The Model

Sligo Volunteer week

The Model would like to say a big thank you to all our volunteers who have given their time freely to the gallery since we reopened in May 2010. One amazing volunteer Elizabeth McGuire travelled from Dublin one day a week to volunteer at The Model. She sent us this message describing her experience at The Model after one year as a volunteer.

‘It has been a huge privilege for me to be allowed to invigilate at The Model for the past year. I got huge enjoyment being in close proximity to outstanding art-work from all over the world and being an invigilator meant I got to study the pieces, instead of just giving them a quick glance. As I have often remarked, The Model and its shows are the best-kept secret in the Irish art-scene. My plan is to come back for visits periodically, and I know I won’t be disappointed.

Give my thanks to all the staff who without exception were very friendly and made me feel most welcome.

Best regards and happiest of memories,
Elizabeth

If you are interested in volunteering at The Model please contact Marian at getinvolved@themodel.ie It would be great to hear from you.

+ Share This

A blog from our new Visual Intern Mariel

The Model offers a great experience for international students who want to do an internship abroad in this amazing venue for cultural events and contemporary art.

I moved to Sligo four weeks ago to do an internship at the Model. I am from Mexico but the last year I had been living in Sweden where I am studying a Master in International Museum Studies and its been really nice to be here.

For the next months I will be working as the Visual intern helping to organize forthcoming exhibitions and doing research of the Niland Collection that includes art works by Jack B. Yeats, Maeve De Markievicz, Paul Henry, Sean Keating, Louis Le Brocquy and many other important irish artists.

What I like the most so far is that the people who work here are very friendly and dedicated to their work; they are creative and enthusiastic about the new events that as a team work they have been planning for months.

I am sure that I will learn a lot about the management of exhibitions and the institution itself but also about the irish culture in Sligo and the people who live here.

During these days I have had the opportunity to talk to the visitors who show a lot of interest in the Model and they are always expecting new exciting things to come. This is a great motivation for me because the public is the one who see the final results translated in an exhibition, music and film events, or an eduaction programme.

Few cities have an Arts centre like the Model in Sligo, with such a big building, theatre, artists studios and several galleries. I am very excited to keep working in every project that comes out and I look forward to tell you more about my experiences in Sligeach and the Model.

+ Share This

Internship: Education Department at The Model, Sligo

The Education Department at The Model is looking for an intern with a strong interest in youth arts in the digital age. This is a unique opportunity to work with one of Ireland’s leading arts education programmes for young people in a contemporary art context.

The successful candidate will be working closely with Young Model and the gallery team to devise information for the public on the interpretation of the Young Model exhibition opening in the Niland Gallery at The Model in Spring 2012. An important feature of this brief will be to create on-line education resources for the gallery, the design of this material and all print work related to the exhibition. This work will be carried out under the guidance of The Model team.

The intern will learn all of the details implicit in making a project run successfully, from conception to realisation, and working collaboratively with a skilled creative team to help create and build new ways for audiences to engage with art.

Strong research skills are essential. The intern will be involved with various aspects of the department programs, under the guidance of the curatorial staff. The intern will also assist with the technology needs across the education department. The intern may be requested to be available to work on public programs at weekends.

Autumn and spring internships require a minimum commitment of two days per week. These internships are offered during the college year, coinciding with the autumn and spring semesters.

This is an unpaid internship. To apply please email info@themodel.ie

Duration: Oct/Dec 2011 and Jan/Apr 2012.

+ Share This

Young model created a mural with artist Etienne Zack.

Two weekends ago The Model experienced a bit of a makeover. Outside at the front entrance there used to be a cracked white painted hoarding which was quite ugly and sad to look at, it was the first thing you saw when coming in the new Connaughton road entrance.

Over the Friday and Saturday young model youth programme at The Model which includes myself were working under the guidance and help of the artists Etienne Zack and Andy Parsons. It was a great experience and loads of fun. It was really cool to work with these two artists and it is amazing what a few people can achieve with just four colours of paint, some brushes and masking tape. It was a great two days working with interesting people and doing something fun. It was brilliant of The Model to organize this for us and to work along side Etienne and Andy.

Hopefully people will appreciate what we have done in adding a little splash of colour to an old hoarding, with a bit will you can make something nice out of something ugly. You can check out more images of our mural here

Oísin Feely
Young model member

+ Share This

Internships (Curatorial, Education, Youth Programme Marketing, Film, Music & Admin)

Internships are available at The Model for 2012.

Located in Sligo, on Ireland’s west coast, The Model is distinctive internationally as a multi-disciplinary arts organisation that is led by the contemporary visual arts. As a hub for art and culture, The Model also houses a major art collection of national importance, produces an innovative contemporary music programme, and hosts a significant film programme – all of which are explored through an integrated Education programme. The Model is renowned internationally for its standards of excellence.

