If you were bowled over by the Mirror Pavilion of 2020 and 2021, then prepare to be wowed by the latest from the inspirational John Gerard. His Flare [Oceania] 2022 will be unveiled on the Galway Docks this July as part of Galway International Arts Festival 2022 This exciting new work represents an ecology in hyper distress and a world faced with the existential threat of rising seas.
One of the highlights of Galway International Arts Festival 2020 and 2021 was without a doubt the extraordinary artwork Mirror Pavilion by John Gerrard. The first part of this mesmerizing work, Mirror Pavilion, Corn Work, was experienced by over 120,000 people in Autumn 2020 at the Claddagh in Galway City and the second part Mirror Pavilion, Leaf Work (Derrigimlagh ) 2020 was unveiled to great acclaim as part of GIAF 2021 on Derrigimlagh Bog.
Galway International Arts Festival welcome John Gerrard back this July with a stunning new work Flare [Oceania] 2022. Paul Fahy, GIAF Artistic Director, commented ‘It is wonderful to work with John Gerrard once again. Flare is an extraordinarily powerful work and an important call to action to society and what we all need to do to address climate change. This stunning simulation, which hovers between a gas flare and a national flag on the ocean, is a potent reminder to us all of our impact on the world.’
Set within a seascape based on photographs taken by activist and artist Uili Lousi of his heating ancestral ocean near Tonga, Gerrard’s new work represents an ecology in hyper distress and a world faced with the existential threat of rising seas.
John Gerrard is considered a pioneer of simulation within contemporary art and internationally acclaimed for his large-scale, site specific art works.
His work features in the collections of MoMA New York, Tate London, San Francisco MoMA, Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Irish Museum of Modern Art among others. Gerrard’s first solo show at the prestigious PACE Gallery opens this month in New York whileMirror Pavilion Leaf Work was recently seen at the Sydney Biennale of Art.
Flare will be shown as a large–scale 7M x 7M LED wall at Galway Docks and streamed live online.
Galway International Arts Festival acknowledges the support of its principal funding agencies, The Arts Council and Fáilte Ireland, Galway City Council, its Education Partner NUI Galway, its Energy Partner Flogas, and Drinks Partner Heineken®.
