Aileen Kelly
Aileen Kelly
Is as Dún Geanann, Co. Thír Eoghain ó dhúchas d’Aileen Kelly. Rinne sí staidéar ar an Ealaíon Mhín in Ollscoil Uladh agus ghnóthaigh sí Céim Máistreachais ón Winchester School of Art. Tá a lán taispeántais déanta go náisiúnta agus go hidirnáisiúnta aici le deich mbliana anuas.
Tá na dealbha seo déanta as ábhair bhruscair agus séard í príomhaidhm an ealaíontóra nó a gcúlra daonna a léiriú. Léiríonn a gcuid dromchlaí na scríobóga agus smáil a tháinig orthu thar am. Feictear salachar, ribí agus bia greanta istigh san éadach a thugann leideanna beaga doiléire dúinn. Cruinníodh na píosaí go léir thar am ó láithreáin bhruscair, siopaí dara láimhe, clósanna agus mar sin de. Déantar na sraitheanna tosaigh a scríobadh ar shiúl ar dtús, rud a nochtaíonn creatlach an taoibh istigh – is próiseas é a mbaineann mionscrúdú agus dianstaidéar leis maidir leis na píosaí go léir. De réir a chéile déantar an t-ábhar agus na píosaí uilig a chur i gceann a chéile le rud úrnua a dhéanamh astu. Sé an ceansú daonna, an greann agus an cruatán, an ceangal coiteanta atá idir na píosaí uilig.
Bíonn tionchar ag suíomh na háite ar obair an ealaíontóra, fosta. Nuair a bhí Aileen ag obair i Muineachán rinne sí sraith de dhealbha agus de phriontaí as toilg, cliabháin, doirse, cuirtíní agus cairpéid a bhí caite ar leataobh mar bhruscar. Piocadh ceann de na píosaí seo mar bhuaiteoir ar an taispeántas ‘1999 Perspective’ a bhí ar siúl san Ormeau Baths Gallery i mBéal Feirste.
Mar an gcéanna, nuair a bhí sí ag obair mar ealaíontóir cónaithe i Scoil Idirnáisiúnta Sotogrande sa Spáinn, spreagadh í chun sraith de dhealbha beaga a dhéanamh. Ag an am sin d’úsáid an t-ealaíontóir bábóga, béiríní bréige agus maiseacháin fheiceálacha a ceannaíodh i siopaí £1 chomh maith le nithe eile a fuair sí anseo agus ansiúd agus d’éirigh léithe saothair ghreannmhara ach gruama ag an am gcéanna a chur i gcrích.
Léiríonn an taispeántas seo cuid den obair atá déanta ag Aileen le 18 mí anuas i Sasana, in Éirinn agus sa Spáinn.
“Ba le daoine inteacht eile gach páirt den ábhar atá sa taispeántas seo. Is cuid thábhachtach den obair an ghné dara láimhe a bhaineann leis na píosaí seo. Tá mé faoi dhraíocht ag na tréithe agus na háthruithe a thagann chun cinn thar am. Déantar seantuáillí, braillíní, cuirtíní, doirse, agus bréagáin a bhailiú agus a athdhéanamh go húrnua le go gcruthófar ráitis fheiceálacha. B’fhéidir go bhfeicfidh daoine doiléireacht áirithe san obair seo ach bheireann an éiginnteacht seo cead do chiall inteacht a theacht chun solais. Arís agus arís eile ritheann na téamaí céanna maidir leis an óige, muintearais agus an teaghlach fríd na píosaí - na téamaí céanna a thagann chun solais chugam-sa nuair a bhím ag déanamh na bpíosaí. Is fríd thuras iniúchóireachta leis an ábhar a d’éirigh liom an saothar seo a chur le chéile. Baineann scrios agus milleadh go minic leis an fhuascailt fheiceálach. Rinneadh cuid den obair atá ar taispeántas anseo a fhuáil agus a sníomh le chéile go cúramach go díreach lena bheith tarraingithe óna chéile arís agus curtha le chéile ar dhóigh eile. Mar shampla, ag staideanna áirithe is dealbha a bhí i gcuid den tsaothar atá ar na ballaí anois. Cuireadh le agus baineadh ó na píosaí ar leith san fhorbairt a rinneadh orthu. Cosúil leis an phróiseas ama é féin is rud leanúnach é an próiseas eagarthóireachta seo. Ní fheictear sa taispeántas seo ach seal i saol gach píosa.”
- Aileen Kelly
Aileen Kelly
Aileen Kelly is originally from Dungannon, Co. Tyrone and studied Fine Art at University of Ulster and gained a Masters Degree at Winchester School of Art. She has exhibited extensively over the last ten years nationally and internationally.
These sculptures are made from discarded objects and the artists interest is to emphasise their human history. Their surfaces bear the marks and stains of time. Body fluids, hair and food are ingrained into the fabric leave ambiguous clues. The components are collected over time from rubbish dumps, second hand shops, back yards and the like. The outer layers are stripped away, revealing the skeletal interiors - it is a process of dissection and examination of the elements. Eventually, the materials are manipulated and fused so as to make a new presentation. Domesticity is the thread, the humour and the hardship, common to all.
The wall mounted works began as a record of the process of making. They are not simply a visual diary of the destruction and evolution of each new piece but have emerged as pieces of work in their own right.
Location has an influence on the artists work. Whilst on a working residency in Monaghan the Aileen made a series of sculptures and prints from cast off sofas, cots, doors, curtains and carpets. One of these pieces was chosen as the winner of the ‘1999 Perspective’ exhibition at the Ormeau Baths Gallery, Belfast.
Like wise, working in Sotogrande International School, Spain, as artist in residence, triggered a series of figurative sculptures. This time the artist used dolls, teddy bears and garish ornaments bought in £1 shops along with found objects that culminated into still humorous yet melancholic works.
This exhibition is a representation of work produced during the last eighteen months in England, Ireland and Spain.
“Each work in this exhibition has been owned by someone else. The second hand element is an important feature to these objects. I am drawn to the qualities acquired through the aging process. Old Tea towels, sheets, curtains doors and toys are collected and reinvented to form a visual statement. The viewer may find the work obscure but the resulting ambiguity allows for meaning to be found. There are reoccurring themes of childhood, relationships and family which become visible to me through the process of making. I have arrived at this collection of work through a journey of inquiry with the materials. A visual solution often calls for destructiveness. Some of the works on display have been carefully stitched and joined only to be torn apart and begun again. Indeed some of the wall works were at one point sculptures. Elements of larger works were identified, removed and developed in their own right or never appear again. Like the aging process itself this editing is continuous. What you see in this exhibition is a moment in the life of each.”
- Aileen Kelly