An interesting and eclectic mix of landscapes produced by a number of Irish artists, alongside an intensely personal individual exhibition by Richard Skelton, is presented by the Douglas Hyde ############## in their current show. The two exhibition suites offer contrasting aesthetic experiences but are united under the themes of landscape andÂ*liminality. ############## 1 showcases 16 pieces under the title of Interlude that are described by the exhibition curator John Hutchinson as a loose, ‘informal gathering’ of works. On a surface level, they represent an amalgam of contemporary artist's experimentation with the genre of landscape. A range of media and styles are offered, from the rich impasto oil paint of Nick Miller's <a href="http://www.monclerjacketscoats2011.com/"><strong>moncler jackets</strong></a> Truck view: steel yard and mountain (2011) to Tony Swain's more subtle work on newsprint, Passive with the Idea (2006). On a deeper, darker level Interlude reflects a prevailing human preoccupation with trying to understand natural phenomena and mankind's place within the Universe. The accompanying guide to the exhibition includes an interesting article entitled ‘The Nature of Landscapes' by Hutchinson himself, which expands upon this idea. It traces the development of landscape as a genre and reflects upon how its different forms of expression reveal the social beliefs and concerns of the various societies who produce it – from the picturesque to the sublime, the romantic to abstract landscapes. In a foreboding tone Hutchinson refers to Bill McKibben's The End of Nature (1989) presenting a contemporary school of thought concerning issues of sustainability, and whether or not we have abused nature to the point of no return. Stephen McKenna's Lighthouse in Mist (1999)Â*is an interesting case in point. Here the natural light emanating from the sunset contends with the light projected by the lighthouse; the landscape is not wild, it has been cultivated; the stocky imposing structure of the lighthouse interrupts an otherwise picturesque horizon line; nature and industry compete. Elizabeth Magill's work 30 Seasons (2011) also conveys nature as a confused entity in its title, and layered, almost frenetic execution. Kathy Predergast pushes the concept of landscape and liminality further in Nepal (2011). She adopts a map as her canvas, and questions the notion of place, space and time by obscuring the landscape of Nepal, rendering it instead as an inky night-sky, its various topographical features manipulated into a type of solar system. It is interesting to note that several other <a href="http://www.monclerjacketscoats2011.com/moncler-mens-vest-c-8.html"><strong>moncler vests</strong></a> artists involved in Interlude depict dawn or dusk, conveying effectivelyÂ* a sense of liminality, a point between two places, through nature and the genre of landscape. LandingsÂ*(############## 2) further develops upon these centralÂ*themes. Nature has been reinterpreted and presented to us in a new format; rather than depicting the visual imagery of his native Lancashire and the dramatic West PennineÂ*Moors of Northern England, Skelton devises an alternative exhibition space comprised of three main features.Â*Part 1:Â*Landings, the book,Â*includes poems and diary extracts in which he reflects on his natural surrounds. Part 2:Â*Landings, the accompanying album, may be listened to on headsets provided by the Douglas Hyde. Tracks range inÂ*tone fromÂ*lighthearted to darker more enchanting pieces. Inspiration has clearly been derived from nature, in factÂ*SkeltonÂ*has been known to use natural paraphernalia in composing his music, for example substitutingÂ*twigs for a plectrum when playingÂ*the guitar.Â*Part 3:Â*Landings, a series of visual representations of statistical matter related to the landscape and its inhabitants is provided in graphic form. A seriesÂ*of concentric circles for example traceÂ*linguistic patterns thatÂ*occurred in the local dialect in the 18th century, whilst another piece records a register of births and deaths in the region.Â*Skelton’s workÂ*has been described as type of dialogue with theÂ*landscape itself. This innately personal exhibition was supposedly inspired by the premature death of Skelton's late wife Louise. It is no wonder then that his work takes a morbid tone at times. The following extract, entitled and datedÂ* June 18th 2010Â*, demonstrates how Skelton's observations of natureÂ*are expressed in a language that is consistent with the concept of liminality.Â*They also reflect his tendency towards the sublime, and act as an existentialist enquiry of sorts.Â*Landings represents: …an exploration of sonic texture, physical resonance, and landscape… A deeply personal historiography, the book traces ‘a connection with the land <a href="http://www.cheapestuggs2011.com/classic-tall-5802-romantic-flower-p-5775.html"><strong>discounted uggs</strong></a> itself through its hidden narratives of displacement and loss; a solace in the regenerative cycles of nature,' as twined by memoirs of his personal grieving and music-making processes.
http://www.frieze.com/issue/article/landings/ Landings, Richard Skelton (Type, 2010) by Jace Clayton TheÂ*Landings texts may be accessedÂ* here andÂ* many of the tracks from the album can be found on YouTubeÂ*under Skelton’s various pseudonyms (Riftmusic, A Broken Consort, Clouwbeck). Yet perhaps a visit to the Douglas Hyde would be the best way of ascertaining how the landscape genre has been interpreted by this eclectic bunch of contemporary artists, and how this reflects on our society, and our relationship with nature and the wider world. The exhibition runs until August 29th and is well worth a visit. Tagged as: Douglas Hyde, Landings, Landscape, Liminal, Richard Skelton
'Interlude' (Aspects of Irish landscape painting) and 'Landings' by ...
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