The 2018 PhotoIreland Festival: On Abortion
The 9th edition of the PhotoIreland festival centered around critical, contemporary debate and advocacy regarding abortion. At a time when Ireland will vote in a referendum about issues concerning access to legal abortion, this iteration of the festival responds by featuring the subject of women’s rights. In examining the history and repercussions women face in the absence of safe and legal abortions and exploring the experiences of pregnant women in Ireland who are faced with crisis pregnancies, this year’s festival illuminates the role photography can play in providing pathos to politics—re-centering conversations around humanity. This festival brings together local and international artists to share these narratives among others—inviting audiences to consider ramifications for women’s rights in face of the impending referendum vote.
The recently launched Critical Academy joins the festival for the first time, bringing a great selection of short seminars around key aspects of contemporary arts practice, aimed at developing and strengthening key skills and mindsets. In its mission of promoting a radical space where to learn, research, and examine contemporary art practices around Photography, the Critical Academy further encourages theorists to gather, experiment, and challenge contemporary ideas that affect their practice.
We welcome you to the digital archive of this festival. We invite you to explore, examine, and challenge the social institutions that inspire this art.
Key Dates, Events and Locations
- July 7th: Festival Launch
- Overall Festival Dates: July 7th-August 25th, 2022
- Artists Talk Series: July 9th and 15th
- Primary Location: The Printworks, Dublin Castle
- Other locations for events, exhibitions, and FIE affiliated festival activities: Rathfarnham Castle, The Library Project, SO Fine Art Editions, Lismore Castle Arts, Co. Waterford, Rua Red, Dublin,The Glucksman, Co. Cork, Crawford Art Gallery, Co. Cork, Solstice Arts Centre, Co. Meath, Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin, The Darkroom, Dublin.
Main Exhibition
- Laia Abril, On Abortion
- Sarah Cullen, You Shall Have Exactly What You Want
- Mariela Sancari, Moisés.
- How to Flatten a Mountain 2018, Rose Bennett, Donna Cooper Hurt, Sarah Flynn, Ana Gómez de León, Shaney Marie Herrmann, Katinka Igelberg, Daniel Orlando Lara Garcia, Nancy Libson, Sarah Pannell, Leah Raintree, Molly Ruoho, and Sofia Seguro
- Jamin Keogh, Moyross Study
- Junior Issue 3, Florian Thoß, Catarina Leone and David Thomas Smith Emmet Kirwan, Rebecca O’Dwyer, Loah, and Kojaque.
- Fotobookfestival Kassel Dummy Award 2018
Featured Exhibitions
- Kenneth O’Halloran, Modern ruins and other stories
- Photo Detectives
- Gerry Blake, Into the Sea.
- In, Around and Aftereffects, Ciarán Óg Arnold, Mark Duffy, Martin Cregg
- Clare Gallagher, Verges
Educational Programming and Events
2018’s engaging talks, curatorial and artists tours, and many other events
- Futures
- Daragh Soden, Toulon
- Curatorial Walking Tours
- Present your Project to Agata Stoinska
- Reset your practice, Ángel Luis González
- Photobook trends, Ángel Luis González
- On the State of Photography in Ireland, Ángel Luis Gónzalez
- Art as a Sustainable Business: Nurturing your entrepreneurial Mindset, Ángel Luis Gónzalez
- The politics of the long haul, Laia Abril, Emma Campbell
- Masterclass on Research, Narratives and platforms with Laia Abril
- Printing Secrets: Press Checking with Agata Stoinska
Open Programme
- Martin & Hobbs, Frieze
- Mel Black, Geoff Greenham and Simon Hill, Left Behind
- Gerry Balfe Smyth, Last Breath
- Matthew Gammon, Inked and Pressed
- Lux, Lewis McClatchey, Evie Williamson, Michelle Moloney, Katie Marshall, Sophie McAtasney, Eris Crawley, Amy Clarke
- St Kevins College Graduate Exhibition 2018, Tania Brett, Aarif Amod, Leah Canning, Vincent Conway, Louise Crave, Margaret Fay, Zita Fitzgerald, Max Hartfiel, Teresa Hynes, Viktorija Kacanauskaite, Stephanie Kane, Jennifer Kavanagh, Philip Kealy, Monchi Lados, Aurthur Marsan, Marykate McMahon, Fiona Moran, Brian O’Connell, and Giedrius Rasimavicius.
