This article is from page 106 of the 2008-07-08 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 106 JPG
A TWELVE metre long art instal- lation was unveiled in the middle of Liscannor bay over the weekend. The spectacular installation, which has been constructed by Aran based art- ist Maeve Collins, begins on a bea- con in the water off Liscannor pier and runs out into the water of Liscan- nor bay.
The installation is called Contem- porary HyBrasil, a reference to a mythical island of HyBrasil some- times called Tir na nOg. Indeed some believe that Liscannor Bay is the mythical entrance to Tir na nOg.
“There is a line going from the bea- con in Liscannor Bay out to sea – to
where HyBrasil might be. The idea is to link the physical land with the sea,’ said Maeve.
“On the line are hung clocks show- ing different times, some of the clocks are working and some will probably stop working after a day or two in the water. Besides the clocks we have things like an umbrella, brushes, a black dress, shoes and a fiddle. They all have been chosen for their infer- ences and the ideas that they might lead off for people.
“It’s really up to the viewer to put their own meaning on this.”
The full exhibition comprises three altogether different pieces. Apart from the installation in Liscannor bay, Meave will also be creating an
audio presentation on all the ferries travelling to Aran from Liscannor, Doolin and Galway and will also be taking part in the Trading Spaces in- stallation in Ennistymon.
“The Ennistymon installation will be an attempt to mix the everyday with the other. If people look at it they will be getting a distorted re- flection of themselves and the town of Ennistymon as well. It’s like the material world mixing with some- thing conceptual,’ continued Maeve.
“The boats will house two audio pieces with an elderly lady from the Aran Islands. In the piece she talks about knowings or exaggerations. On one piece she is talking about a per- son who was able to calm the seas by
throwing sand from the shore into a part of the ocean.
‘There is meant to be Lough Mor between Galway and Clare – in Gal- way bay. She tells stories of fisher- man who brought up an oven that they say is from this submerged city and, they say, there was a cake in the oven when they brought it up.
“You wouldn’t know from _ her whether she believes the stories or not – she’s a great story teller and doesn’t give it away.”
The exhibition will be officially launched on July 12. For more check out www.hybrasil.ie from that date on. The project has been funded by The Arts Council and Udaras na Gaeltachta.