The Model takes an integrated approach to programming, with a strong focus on contemporary culture and relevant global currencies mediated inclusively to diverse audiences. The Model is has completed a major redevelopment that has seen its operations and programme expand by over one third.

The Model is currently seeking Interns for its visual art, education, marketing and music programmes, as well as for administrative and executive support. Internships will support (a) Model contemporary art programming, collection programming and development, Model projects, and The Model studios programme in forms of administrative support, hands-on experience with exhibition production and artist support, and research, writing and scholarship that overlaps with candidates’ areas of research; (b) Model Education programming, including working with children, youth and supporting film, education and outreach programming, © Model Marketing, especially digital and online marketing support and public communications, (d) Model music programming, especially artists, event and gig support for experimental and cutting edge events, (e) Model Administrative support, including assistance to the Director and Deputy Director.

Internships are available for three, six and twelve month durations.

Graduate student interns may gain credits from their institutions as part of their role in The Model’s programme.

Application Criteria:

• Demonstrable experience in related field (ie. art history, curatorial practice, contemporary arts, music, marketing etc)
• Experience with cultural institution administration or independent programming is an asset
• Graduate students in related fields (Art History, Curatorial, Music, Marketing or Education), are especially encouraged to apply
• Fluency in English is a must.

Applications in writing to reception@themodel.ie should include a CV, letter of interest (including an outline of scholarly interest, if relevant and specifying which form of internship is preferred), ideal dates, and a letter of support by a mentor or supervisor. Additional materials in the form of published/unpublished writing or project documentation may be sent to support applications. Final post-marked date for materials is October 14th, 2011.
Interviews will take place in October 2011 and placements will commence in January 2012.

Full applications or additional documentation may also be sent via post to:

Internships
The Model
The Mall
Sligo
Ireland

Unless requested, materials will not be returned to senders. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

THE MODEL

The Model’s artistic aims are guided by the following principles:

• To address contemporary culture through the main areas of visual art, music, and film
• To generate nationally and internationally significant cultural programming
• To generate and curate a specific and distinctive Model programme and to direct the Model’s resources to this primary aim.
• To expand The Model’s role in housing experimental media, including video and film, and in finding innovative cross-over between visual art, literature, philosophy, critical studies, film, and other forms of artistic production and cultural inquiry
• To make the Niland Collection, one of the most significant collections in Ireland, more accessible to a general and specialist audience and to ensure it’s continued growth
• To encourage and facilitate new audiences and to make all The Model’s programmes accessible to all audiences through an integrated Education and Access programme that stresses outreach to a variety of marginalized audiences as well as to a general regional and international audience
• To place art practitioners at the core of The Model’s programmes and to develop innovative models of relationships between artists and arts organisations, with specific focus on the artist-in-residence and artist fellowship programme
• To be a central hub for discourse and gatherings around contemporary ideas, including producing forums, symposia and publications that stimulate both discussion and knowledge in the areas of contemporary cultural studies, with a focus on contemporary visual culture, with an international focus on collaboration and dissemination, and an emphasis on regional engagement with these discourses
• To expand these discourses into the spheres of post-secondary education, including becoming a place of international and collaborative scholarship around both contemporary exhibitions and the Niland Collection
• To confront current issues of socio-political urgency and present them accessibly to all audiences; and to steer cultural production and new discourses with the aim of generating, supporting and urging new political and culturally-specific identities
• To contribute to a viable economic and critical creative environment in the North West of Ireland

Redevelopment

The redeveloped building enables The Model to meet its future ambitions through the following developments:

• Increased Gallery space that create a single coherent gallery that links the Niland Galleries and existing Contemporary Galleries and allows for more ambitious, flexible visual arts programming in the future.
• A purpose built performance space with a high technical specification enabling greater development of the Model’s music and cinema programmes
• Nine purpose built artists studios providing much needed high quality studio space for practicing artists. This includes one residential studio for visiting international artists and a music rehearsal studio.
• Doubled Education facilities allowing for both practical and discussion/seminar work.
• A new ‘destination’ restaurant with a commercial kitchen and capacity for 80 covers.
• Increased facilities for festivals, events and concerts.

+ Share This

Young Model interview Harun Farocki and Diedrich Diederichsen

Just before the opening of Harun Farocki exhibition Recognition and Tracking in July young model interviewed the artist Harun Farocki and Diedrich Diederichsen a music journalist and cultural critic at The Model.

If you are between the ages of 14-20yrs and interested in art, film, music and technology young model is always looking for new members. The young model programme is FREE and is currently running a Young Curators programme. If you are interested in joining you can contact lindahayden@themodel.ie or phone 0719141405 or text 0879397719.

