Samhlaiocht Exhibition is Rubbish!!

Junk Art and Recycled Sculpture Competition and Exhibition to Open on August 7th

How often have you heard Art described as 'Rubbish'? Well in this instance, the opening of a new Exhibition in Samhlaiocht, the description is perfectly apt and, yet, as far from the truth as possible! The Exhibition titled, 'Don't Rubbish It', focuses on raising awareness of the creative potential of much of the rubbish that is thrown away on a daily basis. The challenge set to Artists was to create innovative art and sculpture from 'junk' materials that would, in the normal course of things, be thrown away.

The competition has been running for a few years now and the quality of the work and the number of entries received has continued to astound Jane Savage, one of the judges of the competition, and the lady charged with opening the exhibition in Samhlaiocht. "Sarah O' Brien, Michael O' Coilean, the Kerry County Council Environmental Awareness Officer, Paul Sherry, manager of the Killarney Outlet Centre, Tadgh Moriarty, manager of Killarney Summerfest and I were the judges of the competition. It was far too important a decision to leave to just one person!" laughs Jane.

The competition had four different categories for National Schools, Secondary Schools, Adults and Professional Artists and with the growing realisation of the importance of recycling and the environment the competition has certainly struck a chord across all age groups and categories with a wonderfully eclectic mix of Artwork. It also struck a chord amongst sponsors with The Kerryman, Astellas Ireland Ltd, Sport Corran Tuathail, KWD Recycling and Killarney Town Council Arts Committee climbing on board to offer a whole slew of prizes totalling over 4,000 euro in value!

"We're delighted the exhibition is coming to Samhlaiocht," said Trish Thompson, Samhlaiocht Gallery Coordinator. "I think it's hugely important that people become more environmentally aware and conscious of the decisions they make when it comes to reusing and recycling. Everyone can remember being children, getting lovely fancy toys, setting them aside and then having hours of fun playing in the box the toys came in! We should all try to rediscover that magic, and strive to ensure that absolutely nothing that can be used is carelessly discarded."

"I've always been environmentally conscious," adds Jane. "I live in Killarney on the outskirts of the National Park, one of the most beautiful locations in the whole county, if not the world, I love gardening, love the outdoors and this just ties so well into that."

Over twenty pieces were created for the competition all utilising materials that would otherwise have ended up in the bin and while one little competition is unlikely to change the world it is certainly proof that people are moving in the right direction.

"When we were young, my Mom used to chase after people and give out to them for littering," says Jane. "It used to embarrass me terribly. But I'm so proud of her now. And the funny thing is, she's still doing it and she's eighty eight years old!"

The exhibition opens on Thursday, August 7th, and runs until Friday, August 29th, in the new Samhlaiocht Gallery which is located in the Old Presbytery on Lower Castle Street in the heart of Tralee. The Gallery is open from 10 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday, is free to visit and all are welcome.

For more information on Samhlaiocht please log on to http://www.samhlaiocht.com/

Askeaton Contemporary Arts presents Welcome to the Neighbourhood

Taking place from July 14 to 26 2008

NOT ABEL (Ireland) / Peggy Franck (Holland) / Oliver Heinzenberger (Germany) / Marie Jeanne Hoffner (France) / Michael McLaughlin (Ireland) / Curated by Michele Horrigan

Founded in 2006, Askeaton Contemporary Arts aims to promote and provide contemporary visual art to the locale of Askeaton Co Limerick. July 2008 will see the third edition of Welcome to the Neighbourhood, an annual programme of invited international and Irish artists resident and working in the town.

By developing community involvement and understanding how art might be produced and experienced in this locality, ACA aims to open up new possibilities of how contemporary art might operate outside a city environment, while concurrently supporting the production of new artists' projects.

Two editions of Welcome to the Neighbourhood have been staged, introducing the work of artists from Sweden, Denmark, Turkey, Germany, Canada, Bulgaria, United Kingdom, Northern Ireland and Ireland to Askeaton. ACA has advocated an experimental approach to the production of artists' projects, furthering an understanding of the possibilities of the project in a very broad cultural sense, and allowing for the development of the festival as a fluid conceptual model rather than as a more traditionally-structured event.

A series of events and talks and tours are scheduled during Welcome to the Neighbourhood, culminating with a reception for the artists on Friday, July 25, at 8pm at the Civic Trust. On Saturday, July 26, a daylong series of talks, tours and artists' project will be presented throughout Askeaton, and at Limerick City Gallery of Art. Also, other conversations and discussions will occur, as artists and artworks are infused into daily life in Askeaton town.

Askeaton Contemporary Arts is kindly supported by the Arts Council, Askeaton Civic Trust, Shannon Development, Limerick County Council, Limerick City Gallery of Art, and many local businesses and individuals. Further details, festival brochure and accommodation arrangements from Michele Horrigan on 087 297 7179, or askeatonarts@yahoo.ie