Finally, the Invisible Barriers: Moving Images publication was launched last night, hosted at the beautiful offices of the Department of Foreign Affairs in Belfast. And it did not disappoint. Really beautifully done.
It was great to see some of the people that were part of the project, especially Golden Thread Gallery’s wonderful Ruth Graham who worked so hard and was a great support to me.
Copies available at Golden Thread Gallery, Belfast.
On 9, 10, 11 November 2015, the five films I’ve been making for Draw Down the Walls Invisible Barriers: Moving Images project are being screened as part of the Invisible Barriers: Moving Images Film Festival, presented by Golden Thread Gallery and Belfast Film Festival in unique locations in Belfast, including Harbour Commissioners Office, Hill view Retail Park and Belfast Castle Grounds.
They are part of 5 triple-bills each including a mainstream feature film and a moving-image artwork. Artworks screened were When Faith Moves Mountains by Francis Alÿs, In the Same City, Under the Same Sky by Anna Konik, Battle of Orgreave by Jeemy Deller, History Zero by Stefanos Tsivenopoulos and The Other North by Jesse Presley Jones.
You can get tickets via Belfast Film Festival.
I submitted six of my photographs of last July’s collaboration with the dancer Paula Gizzanti to Belfast Photo Festival competition.
It was a total delight today to work with a fantastic dancer on a new body of work. Photography, moving image and dance, one of those times when everything goes so smoothly and magic happens! I’m very excited! Can’t wait to start working on the images I produced today and see how things develop.
It’s been an extraordinary couple of weeks. I’ve had 5 meetings in the Northern Ireland Parliament Buildings already! I’ve been presenting the Tapestry of Colours Education Programme to representatives of various Committees at NI Assembly and other MLAs and there are more to be arranged as they want me to present to their Committees and others interested people who could help make it accessible to young people.
As a non-political creature, I can’t help finding myself having all these very positive meetings about my work with politicians, somewhat amusing! I have been pleasantly surprised by how genuine some of them are.
I had to laugh today, thinking of myself sitting between the leader of one of the main political parties here and another official, while showing them my presentation on my laptop, and telling them ‘let’s cozy up’ so they can see better! And they tell me we have 30 minutes, and I leave shaking hands after an hour! And this was one of the shorter ones!
Sometimes, you only get one chance in life to be who you are and give it all you have.
Amazingly positive responses last week from Patricia Lewsely, the NI Children and Young People’s Commissioner, and the representative from the DEL Minister Dr. Farry to the Tapestry of Colours Education Programme.
And today by Deputy Chairperson of the NI Assembly Education Committee. Let’s see if they can make things happen….
Really excited about the 3 launch events planned next month. The wonderful guys at the Creative Learning Centres have been so supportive and I’m delighted to have the launches at the centres.
• 2 May, 1:30 – 3:30pm, AmmA Centre, Markethouse, Armagh
• 7 May, 1:30 – 3:30pm, Belfast Nerve, Ulidia Resource Centre, Somerset Street, Belfast
• 9 May, 11:00 -1:00pm, Nerve Centre, 7-8 Magazine St, Derry~Londonderry
Download the interactive invitation here for details.
After 17 months of blood, seat and tears, it’s finally ready! We had an amazing introduction and training day today for the teachers delivering the pilot educational programme in the next few months.
I am absolutely bowled over with the reactions! Incredibly positive feedback and the teachers fired up to deliver the programme.
Things have entered a new phase…
Very happy to have the 2nd US screening of Tapestry of Colours, on Saturday 7 December 2013, in the Capital Irish Film Festival in Washington DC at Goethe Institut
After a year of working on this, I am absolutely delighted to finally be able to start developing the Tapestry of Colours Online Educational Resource, thanks to DCAL and Northern Ireland Screen. Got an amazing team in place.
And we’ll have a pilot programme with a number of schools and youth groups before launching it in Spring/Summer 2014.