+ Share This

Harun Farocki Film-making Workshop

The Model intends to bring Cannes to Sligo with the help of esteemed film-maker Harun Farocki. Harun shares his valuable knowledge on the art of making a one-shot short film with a cross section of individuals – from art students to truck drivers, in order to help them create there own short films which will be screened at The Model’s film festival this Autumn.

The remit is to film ‘work’, whether paid or unpaid in the context of a post industrial Ireland. It quickly became apparent that the recession and the rural setting were also quite significant factors in determining what was available to film.

Each short film is an examination of the process of film making itself, by limiting each short to 1 to 3 minutes. As an unedited single shot Harun has encouraged us to question what we are doing when we choose to film. Every time we make a decision to edit, zoom in or pan across a scene we add our own kind of narrative to the short. So we learned to question the effect on meaning of every action we make as we shoot. By limiting our use of such techniques Harun has encouraged us to consider the ‘gaze’ and the effect that it has on the viewer.

Harun enjoyed working locally and says he has learned far more about Irish society and culture through this process then would be possible otherwise. The humanity and integrity of these pieces need to be seen to be believed. Who would have thought a rubbish dump could be so moving or the cleaning out of a bird cage in a pet shop so intriguing.

The finished films will be screened a the Model Cinema soon, we will keep you posted.

+ Share This

Young Model interview Patrick Hall

Young Model interviewed Patrick Hall in their old studio Wolf on Arm in 2010. Patrick is the sixth artist in the Niland Collection interviewed by young model. With Boris Groys and Duncan Campbell still to come next month and with a number of artists lined up over the summer The Interview project is still very busy.

This summer young model are also busy with their Young Curators project and today they are getting an introduction to the Model’s recording studio. If you or someone you know are interested get in touch lindahayden@themodel.ie or 0719141405 This project is for 14-20yrs and it is FREE.

+ Share This

Young Model interview artist Ronnie Hughes

Young model are back with an interview from the artist Ronnie Hughes. Over the last two years young model has interviewed a number of artists from The Niland Collection. This involved young model traveling around Ireland to interview them in their studios.

Young Model have also interviewed artists from The Model’s contemporary exhibitions including artist Seamus Nolan who talks about his practice and the Trades Club Revival in Sligo.

Young Model have also interviewed a number of the artist collectives who were part of the reopening exhibition DORM at The Model May last year.

Young Model devised all the questions, filmed and edited all the interviews. The artists they have interviewed to date are Séan McSweeney, Barrie Cooke, Patrick Hall, Nick Miller, Dorothy Cross, Ronnie Hughes, Séamus Nolan, Mark Garry, Paul Butler , Swintak, BGL, Freee, Fastwurms, RAQS Media Collective, Stephen Brandes and Jacki Irvine, Boris Groys and Duncan Campbell will be coming your way soon.

+ Share This

The Outsider Interviews

We’re finally getting round to posting some of the wonderful content we have added to our Jack B. Yeats’ archive from the opening weekend of The Outsider exhibition.

On that wonderful opening evening, Brian O’Doherty celebrated artist, curator, critic, and writer had a relaxed talk with writer, curator and Yeats scholar Dr. Hilary Pyle.

Also during the opening weekend our Young Model team interviewed Stella Mew, CEO of the Sligo Yeats Society and Donal Tinney, Sligo County Librarian. These interviews are also part of the exhibition and are displayed in The Outsider archive room.

Young Model interviewed Sligo-based artist Nick Miller at the opening night of The Outsider. What a great five minute interview. Thanks again Nick for supporting Young Model.

+ Share This

Nick Miller interviewed at the Jack B. Yeats exhibition opening The Outsider

To celebrate the opening of Jack B. Yeats: The Outsider , Young Model made a series of recordings. Over the evening they interviewed Brian O’Doherty (aka Patrick Ireland), curator and Yeats scholar Dr. Hilary Pyle, Emer McGarry, Curator of The Niland Collection artists Sean Mc Sweeney and Nick Miller and collector Cormac O Malley.

Over the next couple of months Young Model will upload the interviews once they are edited. Here is a great five minute interview with artist Nick Miller to start the ball rolling.

There is also a great interview Young Model filmed last week of Stella Mew, CEO Sligo Yeats Society and Donal Tinney, Sligo County Librarian. It can be seen as part of The Outsider exhibition in the archive room or here.

Thanks to everyone who gave generously of their time on the night.

Young Model.

