Luan Gallery will host a reception on Friday, April 12, at 6pm, to announce the opening of their spring exhibition, ‘Other Dimensions’, featuring installation art by multi-disciplinary artists Fiona Mulholland, Laura Angell and Paul Bokslag. The work of these three artists will then remain on display until June 9.
‘Other Dimensions’ opens our eyes to the constant growth in contemporary art as Paul, Fiona and Laura demonstrate the innovative ways in which artists construct artwork through unconventional materials. Observe the textile artist the graphic designer and the sculptor expand their socially engaged practice to include site-specific installations with wool and mixed media, paper cut installations and configurations made from mass-produced materials.
Speaking prior to the opening launch, curator Katriona Gillespie explained the theme of the forthcoming exhibition.
“Fiona, Laura and Paul take us on a journey to an unexplored world where we begin to question the reality of our surroundings. The atmosphere of each gallery space is dramatically transformed as the exhibited art work takes on a life of its own. As we walk through this exhibition we experience moments of clarity and joy as the art work takes us into another dimension,” Katriona remarked.
Paul takes advantage of the unique features of the library gallery as he hangs cut out formations of paper near the panel windows to create an ever-changing light pattern that dances around the gallery space. Fiona and Laura use their art to communicate the issues of stress, mental health and anxieties caused by social expectations in today’s society. Their work shows us the coping strategies they use to deal with their anxieties in the hopes that the viewer may gain a sense of clarity as they walk through the artistic realms.
Fiona uses fluorescent lights and reflective surfaces to create a space between the imagination and reality, a place to explore the paradoxes of the human mind as they escape the constant demand of a restless society, while Laura’s wool and mixed media installations question the level of importance we place on the opinions of others. How important is it that people ‘like’ our status on Facebook and why is it so important for our peers to see us as successful?
Laura’s knitted ornaments compare the social anxieties of today’s society to former times when people placed embellished ornaments around their homes in order to create a false sense of success, a different era, the same anxiety. Laura attempts to alter the association we have with ornaments as a symbol of wealth. By using flamboyant colours and homely material she creates ornaments that portray a spirited personality.
The exhibition will be officially launched by critical writer, Joanne Laws, on Friday, April 12 at 6pm, followed by a wine reception. Joanne is a featured editor of the Visual Artists News Sheet and manages the VAI Artists Publication Archive. She is an arts writer whom regularly contributes to a range of Irish international publications, including Art Monthly and Frieze.
The exhibition will run at the riverside location until June 9. Luan Gallery is open Tuesday – Saturday 11.00 – 17.00 and Sundays 12.00 – 17.00. Admittance to Luan Gallery is free of cost and guided tours are available to all at no cost.
