Sara Greavu & Philip Hession
10 April – 12 May 2012
Opening Night 10 April 2012 6pm – 8pm
Live performance: 10th April 2012 @ 7pm sharp
– Abby Oliveire from Poetry Chicks, Derry will perform a original, commissioned Titanic Toast on the opening night.
If Northern Ireland is known predominantly for “The Troubles”, the Titanic disaster comes a close second. In 1912 Harland and Wolff’s superlative shipyard had made Belfast the natural choice to build the largest passenger ship ever built, but the beauty and triumph of engineering that was the Titanic will forever be overshadowed by the ship’s collision with an iceberg and the resulting death of over 1500 passengers.
For recent generations, James Cameron’s 1997 film Titanic is the prevalent version of the story, so the works featured in the exhibition Titanic Toast aim to explore alternative narratives surrounding it and the question of how we remember. Philip Hession’s practice explores the oral traditions of song and storytelling. In March 2012 Philip Hession spent eight nights on board a trans-Atlantic cruise liner. During this time Hession observed and documented all that occurred on board. In Sing along, If you can, the video work that resulted from this voyage, he aims to question the motives for passengers to join such a cruise and to provide a study of modern day cruise life and the transient community that exists on board.
The process of storytelling and the alternate versions of this are highlighted in Sara Greavu’s selection of works. One aspect of this is the “Toast” from the exhibition’s title, an African-American narrative tradition similar to rap where heroic events are narrated in an elaborate and lively manner. Shine and the Titanic remains a popular Toast, telling the story of Shine, a stoker on board the Titanic who foretold the disaster, but was repeatedly ignored. Greavu’s work includes a video piece featuring Abby Oliviera delivering a version of the Titanic Toast, a large-scale wall painting of dazzle camouflage and a selection of photographs.
Thursday Talks – Sara Greavu and Philip Hession
1pm – 2pm
26th April 2012 – Sara Greavu in conversation. Greavu will discuss her practice and the approach to her work. She explores the ways artist use collaboration and research when developing new work.
3rd May 2012 – Philip Hession discusses his new work Sing along, If you can, with an insight in to the processes he chooses to use when making work.
All talks are free and tea and coffee will be provided, places are limited so please RSVP to book your place to info@gtgallery.co.uk. All Welcome.
The gallery is happy to accommodate groups and offers guided gallery tours free of charge.
Please contact the gallery at least one week in advance if you wish to make a booking.
http://www.culturenorthernireland.org/article.aspx?art_id=4896