+ Share This

Young Model visits Ballymena

Young Model (YM) visit Ballymena and begin their newest project Young Curators

Cast:
Andy: YM facilitator (arty)
Pádraig: Probably the coolest bus driver in the world
Aengus: Cameraman extraordinaire (likes maths)
Oisín: All round technical whiz (Ramones fan)
Colm: Seasoned traveler and artiste
Yasmin + Carolyn: Total messers
Linda: Boss Lady (brings us nice places)

The Scene: It’s 9am on a Monday YM and Co are on the bus; destination Ballymena, Braid The Mid-Antrim Museum. The Cool Wall (taken from the BBC’s Top Gear) is also present, we know this because on sharp corners you can hear it clanking. Everyone is mondo excited about the trip, Linda and Andy have to fight to conceal their excitement. Occasionally Pádraig says something funny.

2.5 hours later the bus stops. The young of Young Model stop chatting to see Andy exit the bus and run away inexplicably. It soon becomes apparent that they are slightly lost. Soon though, back on track, they arrive in Ballymena and enter the Museum.

Everybody is eating sandwiches in the workshop room. They then set up the Cool Wall for use and meet the facilitator of the corresponding group. After discussing the project briefly YM get a tour of the Braid which holds a huge amount of fascinating objects ranging from the early 20th century to modern day and tell the story of the local area throughout two world wars and the troubles.

The group then get a tour of the entire Braid Collection in the climate controlled basement, but they are unfazed by this VIP access as they’re accustomed to seeing behind the scenes at The Model :-) Among the wired and wonderful items are wireless radios, gas masks, flags, tea towels, a cannonball and an assortment of irons.

On the way to the B&B they get slightly lost, Pádraig stops to get directions but nobody he asks seems to speak English. After a bit of guess work we arrive at the B&B and find it extremely pleasant, well decorated and very comfortable. All very impressed. They complimentary mints are a particular favorite, Aengus “They’re chewy inside!!”

45 mins later:
Andy has left to meet with the facilitator of our exchange group. YM head out for dinner. They eat and chat and to everybody’s surprise Colm consumes an entire large pizza in a very short time. They others are very wary for the remainder of the evening in case he explodes. After some deliberation the young of YM decide to nip across to the cinema to watch Inception.

Darkness – 3 hrs later:
Everybody comes out of screen 3, Yasmin and Carolyn break several world records in the sprint to the bathroom. Everyone is quite amazed both at this and the movie.

(Cut to B&B) All retire, make tea, get no sleep.

Next morning:
After a strange mumbling encounter from Carolyn to Linda as she calls them for breakfast they all meet in the breakfast room and have an excellent breakfast. They’re ready to leave within an hour and stumble sleepily into the awaiting bus to travel to Sentry Hill House

On the way they saw a Lama just standing and eating grass in a field. They go back to make sure it’s real. On reaching Sentry Hill House there is a short video presentation and introduction to the story and background of the house which is followed by a guided tour. Basically it is a very well preserved house, with furniture and items of interest, one family has lived in it for centuries, the McKinneys. There is a huge collection of ‘things’ and ‘stuff’ of interest to YM’s latest project Young Curators. After a short look at the gardens and grounds, back on the bus.

(Cut to The Braid) More tea and sandwiches are being consumed. The group start to organise the Cool Wall mostly in terms of themes and are very happy with the result. Linda videos and others narrate the documentation of the wall. During all this everyone is stuffing themselves full of coffee but still struggling to stay awake. YM say their goodbyes, pack up the cool wall and get on the bus for the last time. Now mostly talking absolute solid nonsense the entire way.

Reach Sligo, leave the bits of the cool wall with a nice man in the house next to the Model and head separate ways in to the sunset, asleep on feet and thoroughly happy with the entire trip.

ENDS.

This project is supported by The International Fund for Ireland

+ Share This

Drop in to the Trades Club this weekend

The Trades Club Revival Project kicked off on Friday 10 September at No 2 Castle Street. The opening marked an exciting community-based project which has seen the local community working with one of Ireland’s most promising young artists Seamus Nolan to get the old Trades Club up and running once more.

Visitors are invited to come and see the club functioning as it once did with a comprehensive program of events and social activities taking place in the newly renovated Trades club premises on Castle Street up until Sunday 19th September.

This weekend’s programme:
A small exhibition of documents from the club’s history can be seen daily from 2-6 pm, while evening time sees a diverse range of events taking place.

Fri., 17 September
This evening (Friday) from 7pm Dermot Healy leads a night of readings and music featuring over 20 writers from Inkwell Writer’s Group, Dooneel Writer’s Group and The Glen’s Centre Pig Executive.

Sat., 18 September
2-6pm: Poo promotions present all ages gig between featuring Complaints, Excuses, Hooligan, Setting off sirens, and Monica and the explosions.
9pm: MixMatch, Deep House, Drum ‘n Bass, and Vinyl mix jam.

