BE.CAUSE - LSAD GRADUATE SHOW 2017
15:08
I was in Limerick for a few days last week and while I was there, I went to the graduate show in LSAD (Limerick School of Art & Design). Despite being in Limerick three years, I hadn't been to the art college before and was really interested in seeing the work done by the graduates. I really wasn't disappointed so I decided to share some of my favourite artworks from the exhibition. I would really recommend going to art exhibitions alone, it's really peaceful. I was able to take my time, take some beautiful photographs and appreciate the work in my own time. I didn't take down names of the artists, so if you are one of the artists, please let me know so I can put your name into the post!
This was one of the first pieces I saw and at first glance, I wasn't so sure as to what it was. I initially thought it was a study of eyes but upon reading the information with, I was able to figure out that these pieces were a study of the colours in mould. I found that revelation very interesting because it was unusual. The artist was seeing beauty in what society would normally deem as unattractive. The photograph doesn't really do the art justice, the colours were really vivid blues and greens.
I LOVED this one because it was both clever and simply done. Upon close inspection, it seemed as though part of this piece was done using highlighters or some sort of neon coloured paint. It was really vibrant, urban and the colour combinations really worked together well. One of the most fun parts of this piece was the section that said, "F*ck off, I'm a ghost". The simple nature of the piece was fascinating to me because the entire artwork really made an impact so I was impressed with how the artist was able to use minimal materials to create something so cool!
Although I am not someone who attends fashion shows very often (I did go to an eco-friendly show this year), I found this design really thought provoking, especially the words "The ones we love, never truly leave us". I have seen these words before, probably on Tumblr, but I believe these words come from Harry Potter. I find those words both comforting and sad, in the sense that we have ghosts inside us that live on because we love them, sometimes against our will. I liked also how there were different coloured fabrics, it made me think of the chaotic and multi-coloured entity that is life.
This one was so interesting to me because it is a defiant display of how Ireland's number of refugees is a lot lower than that of our other European counterparts. I personally have no problem with refugees as long as they are not a threat to our country, so I liked this one in particular. The colour black really made the piece stand out and it was big in size on the wall. Art is about defiance, about spreading a message and especially about making you think, making you feel something. This piece, bleak though it looked, really made me think.
This artist was exploring mental health and how it is an often messy, confusing and not so clear frame of mind. This artwork is mixed media and it stood out to me because of the newspaper cutouts that were used. "A very long way from wonderful". "Within your reach". It made me think about my own mental health and how happiness is can be obtained, but unless I choose to work hard at changing my own perspective, I am quite far away from being "wonderful". I really liked how the piece as a whole looked and this artist repeated this technique of mixing mediums in his other pieces that were on display.
At first glance, you notice the beautiful orange tones used in the photographs. I loved this piece as it was transitional. The fact that the photos were displayed in a white room was perfect as it made the photographs stand out even more. It seems the photos are sending some sort of message or telling a story. What I like about these type of pieces is that even though the artist may explain a part of it, you are still free to come up with your own interpretation of the work.
Self-portraits. This was striking because I love seeing how people perceive themselves. The paintings were done in a variety of ways, which gave me, even more insight into the mind of the artist. The artwork was done by people from all years, from first year right up until final year. This was interesting because you could see the ranges in technique, how the artwork fluctuated in method, structure and colour. All of the paintings were beautiful in their own way, I wouldn't say any of them were "bad". There's something special in seeing a self-portrait because it's so personal, kind of like when I spill my guts in a personal blog post.
The message in this piece is what caught my attention. The setting is of course in Auschwitz, the infamous Nazi Concentration camp. "We learn our history again to prevent it from happening again". This had me thinking about the genocides occurring in our present time, like that of the Syrians being murdered and how I feel it is history repeating itself in some way. The Holocaust is interesting in the sense that historians and literary experts are reluctant to allow present genocides be compared to it. Was the artist alluding to this? Or were they simply making a point of why students are subjected to the same stories, year after year. It's quite open.
The last part of the exhibition I looked at was on the top floor of the college. The walls of the corridor were covered in gray/black photos like these, similar to artwork you'd see on Tumblr. The idea of this was to get people thinking about society, the bombardment of images we are hit with everyday and how it affects us. It made me think of how having a mental illness is glamourized, or made to look eviable or pretty - which as we all know, isn't the case. The words "Life is made of small moments like this" - I liked them. Life is made up of good moments and bad moments, but it's up to what to do with these moments. Run from them or learn from them.
I really hope you liked reading my perspectives on these images and that you enjoyed seeing these talented artists' work. Again, I wish I knew the names of all of these people, if you know, please leave a comment so I can post links to more of their work!
THANK YOU FOR READING!
0 comments
I love hearing feedback, all constructive criticism welcome!
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.