Susan Tiger exhibition throughout March
Throughout the month of March, Ballina Arts Centre will host The Shape of Things, an exhibition of work by Mayo-based artist Susan Tiger. Susan Tiger’s work comprises drawings consisting mainly of acrylic paint and graphite on paper. These intimate drawings of various objects, which recount the artist’s personal experiences and memories, are simple, yet meaningful. The images work together with their poetic titles to form an evocative narrative. Images appear to float on the white sheets of paper and instil a sense of quietude as the viewer encounters each of these works.
Susan Tiger was born and raised in Philadelphia. In 1998 she moved to Ireland where she now lives with her husband and daughter. Recent exhibitions include Singing the Real, contemporary art from Ireland at the Iziko South African National Gallery in Cape Town, South Africa, The Square Root of Drawing at the Temple Bar Gallery and Studios in Dublin, and some painting at Galerie Paul Andriesse, Amsterdam, Netherlands. The Shape of Things will be officially opened by The Irish Times art critic Aidan Dunne on Friday March 5 at 8pm.
Broken Embraces next screening for the film club
Ballina Film Club’s spring programme continues to embrace the very best in world cinema on Tuesday March 9, at 8pm, with Broken Embraces, at Ballina Arts Centre. Spanish auteur Pedro Almodóvar’s film centres on a four-way tale of dangerous love, and was shot in the style of a hard-boiled 1950s American film noir. However, it is filmed in bright colour, as most of Almodovar's films are, rather than black-and-white. The cast includes many Almodóvar regulars such as Ángela Molina, Lola Dueñas, and Penélope Cruz (her fourth film with the director ).
Mateo Blanco (Llius Homar ), a writer whose pseudonym is Harry Caine, is involved in a brutal car crash on the island of Lanzarote. In the accident, he didn’t lose only his sight, he also lost Lena, the love of his life. Fourteen years later, he lives his life as Harry Caine, and survives thanks to the scripts he writes and the help he gets from his faithful former production manager, Judit García (Blanca Portillo ), and her son Diego (Tamar Novas ). One night Diego has an accident and Harry takes care of him (when his mother is out of town ). During the first nights of his convalescence, Diego asks him about his time as Mateo Blanco.
Harry finds that he can’t refuse and he tells Diego what happened 14 years before with the idea of entertaining him. Part of the main storyline is told in flashback as Harry narrates a tragic tale of fate, jealousy, abuse of power, betrayal, and guilt. Almodóvar’s regular muse Penelope Cruz steals the show as Harry’s lost lover Lena. Admission is €7 and seasonal membership rates are available.
Drawing workshops for children at Ballina Arts Centre
For three Saturdays from March 13 to 27, Ballina Arts Centre will present a series of drawing workshops for children. This workshop will take a highly creative and imaginative approach to drawing, and will take as its starting point The Shape of Things, Susan Tiger’s exhibition in the gallery throughout March. Artist Noel Hanley will lead the participating children through a variety of approaches to drawing. Materials will be provided. The course will run from 10.30am to 12.30pm for five to seven-year-olds and from 1.30pm to 3.30pm for eight to 10-year-olds. The cost of the courses is €30 for the three sessions and pre-booking for all workshops is essential.
