Galway 2020 invites Galwegians to embark ‘On a Voyage’ and witness the epic, heroic and extraordinary journey of a life-size paper boat setting sail across Galway Bay this weekend. This astonishing spectacle coincides with Sea Fest 2016, Ireland’s national maritime festival, taking place this year at Galway Harbour from today Thursday June 30 to Sunday July 3.
One of four flagship programmes from Galway 2020, ‘An Artist in Every Place’, in partnership with UZ Arts and TULCA Festival of Visual Arts, is proud to present ‘On a Voyage’. created by German artist Frank Bôlter.
‘On a Voyage’ captures the childhood dream of using the simplest of means, such as a sheet of paper, to unleash the imagination and create a vehicle to sail into the unlimited realms of fantasy.
The creative and whimsical ‘On a Voyage’ will see in-situ artist Frank Bôlter collaborate with members of Kinvara Sailing Club to build the extraordinary vessel, constructed from giant sheets of paper using traditional origami techniques. The paper boat will embark on its voyage from Kinvara Pier at 5pm tomorrow Friday July 1; it will make its journey across Galway, where it will meet a flotilla of Galway hookers on Saturday July 2 at 4pm and they will escort Bôlter’s stunning creation into Galway Harbour.
Frank has travelled the world with his creative projects and installations, and has sailed his paper creations on the Thames in London, Germany and various other destinations across Europe, and further afield in Sri Lanka. A graduate of Germany’s prestigious Münster Academy of Art, Bôlter’s projects are distinguished by their powerful poetic imagery.
His creations and installations are based on the effort to communicate with the public, leaving the traditional definitions of object and practice behind to expand his installations into the realm of the performative. Bôlter’s expedition across Galway promises to be a visual spectacle which will captivate the audience while capturing the creative spirit and uniqueness of Galway 2020’s bid for the title of European Capital of Culture 2020.
Frank is an IN-SITU Network Artist — IN-SITU is a European network for artistic creation in public space. To date, IN SITU has supported over 150 European artists. It gathers 21 partners from 14 countries from as many practical and aesthetic backgrounds which all contribute something vital to the network.
Whether members come from a sprawling metropolis or a rural area, whether they are seeking to rehabilitate industrial wasteland or redesign landscapes, the goal is always to serve artists working with, in and for public space.
‘An Artist in Every Place’, one of four flagship programmes within the Galway 2020 bid, created in partnership with UZ Arts and TULCA Festival of Visual Arts is based on the ambition to have artists living and working in every part of our community, co-creating projects with members of the public and the surrounding landscape. Neil Butler of UZ Arts is the lead cultural producer for the project, which presents the unique opportunity for artists to develop interesting, new and sustainable practices in Galway and across Europe, encouraging huge levels of citizen engagement with artists and the development of a creative movement across Galway’s community.
Join Galway 2020 in connecting and collaborating at this special celebration, building on the unique events that showcase Galway’s unique and distinctive personality. Let’s prove that Galway, the cultural heart of Ireland can bring home the European 2020 Capital of Culture title. For more information please visit www.galway2020.ie To learn more about An Artist in Every Place please email [email protected]
Neil Butler of UZ Arts is the lead cultural producer of Galway 2020’s ‘An Artist in Every Place’ project working in collaboration with TULCA Festival of Visual Arts. Neil has worked as an artist, producer and director creating his own work but also commissioning and producing the work of others through programmes, festivals and events. He was the Festival Director of Street Biz, Shine On Glasgow, Glasgow’s Hogmanay, Big in Falkirk and the Merchant City Festival. He founded the Zap Club in Brighton, UZ Events in Glasgow and the Sura Medura International Artist Residency Centre in Sri Lanka.
UZ Arts as an organisation, create, commission, produce, programme and tour work across art forms and borders, supporting every part of the process of making and distributing art. UZ Arts believe in the potential of individuals and communities to inspire artists and create art, and collaborating with the public is an integral part of our day-to-day work. Internationally, as the UK representative of the IN SITU network, UZ Arts commissions, produces and tours art in public spaces across Europe.
Recent projects include Mischief Las Bas’ “The Zoo” and Sumit Sarkar’s “Engine Tuning”. They also have strong connections with Sri Lanka, where they run an arts residency centre, Sura Medura, and where Artistic Director, Neil Butler, is Director of the Colombo Biennale.
