rooms of this domestic space, where one of the artists actually lives, to look like an old-fashioned living-room and dining-room.  The public is invited into this space to view work by the pair and to have a cup of tea, a bun and a chat.  Amanda has screen printed modern objects onto doilys and sourced interior design elements from car-boot sales and antique shops, and the atmostphere is indeed like visiting an elderly person's house for a cup of tea.  Fiona's work explores urbanisation and the domestic space also, but in a more sculptural way.  The whole project highlights traditional community values and the value of relaxed conversation, popping into the neighbour's for a chat, and juxtaposing these ideas with modern objects and their aesthetic.

Basement Project Space on Camden Place is a recently opened artist-led initiative, which proposed a very generous project for AtTrail.  They opened up their newly painted project space, situated in a basement in front of their studios, for a three week residency and two week exhibition.  They advertised on the VAI newsletter and received over thirty responses. Monique Besten, an artist based in Amsterdam, and Alan James Burns from Cavan were the two artists seleced for this residency.  Monique made constellations from the patterns of chewing gum on the ground and superimposed these onto a circular map of Cork city drawn directly onto the wall.  Referencing astrological charts and cartographic practices, this work also includes walking mapped routes through Cork of the letters which spell Amsterdam, making aerial connections between Amsterdam and Cork.  Alan's work explores various spaces in Cork, holding cells in the Atkins Building, the former temporary courthouse, balance and time, and juggling (literally) these elements. 

The work in both spaces explores and charts the changing functions of tradition and place and draws on the local and locality, albeit in entirely different ways.