TULCA Festival of Visual Arts and Galway 2020 have announced a free online exhibition and print publication about the journey of humanity as a species.
Nothing to Look Forward to But the Past, curated by Gregory McCartney, explores an imagined evolutionary path that mixes the animal and human to produce something potentially unknown and new.
The original concept was written well before the Covid-19 Pandemic, but it somewhat eerily articulates the sudden change in everyday life and behaviour as well as our sense of being, which the virus has perhaps caused us to reassess.
The Board of TULCA Festival of Visual Arts said they are delighted to launch ‘Nothing to Look Forward to but the Past’ online exhibition and publication as part of their UnSelfing Visual Arts programme in collaboration with Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture,” said TULCA, speaking about the project.
“This programme has been reimagined and updated to comply with Public Health guidelines,” said TULCA.
“We are delighted to have this opportunity to bring such inspiring artwork and an evocative publication to our audiences in this way.”
Marilyn Gaughan-Reddan, Head of Programme, Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture 2020, said that the agility and determination of TULCA to reimagine the project, in light of the pandemic is remarkable.
“We are looking forward to the presentation of a memorable exhibition, with incredible artists that global audiences can experience,” she said.
This post lockdown re-imagining of the project sees the exhibition element move online to the www.abridged.zone website.
Working with four artists: Stuart Cairns, Nadege Meriau, Daniel Seiffert and Tara Wray, the online exhibition will be accompanied by a series of essays by academics, poets and writers exploring various aspects of the concept of personal and societal collapse: an attempt to make sense of this recent upheaval in our society and think about how this pandemic will change our journey forward and outlook for the future.
Along with the online exhibition there will be a publication, with a print run of 500.
Featuring essays and more, including artworks from the exhibition plus poetry from Charlie Baylis, Peter Boyle A time of endings, Moyra Donaldson, Colin Dardis The Year of Non-Resistance, Keshia Starrett, Liam Bates, Aisling Bradley, Clare McCotter, Susannah Dickey, Yvonne Blomer, Lydia Unsworth, Soso fragments, Stephanie Burt, Stuart Cairns, Adam Crothers, Maria Finch, Jess Mc Kinney, Sharon Young, Dylan Brennan, Maroula Blades An Ancestor Guards, Anna D’Alton, Eva Griffin plus fiction from Maeve O’Lynn all responding to the Nothing To Look Forward To The Past theme.
Copies of the Print Edition will (Covid restrictions permitting) be available in Galway, Derry and Belfast plus a limited amount from Abridged.