Sun., 19 September
2-6pm: Craft fair/ Flea Market including guest DJs takes place between 9pm: Lazybird presents, Paul Melia

This exciting series of events marks the beginning of the revival of Sligo Trades Club. It is planned that this vibrant social space will continue to open for selected events on an ongoing basis. People who would like to use the club or to get involved in its management are invited to contact emer.mcgarry@modelart.ie

+ Share This

Dispatches from Belfast

Limepie Theatre group and Touch the Sky meet again but in Belfast this time at the newly re-developed Crescent Arts Centre , University Road.

Here are some comments from participants and members of Touch the Sky Performance Group and Limepie Theatre.

Little did I know that our journey (Limepie’s) to Sligo to participate in a Collage Party with the wonderful Touch-The-Sky group would be a journey into facing underlying issues in my life and coming out the other end healed and free!

As one who lived on both sides, then Nursed people from all sides of our Political Troubles I never realised just how much helplessness, empathy and guilt I felt about the horrendous things I witnessed but could do nothing to change. As we explored devision, difference in the light of the North of Ireland’s Political Troubles inwardly my journey took me from – emotional trauma, realisation to freedom and healing. Who’d a thought eh? God really does move in mysterious ways eh?…:)”

Barbara, Limepie Theatre, Belfast

Touch the Sky’s visit to Belfast was very experiential, enhancing a previously abstract understanding of the troubles. National news became a reality as together Limepie and Touch the Sky ventured through Belfasts’ flashpoints, such as the Shankill and Falls roads. The peace wall proved thought provoking as the group read words from the walls authors, and saw pictoral representations of war and loss, scenes that Touch the Sky had addressed in their drama workshops. The two groups found common ground over the emotions and disbelief the Belfast tour brought to the surface, and these experiences helped feed and focus their participation in the drama workshop that followed. Members of Touch the Sky had the following to say:

It opened my eyes.
Very different than where we are from.
Very interesting experiencing it, normally you see it on the news. You hear about it [peace wall but you don’t see how high it is, how high the wires go. With closing the gates at night you think there is still fear of something happening.
I saw the biggest Celtic Cross on St Patricks church…We put our names on the wall [Peace wall] and I drew a Celtic Cross.
Good experience…Some of the things I touched [at the Peace wall] were very sad.

They were both shocked and intrigued by their visit and drew on what was disturbing to them and also the beauty in what they encountered. While some experienced fear at the thought of the visit, the group have said that they would like to return to Belfast in the future.

Sheena O’Neill, RehabCare

Thanks Lime Pie for a great couple of days.

+ Share This

Circus Aerialist Act Extraordinaire perform at The Model

The Barren Carrousels

Over 150 children turned up at The Model on Sunday to witness Ruby Two Shoes and Mizz Tulip Barren perform a comical theatrical and circus adventure in the new Model Theatre. On a wet and rainy Sunday afternoon it was certainly the place to be, as families were transported by burlesque style comedy and daring aerial trapeze acts.

The Barren Carrousels performed to a full house of children and adults and their slap-stick style of entertainment transported one and all to another era.

The Barren Carrousels are members of The Belfast Community Circus.

The Yeatsian Legacy Project is delivered by Sligo Arts Service, The Model & partners. The project is supported by the PEACE III Programme, managed for the Special EU Programmes Body by Sligo County Council on behalf of Sligo Peace & Reconciliation Partnership Committee. + Share This

Young Model's Dublin Gallery Day

Aengus woke up this morning, ate a banana and a Weetabix and packed something for his lunch. He likes bananas. Linda soon came to get him in her snazzy Smartcar, as Aengus is pathologically unable to be on time. It’s really not his fault.

Arriving at Sligo Train Station, they were soon met by Andy and Carolyn to get the 9am train to Dublin; a research trip for the Young Model Delia boarded at Boyle and Aengus proudly (but modestly) displayed his banana holster. The others were suitably impressed by his practicality and ingenuity.

In the spirit of the moment, Delia reached under the table and pulled off one of her shoes. She explained to us how she had sat up all night carefully stitching the sole back onto the shoe and in the process stabbing herself in leg. She then put her shoe back under the table and never saw it again.

As we approached Connolly Station Delia, feeling a tingle in her toes, realised much to her annoyance that her shoe was missing and quickly alerted the authorities. Although they searched high and low the shoe was nowhere to be found.Everyone was very nice about it and the man sitting opposite us even commented on how nice her shoes were and how he thought they were Gucci.

Carolyn generously lent Delia a pair of socks due to the lack of a second shoe and Linda pulled out a spare pair of shoes, which she had conveniently packed that morning.

Carolyn and the gang then stood at the Luas station while Linda and Andy bought tickets. Carolyn commented on how lovely the man on the train was. The plot requires that we hurry the story on a little so cutting forward a minute or 20…Carolyn has arrived at IMMA , The Irish Museum of Modern Art with the rest of the group in tow. Aengus requested some ‘jazzy’ exclamation marks, so here they are!!!!!! (even though Aoife will kill us for putting them in!!)