- The body/Le Corps,Échiquier, Art Nude Ireland
- Brian Cooney, No place like home
Overview
PhotoIreland Festival 2018
On Abortion
2018.photoireland.org
Exhibitions
Laia Abril, On Abortion, 4-31 May
Sarah Cullen, You Shall Have Exactly What You Want, 4-31 May
Mariela Sancari, Moisés. 3-31 May
How to Flatten a Mountain 2018, Rose Bennett, Donna Cooper Hurt, Sarah Flynn, Ana Gómez de León, Shaney Marie Herrmann, Katinka Igelberg, Daniel Orlando Lara Garcia, Nancy Libson, Sarah Pannell, Leah Raintree, Molly Ruoho, and Sofia Seguro, 5 May-4 June
Jamin Keogh, Moyross Study, 1-24 Jun
Junior Issue 3, Florian Thoß, Catarina Leone and David Thomas Smith, Emmet Kirwan, Rebecca O’Dwyer, Loah, and Kojaque. 26-29 April
Fotobookfestival Kassel Dummy Award 2018,1-27 May
Kenneth O’Halloran, Modern ruins and other stories, 7 April-20 May
Photo Detectives, Sep 2017-mid September 2018
Gerry Blake, Into the Sea.19 May-30 Jun
In, Around and Aftereffects, Ciarán Óg Arnold, Mark Duffy, Martin Cregg, 7 April-1 Jun
Clare Gallagher, Verges, 4 May-30 Jun
Martin & Hobbs, Frieze, March 2018-mid 2020
Mel Black, Geoff Greenham and Simon Hill , Left Behind, 1-31 May
Gerry Balfe Smyth, Last Breath, 1-13 May
Matthew Gammon, Inked and Pressed, 4-19 May
Lux, Lewis McClatchey, Evie Williamson, Michelle Moloney, Katie Marshall, Sophie McAtasney, Eris Crawley, Amy Clarke, 4-17 May
St Kevins College Graduate Exhibition 2018, Tania Brett, Aarif Amod, Leah Canning, Vincent Conway, Louise Crave, Margaret Fay, Zita Fitzgerald, Max Hartfiel, Teresa Hynes, Viktorija Kacanauskaite, Stephanie Kane, Jennifer Kavanagh, Philip Kealy, Monchi Lados, Aurthur Marsan, Marykate McMahon, Fiona Moran, Brian O’Connell, and Giedrius Rasimavicius. 11-13 May
The body/Le Corps,Échiquier, Art Nude Ireland, 25-30 May
Brian Cooney, No place like home, 30 May-15 Jun
Events
Futures, 3 May
Daragh Soden, Toulon, 10 May
Curatorial Walking Tous, 12 May and 26 May
Present your Project to Agata Stoinska, 12 May
Reset your practice, Ángel Luis González, 13 May
Photobook trends, Ángel Luis González, 19 May
On the State of Photography in Ireland, Ángel Luis Gónzalez, 20 May
Art as a Sustainable Business: Nurturing your entrepreneurial Mindset, Ángel Luis Gónzalez, 20 May
Talks
The politics of the long haul, Laia Abril, Emma Campbell, 3 May
Masterclass on Research, Narratives and platforms with Laia Abril, 4 May
Printing Secrets: Press Checking with Agata Stoinska, 13 May
Supported by
Arts Council of Ireland
Dublin City Council Arts Office
OPW
Cow House Studios
Inspirational Arts
The Copper House
Blow Photo
Instituto Cervantes Dublin
Contributors
Laia Abril, Sarah Cullen, Mariela Sancari, Rose Bennett, Donna Cooper Hurt, Sarah Flynn, Ana Gómez de León, Shaney Marie Herrmann, Katinka Igelberg, Daniel Orlando Lara Garcia, Nancy Libson, Sarah Pannell, Leah Raintree, Molly Ruoho, Sofia Seguro, Jamin Keogh, Florian Thoß, Catarina Leone, David Thomas Smith, Emmet Kirwan, Rebecca O’Dwyer, Loah, Kojaque, Kenneth O’Halloran, Gerry Blake,
Ciarán Óg Arnold, Mark Duffy, Martin Cregg, Clare Gallagher, Martin & Hobbs, Mel Black, Geoff Greenham, Simon Hill , Gerry Balfe Smyth,
Matthew Gammon,Lux, Lewis McClatchey, Evie Williamson, Michelle Moloney, Katie Marshall, Sophie McAtasney, Eris Crawley, Amy Clarke, Tania Brett, Aarif Amod, Leah Canning, Vincent Conway, Louise Crave, Margaret Fay, Zita Fitzgerald, Max Hartfiel, Teresa Hynes, Viktorija Kacanauskaite, Stephanie Kane, Jennifer Kavanagh, Philip Kealy, Monchi Lados, Aurthur Marsan, Marykate McMahon, Fiona Moran, Brian O’Connell, Giedrius Rasimavicius, Brian Cooney.
