This article is from page 80 of the 2008-07-22 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 80 JPG
AS one chapter closes another always opens. Thus it will be in Kilnaboy this month as the last exhibition in the X-PO Project takes up residence. The project, which has brought the old post office back to life as a community space over the last nine months, will however continue into the future as a local committee has been formed to carry on the pilot be- gan by artist Deirdre O’Mahony. Fittingly, the last exhibition in the current series 1s a collect of Deirdre’s own work. The series, which is en- titled Surfacing – Viscaux, includes
a number of paintings and photog- raphy focusing on the increase and eventual decrease of algal-bloom on Lake Inchiquin since 2004.
“After studying the bloom I began to discover that it was a much more complex issue than I had ever imag- ined. It’s not just about farmers and phosphates, it had a lot to do with everyone’s personal responsibility with products such as washing pow- der and shampoo,’ said Deirdre.
“Over the past two years I have noticed a huge increase in the water quality of the lake and I know that last year there was much more fish. So my worked changed from being
didactic, or preaching about the lake, to looking at the changes and how they have come about.
“It ties in a lot with the whole no- tion of the X-PO in a lot of ways. It’s a good representation of the differ- ences between knowing the surface of an issue and then really knowing something deep about it. Bringing this work into the X-PO 1s like show- ing the people what my own work is about. The X-PO has been a lot about me helping local people to look at themselves and their own past where as this 1s me, as a new local person, saying here I am.”
While Deirdre’s work in the X-PO
is coming to a close, a group of lo- cals have come together to continue using the post office as a community Sey: (elon
“I think that it’s safe to say that this is not the end of exhibitions and ac- tivities in the X-PO,’ continued Detr- olien
“All the things that have happened in the X-PO over the last number of months really brought people in and got them to talk and exchange old stories. There is a real desire for a common place where all member of the community to meet.”
The exhibition will run until the end of August.