Aengus also entered the IMMA courtyard with mild fascination, as the building was a hospital in a previous life. Also he and the others were going to meet the sixth of their party, Colm who had traveled from Cork that morning to join us. Aengus discovered that Colm was from Waterford and numerous other facts concerning his life and cross-country devotion to art.

Carlos Garaicoa

They all entered the Irish Museum of Modern Art and proceeded to view the galleries. Aengus enjoyed the experience immensely taking in many exhibits, sculptures made from books by Carlos Garaicoa , Ferran Garcia Sevilla who dabbles in colourful circles, arrows, hands and feet, and some amazing drawing by Patrick Hall which were part of the Recent Acquisitions to the IMMA Collection . (YM interviewed Patrick a while ago and we’ll have his interview online soon)

Patrick Hall

Next on the agenda was a trip to The Project Arts Centre to see the KING RAT exhibition. Colm knew his way through Temple Bar like a fish in water and he and the others were soon entering the building.

The exhibit’s room was entirely covered in several layers of slippery black paper on which you would traverse to see the pieces; which included a tapestry of smoke (go figure), some strange geometrical shapes interspersed with shadowy faces, several sculptures of shiny dripping blackness – worth a look – and other tapestries and works on canvas. Colm was impressed by this exhibition, although some of the ideas were a little abstract for him to figure out. Carolyn, Delia and Aengus concurred.

After this Carolyn traipsed through the wet streets with the gang to arrive at the Exchange Dublin where we were met by Stephen, he told us about the exhibitions they’ve had, the ones they were having now, and future events. Today, Tuesday is Milk and Cookies night At 6:30 p.m. People would arrive and stories would be told. An acting troupe, who may or may not have been from Edinburgh, will be performing during the week and an exhibition from the photography festival was coming down. Carolyn saw saw many couches, a large amount of baked goods and a lot of tea. It seemed like a really great place for fun things to happen.

Exchange Dublin image from H.U.G.S.?Human Utopian Generation System

Delia was eager to get somewhere indoors after they left the Exchange. It was raining heavily and a little nippy so Linda and Andy left the kiddies to their own devices. (Delia detests being referred to in the diminutive, she’s touchy about her height).

The young of the Young Model traipsed to HMV for some relief from the rain; Colm and Aengus bought metal and jazz CDs respectively and for Delia some headphones. They then commenced the long and confusing walk back to the train station as there was not a Luas to be seen. The train back was consumed with listening to the Tommy and Hector podcast, inventing a Young Model app for iPhone, reading, bidding Delia farewell as she hobbled off shoeless into the sunset, and writing this blog.

As the train slowly whispered through the pancake flat fields of the Midlands and onwards towards Sligo, the Pirates at the other end of the coach grunted to themselves and twitched happily in their sleep. The ghost of Delia’s shoe crooned softly in the corner and the bogger announcement informed us; “beimid isteach i Muillean Cearr!”

+ Share This

Young Model interviews FASTWURMS and Factotum

This is our last interview in the DORM series. With DORM closing this Sunday young model would like to offer you an insight into another two collectives, FASTWÃœRMS and Factotum who are two fascinating collectives with some very humorous members….

FASTWÃœRMS

Factotum

Young Model would like to take this opportunity to thank all the collectives who gave very generously of their time just before Dorm opened on May 1st. Young Model had a great time meeting such a varied and knowledgeable group and I feel this opportunity has shown us all that there are no limits to what art can be, and that it doesn’t always need to be too serious.

Young Model will be interviewing artist and legend Brian O’Doherty this month. Imagine!!

+ Share This

Touch the Sky Sligo meet Lime Pie Belfast

Touch the Sky performance group came together four years ago when The Model and Rehabcare Sligo began working together.With a number of performances under their belt including The Cairde Festival 2009 the company members are committed to developing their skills and capabilities to the level where they can challenge public perception.

Touch the Sky invited Limepie Theater group to participate in a collage party in April. Limepie are a deaf artist initiative established in 2009.They are an independent emerging group of artists based in Belfast.Limepie were invited to participate in a series of collage parties in 2010, which will all be mediated through a BSL, British Sign Language interpreter.The process of working through sign language is a new departure for Touch The Sky.

Declan Drohan, Artistic Director TTS describes how their day unfolded.

This six minute montage captures a first encounter between Limepie Theater group and Touch the Sky Performance Group.From a facilitator’s perspective, there is a wonderful and productive tension between Limepie’s wildly expressive, emotive, physical style and Touch the Sky’s more narrative focused, ensemble approach.

