As part of the Creative Ireland programme, Cavan County Council arts and heritage office and the UNESCO Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark have invited twelve artists to engage with  and respond to the landscape, geology, and socio-political history of County Cavan and in particular the area of the Geopark.

 

The landscape, the rivers and the human responses to the geology and the natural habitats that we have today are intriguing. Landscape is and remains a source of interest for artists and those of inquisitive minds. Many fold, is the fascination of the diverse landscape and the years of human habitation and natural occurrences that define Cavan.

 

In this year of the inaugural Creative Ireland programme throughout Ireland, we choose to work with artists, as a creative cohort to consider this distinctive landscape of Cavan and in particular the Geopark and its influence.   

 

The artists will be provided with guided tours of sites of interest and meet with experts on geology, heritage, the built and natural environment and cultural identity.   They will be supported by the arts, heritage and geopark offices.   The artists participating in this project are from a range of arts disciplines and include: music, storytelling, literature, curating, architecture and the visual arts.  They are: Bee Smith, Heather Brett, Jim Fee, Ben Mc Cabe, Freda Young, Cormac Mc Cann, Elena Duff, Rikki van den Berg, Siobhan Harton, Rosarie Mc Hugh and Konik Artists Pawel and Kasia.   Paul Farnan is documenting the project.

 

Arts officer, Catriona O Reilly speaking about the project said “artists provide us with alternative ways to view the world.   We had a really interesting day exploring St Mogue’s Island, Tullydermot Falls, the Cladagh Glen, Burren Park and historic Belturbet on 21 June.    With input from local experts and guides including Aidan Brady, George Morrissey, Simon Gray and Gráinne O Connor the artists came away with a wealth of information, stories and imagery.   This project is about collaboration, cross fertilisation of ideas and we are mindful of Creative Ireland and our long term partner in arts development, The Arts Council.   This project supports artists to examine and respond to place and our relationship with it”.

Each artist will make and show a piece of work resulting from this experience in December 2017 in County Cavan.