Neartú - Strengthening
Neartú
Le Bernadette Cotter
Saothar ó Scoláireacht Chónaitheach Mhaggie Hughie Eoghain i dTeach a’tSléibhe, Mín a’Leá, Gort a’ Choirce, á riar ag Cló Ceardlann na gCnoc.
Bíonn an t-ealaíontóir, Bernadette Cotter, ag obair go himfhiosach agus, ag an am céanna, go hathdhúcasach. Tá sé ráite fá mhórán ealaíontóirí go bhfuil ról s’acu amhail le seoladán – cainéal trína sníonn eolas a thugann an t-ealaíontóir ansin chun solais. Níl sé seo chomh simplí sin i gcás an ealaíontóra seo. Is é mothú na neamhbhuaine an chéad rud a sheasann amach i gcuid saothar Cotter. Tabhrann an radharc neamhdhaingnithe seo deis don lucht féachana an dara hamharc a thabhairt ar an rud a d’fhéadfadh anois a bheith saolta. Tá siombail láidir le brath ina cuid saothar, samhailchomharthaí a bhfuil ar a gcúl feasacht intleachtach a thrasnáionn na mílte míle bliain agus fealsúnachtaí iomadúla.
Tá rithim machnamhach arís agus arís eile bunúsach do shaothar Cotter: ag bailiú, ag cruinniú, ag baint as a chéile, ag cur le chéile le cois gnáthaimh rithimeacha struchtúrtha. Sa chéad áit, cuireann sé seo ar fáil creat láidir dá cuid oibre laistigh den toise spioradálta sin atá ríthábachtach don ealaíontóir seo agus, níos tábháchtaí arís, a leathnaíonn agus a chothaíonn an toise sin. De réir peirspictíocht Cotter, tá an bhean láidir, gníomhach agus tá ról tábhachtach aici, dearcadh nach bhfuil ag teacht le formhór na gcreideamh institiúideach. Nuair amháin atá a n-aistear deasghnáthach ag ceann scríbe, cuirtear a cuid taispeántas i láthair mar ofrálacha comhchuí nó ‘comaoineacha’. Tá saothair choimisiniúnaithe curtha i gcrích ag Cotter i dtíortha éagsúla, gach uair ag leathnú a peirspictíocht uilíoch chomhaontachta.
Sa deireadh thiar thall, is é sin atá mar bhonn agus thaca le saothar an ealaíontóra seo – an braistint de chómhuintearas pobail, éagsúlacht, comhoibriú agus teacht le chéile.
Ceardlann na gCroisbhealach - Meán Fómhair 2006.
Neartú
Le Bernadette Cotter
Work drawn from Maggie Hughie Eoghan Scholarship in residence at Teach a’tSleibhe, Mín a’Lea, Gort a Choirce, administered by Cló Ceardlann na gCnoc.
Artist, Bernadette Cotter, works both intuitively and atavistically. The role of many an artist has been described as that of a conduit – a channel through which information flows and the artist then presents.This is not so simply with this artist. At the fore front of Cotter’s practice is the sense of the ephemeral. This unanchored viewing affords an audience the opportunity to look again at what may now be mundane. The strong presence of symbol in her work is intellectually informed crossing eons of time and straddling a host of philosophies.
Fundamental to Cotter’s practice is a repetitive and meditative rhythm; collecting, gathering, disassembling, reassembling and constructed rhythmic routines. Firstly, this provides a firm framework for her to work within but more importantly it propagates and nurtures the spiritual dimension that is crucial to this artist. Unlike many institutional religions, the female in Cotter’s spiritual perspective is strong, active and has a meaningful role. Having completed their ritualistic journey, her exhibitions are presented as harmonious offerings or ‘communions’. Cotter has completed commissions in a number of countries, each time expanding her unifying universal perspective.
This ultimately is what is at the core of this artists work – the sense of community, diversity, collaboration and harmony.
Ceardlann na gCroisbhealach - September 2006.