Here, both collectives explore their experience and understanding of the history of the Northern Ireland conflict through the creation of a fairy tale, ‘UR’ narrative of a divided community and the monster that lurks behind the wall.

This workshop and the wider project from which it springs, seeks to explore abstract and concrete readings of the issues of division, risk taking, skill sharing, and difference.

The footage reveals a group of fearless individuals totally committed to and serving the process that we describe as… Crossing The Line.

Declan Drohan

This project is funded by EU Peace III Programme Sligo

+ Share This

Young Model interview BGL and Freee

We have another two great artist interviews by Young Model. Before the opening of DORM young model got a chance to interview the artist collective BGL whilst they were installing their work at the Model. Jasmin Bilodeau, Sébastien Giguère (absent from interview) and Nicolas Laverdière are based in Quebec City, Canada.

BGL

Mel from Freee was also around to give young model some of her time.

Freee

Later this week FASTWÃœRMS and Factotum

+ Share This

Young Model interview RAQS Media Collective

We are on a roll. Below young model interview RAQS Media Collective assistant Amitabh during the installation of DORM last April. Amitabh talks about their work, inspiration, Delhi, the re-developed Model and his favorite music. Next week interviews from FREEE and FASTWÃœRMS

Young Model interview RAQS Media Collective from The Model, Sligo on Vimeo.

+ Share This

Young Model interview Seamus Nolan

This is the second of Young Model’s artists interviews. As you may know over the last year Young Model interviewed a number of artists from the Niland Collection and from the Model’s contemporary programme. Young Model traveled around Ireland to interview the artists in their studios with some interviews talking place in their offsite studio Wolf on Arm 2009.

Interviews from artist Nick Miller and RAQS Media Collective from India who are part of the DORM exhibition will be on line later this month.

Below Séamus Nolan talks about his work on the Trades Club project here in Sligo.

Young Model devised all the questions they also filmed and edited all the interviews that will be coming your way over the next few months.

Artists they have interviewed to date are Séan McSweeney, Barrie Cooke, Patrick Hall, Nick Miller, Dorothy Cross, Ronnie Hughes, Séamus Nolan, Mark Garry, Paul Butler, Swintak, BGL, Freee, Fastwurms and more.

+ Share This

Young Model third vox pop from the Model re-opening night

Michella from Young Model did a great job on this vox pop from the Model re-opening night May 1st. Michella had some direct questions for the public on the new exhibition DORM and on the new Model building. She is studying very hard for her Leaving Certificate exams at the moment – so best of luck Michella and all young modelers in your exams : )

+ Share This

Young Model second vox pop from the Model opening night

On the opening night of the “Dorm” exhibition (1st/May/2010) I was given the task to capture the reaction of the public to the new Model.Feeling nervous I approached the 1st person.From there I got the confidence to approach total strangers and other friends such as Sophie Murray from SLAM and local film maker Anthony Cullen as well as making friends with Paul the bassist from Children under Huff .It turned out to be a great night and keeping with the happy atmosphere of Sligo.

Oisin Byrne
young model member

+ Share This

More TY students on work experience at The Model

I am an uber awesome student from Summerhill College. Me, myself and I known collectively as Oisin, I am here for a week of work experience at The (super cool, super awesome) Model. My first impression of The Model is how big and spacious it is and how cool it looks. Stepping out from the low ceiling in the reception area to this big open and airy space with light streaming in from the skylights was a cool experience and shows how The Model has changed,and for the better.

On the second floor you can do a full circuit of The DORM which has exhibitions from various artists collectives around the world.My personal favourite is The Last Riot by the Russian Collective AES+F it a really cool and enthralling piece of work. There’s also many more exhibitions that are interesting,stimulating and just plain cool.

One of the main features for The Model’s remodel is the Black Box/Cinema. This is a huge performance space for gigs,cinema,talks and more. The really cool thing about The Black Box is that all the seats are on platforms and the seats can be folded and the platforms pulled back into the wall by a motor and when the seats are out in can hold up to 250 people. The whole setup of The Black Box is superb as it has a really good (and confusing)sound system and great lighting as well. A lot of the wires and cables are in a storage room and there is a lot of of them (especially when you have to label them all).

There are many storage rooms in The Model and one of my jobs was moving things from one room to the next. The first storage room is the Exhibition Storage Room were all the exhibitions are meant to be kept but sadly it is full of stuff that isn’t meant to be there so it’s a bit of a mess but there’s some cool stuff in there like a 1930s movie projector which is there for some reason. In The Basement which is very very hot and sometimes very very dark there’s a lot of equipment used for unknown purposes and baffling reasons. The Education Room is full of the balloon beds that were used for the opening night. Lying on one of them is a cool and strangely comfy experience though you cant help feeling that if you move too suddenly you might pop the balloons so even though its comfy you do tend to move with exaggerated carefulness I’ll be surprised if anyone got any sleep on them during the opening night.