Team
CURATORIAL TEAM
Julia Gelezova – General Manager
Moritz Neumüller – Curatorial Advisor
Ángel Luis González Fernández – CEO & Artistic Director
BOARD
Board of Directors Moritz Neumüller, Justin Carville, Martina Cleary, David Kronn, Michelle Dunn Marsh & Karen McQuaid.
Advisory Board Valerie Connor, Ann Curran, Donall Curtin, Maurice Gunning, Catherine Legras, Karin O’Conor & Jennie Ricketts.
VOLUNTEERS
Youri Alen, Bronwyn Andrews, Aurélie, Rose Bennett, Robert Ellis, Helena Gouveia Monteiro, Joe Johnston, Margot Kenny, Heather Nickels, Valerie Stone, Amelie Tallon, Oona Tully, Roisin White, and Deánna Wojciechowska
Achievements
PhotoIreland Festival 2018: On Abortion.
- The ninth edition of PhotoIreland Festival, with works by Laia Abril and Sarah Cullen, at a time when Ireland voted in a referendum about access to legal abortion.
Press
This year, the festival presents the works of two photographers working on the subject of women’s rights, at a time when Ireland will vote in a referendum about issues concerning access to legal abortion. Launching the festival on 3rd May, at The Copper House Gallery, Laia Abril’s comprehensive work On Abortion, looks at the history and repercussions for women in the absence of safe and legal abortions – the first chapter of an extensive project A History of Misogyny. Alongside, Irish artist Sarah Cullen presents her work You Shall Have Exactly What You Want, exploring the experiences of pregnant women in Ireland who are faced with crisis pregnancies. In the lead up to the launch, The Politics of the Long Haul: Photography, Pro-Choice Artistic Practices and the Archive will be held in the Harry Clark Lecture Theatre of the National College of Art & Design, between 3-5pm, discussing the visual politics of the Pro-Choice movement, focussed on the work of three photographers: Laia Abril, Emma Campbell and Sarah Cullen.
Later in the month, we launch Moyross Study at The Library Project, by Irish photographer Jamin Keogh. Presented for the first time, Moyross Study is a sociological exploration of Moyross housing estate in Limerick. The project challenges the many stereotypes that surround the Moyross development by highlighting how despite the troubled history and the drastic topographical adjustments, a community still persists, and in some respects, even thrives.
The recently launched Critical Academy joins the festival for the first time, bringing a great selection of short seminars around key aspects of contemporary arts practice, aimed at developing and strengthening key skills and mindsets. From practical teachings, to cultivating critical mindsets, to discussions and contemplations on the current state of photography, the Critical Academy is held in participatory environments with clear and focused aims, facilitated by local and International professionals of the industry.
The festival residency How to Flatten a Mountain continues into its third year. Presented by PhotoIreland and Cow House Studios, the aim of this residency is for participating artists to explore possibilities outside their core practice, work collaboratively and produce a cohesive exhibition of work to be presented at the unique venue of Rathfarnham Castle.
The festival is divided in three sections: Main Exhibitions, the shows produced and curated by PhotoIreland Festival; Featured Exhibitions, selected relevant exhibitions that are produced and curated by other organisations; and the Open Programme, all the fringe exhibitions presented by individuals and organisations that add with their spontaneity to the festival flair.
Other events programmed will include the launch of Junior magazine’s third issue, entitled The Empathy Issue, and the launch of Daragh Soden’s latest publication Toulon. Fotobookfestival Kassel makes Dublin its first stop this year, so don’t miss the latest Photobooks from International photographers at The Library Project.
