OVER 120 individual exhibitions are set to go on display at the annual Féile an Phobail Visual Arts Exhibition.
This year's exhibition, which will be the biggest ever at Féile, will be launched on Wednesday evening at 6pm at St Mary’s University College on the Falls Road.
Féile an Phobail Director Kevin Gamble said: “The amount of exhibitions displayed during Féile has grown so much that this year that for the first time a number of the exhibitions will be located at the Kennedy Centre to accommodate the sheer volume of local art.
“The Féile Arts Exhibitions launch will take place at 6pm this Wednesday at St Mary’s Unviersity College, and people are free to walk through the St Mary’s building on the evening and view the various exhibitions.
“There will be speeches from key exhibitors, including Mairead Robb, an art teacher who is passionate about encouraging young people into the arts and raising awareness for Gaza in her work; the West Court Camera Club, who use photography to highlight the issue of homelessness and addiction through their ‘Still Somebody – Voices for Change’ initiative; and the Plastic Bullet Campaign, who are exhibiting on their 40th anniversary.
“Light refreshments will be provided on the night, and it is always a great atmosphere as people take their time to walk through the College and enjoy the displays.”
Micheál Gallagher Sedrowski, the lead volunteer for Féile’s Arts Exhibitions, along with fellow artist David Bell, said: “Our goal has been to give the visual arts exhibition a profile of its own within Féile an Phobail, instead of being the poor cousin of the debates and discussions which draw large crowds to St Mary’s University College each year.
“Building a credible and trusted base of talented artists and using social media effectively to promote our event, things started happening over the last few years.
“Tours of the art exhibitions became a Féile talking point and the glossy programme regularly saved its coveted back pages for the Visual Arts. In recent years I started to get a sense of people coming to St Mary's in August not just for the lectures, but also for the art.
“Massive changes have happened at St Marys with a multi-million pound renovation project completed.
“The new spacious areas and glass-fronted study rooms will be filled with easels and display sets, and Féile’s Visual Arts exhibition will be seen in all its glory.
“This year will see the biggest and best Féile Visual Arts programme to date. From legacy installations to sculpture, photography, fine art and audio-visual works, this event always offers something for everyone.
“But without a doubt, the main driving force behind the success of Féile’s annual Visual Arts exhibition is the exceptional quality of art that is handed over to us every year.
“I’m hugely privileged to have worked with some exceptionally talented artists, photographers and other contributors from all over Ireland and abroad. Many of them are local amateur artists, real people pouring out their emotions onto a canvas, a truly wonderful thing to see.
“The art world holds some strange and wonderful characters, but I see the best in them when we pull together from April to July each year to produce one of the finest community art exhibitions in the country. Thanks to Rachel and Áine from Féile for their drive and foresight, and here’s to the continued growth of Féile an Phobail’s magnificent Visual Arts programme.
“See you all this Wednesday evening for the launch!”
Other exhibits to be displayed include:
- JB Vallely with the exhibit ‘From Wounded Knee to Gaza’
- St Mary’s University College 'Passing of the flame' which tells the story of generations of student teachers – proudly known as the ‘Ranchers’ – whose passion for Gaelic football helped shape the sporting, cultural, educational and community life of Ulster and beyond.
- Dara Vallely with 'AN CHOINNEAL FEASA – THE CANDLE OF VISION' blending vibrant colours and intricate patterns with a focus on nature, creating dreamlike landscapes that evoke wonder and introspection.
- Anton Knapp with his exhibit titled 'A WORLD WITHOUT ART' which is a unique collection of twenty paintings accompanied by a reflective art book. Together, they examine the essential role art plays in shaping human experience. Each piece responds to a single idea: A world without art is a world without.
- The Ballymurphy Massacre Families, who came together in 1998 following a Féile event organised by Relatives for Justice entitled The Forgotten Victims. This exhibition documents the families’ long campaign to raise awareness of the killings in August 1971 and clear the names of their loved ones.
- Pat Finucane Centre with 'THE POISONOUS LEGACY OF BRITISH COLONIALISM', a visual display tracing the devastating impact of British colonialism on the peoples whose societies, cultures, languages and identities it sought to eradicate.
- Bronagh Mallon, displaying 'OH, BIG BLUE – POEMS AND ILLUSTRATIONS FROM THE CHILDREN OF PALESTINE’, a new exhibition of 40 poems and illustrations by children from Palestine. Each piece is a deeply personal expression of resilience, identity, and humanity from those most vulnerable to the devastations of the ongoing genocide.
- Briege Brownlee, with 'CUMANN NA MBAN 1916–1923'- has been a lifelong active republican woman and ex-POW. She has known many amazing women in many roles. In 1916 (as is still the case now) women are often airbrushed out of history. This exhibition lends itself to the nameless women who gave so much for Ireland.