That’s all I have to say really except to thank everyone here for being so friendly and especially to thank Ollie, Richard and Linda for helping me during the work experience it really has been an experience.

And I have one more thing to say if you haven’t visited The Model DO!! I cant stress enough how cool it is and how friendly everyone is here.

Oisin

+ Share This

Young Model interview Sean McSweeney

This is the first of Young Model’s artists interviews. Over the last year Young Model interviewed a number of artists from the Niland Collection at The Model. This involved young model traveling around Ireland to interview the artists in their studios. Young Model have also interviewed artists from The Model’s 2009 contemporary exhibitions including artists from Reverse Pedagogy and Seamus Nolan.

Séan McSweeney young model interview from The Model, Sligo on Vimeo.

Young Model devised all the questions they also filmed and edited all the interviews that will be coming your way over the next few months.

Artists they have interviewed to date are Séan McSweeney, Barrie Cooke, Patrick Hall, Nick Miller, Dorothy Cross, Ronnie Hughes, Séamus Nolan, Mark Garry, Paul Butler, Swintak, BGL, Freee, Fastwurms and more.

Also check out Young Model’s interview on this evenings youth news at 5pm on RTE2 News2Day

This project has been made possible by the Arts Council Youth Ensemble Award 2009.

+ Share This

Young Model vox pops from the Model opening night.

If you were here for the re-opening last Saturday you may have noticed young model interviewing the public, here is a sample of peoples reaction when they saw the building and the opening show DORM for the first time. If you haven’t come to visit us yet we hope these vox pops will encourage you.

Young Model vox pops at the Model re-opening from The Model, Sligo on Vimeo.

For images taken on the night click here

+ Share This

DORM young model interview

Young Model interviewed a number of the DORM artists during the week. Here is a short preview of some of the artists involved in the Model opening show. Young model thought you might like to have a look before the doors open at 6pm this evening. Not long now.

DORM young model interview-1 from The Model, Sligo on Vimeo.

+ Share This

TY students on work experience at The Model

We are three awesome students from Sligo Grammar School. Harry, Yasmin and Carolyn. We are here in the Model on a week of work experience. So far, it’s fantastic, we got a tour of the entire building, which is huge and Yasmin frequently gets lost in. Lots of the old building is still there, except the old entrance leads into a new restaurant and there are loads of new facilities.

You can now do a full circuit of the upstairs galleries as the performance space has been moved and the galleries have been improved.
The performance space- it’s super super cool.It’s got a balcony and loads of seating, a whole room dedicated to the piano, a projector room, a room with lots of unknown devices that look really complicated, crazy strip lights and one of our favourite spots, the green room! We spend alot of our time in there drinking tea and climbing in the window when the door is locked. Inside the Green room there’s a tiny room called the screaming room where the performers can vent their anger.

The new building has some very new exciting add-ons to the old building. Our personal favourite being a very big lift that would remind you of something from star wars! Amazingly it can fit fifty three people which is really quite something! Throughout the Model we have found some pretty groovy spots to hang, such as a balcony on the top floor.We spend a lot of our time here while doing our little jobs and at lunchtime sunbathing.It has the most beautiful view of sligo and it’s quiet and secluded.

We sometimes go to the boiler room when we get cold and hug a few pipes, we often have strong urges to climb on the roof but we supress these urges because that would be bad.The toilets are also very exciting, they look like the toilets you might find in a five star hotel so we like to go there sometimes for that reason, among others.

The artists studios are so cool we are determined that one day we will have the honour of living there, it would be awesome. We also enjoy the front steps. we have eaten carrot cake on those steps and now they will always be memorable.

Underneath the seating in the new performance space there’s a crazy secret forest of metal, which we sometimes go under and pretend to be woodland creatures. There are some storage rooms that are quite frightening because they are temporarily empty and they are very small they have no windows. and are dark.We don’t go in these rooms, under any circumstances.

Over the week we had a series of small jobs one which involved arranging and labeling all the new keys to the Model. This meant that we had to go around the building several times in order to find the right key for the right door. This took a while and there was some confusion about some keys, I mean, what’s a fire curtain? Yeah there was quite a bit of confusion but we worked most of them out in the end. We also had to hand out flyers to a lot of shops we did this a few times.

Tomorrow we shall paint. This makes us happy. There is a huge, red balloon in the restaurant at the moment.

We would like to thank our wonderful supervisor Linda for looking after us and not giving us too much work when it’s sunny. ☀

Harry, Yasmin and Carolyn.

For more images taken by the group click here

Previous Page

+ Share This