WOLVES IN THE CITY - Gallery Launch

Since launching our new Music & Media based artspace in The Twisted Pepper Cafe in October, we've already housed the Absolut Gallery specially commissioned for the recent Fringe Festival and are currently running an Exhibition curated by Syntheastwood and The Small Print based around the OFFSET weekender.

On 05 December we launch the first in a series of exhibitions curated by Natalie Winterlich & Shane O' Donoghue entitled 'Wolves In The City' (details below)

The Twisted Pepper Absolut Artspace - Whats is all about

In keeping with the Twisted Pepper ethos, all exhibitions will have a focus on either music or multi-media (or both). Two keywords dominate what we are aiming to do in the space space at the Twisted Pepper; inspiration & education. The space will aim to do portray originality, be (relatively) consistent , and to appeal to anyone with a passing interest in art, music, multi-media and art and all the grey areas in between . The ultimate ambition is for people to either learn something new or to be inspired to create something new . We will use paintings, drawings, sculpture, animation, lighting, music, narrative, record sleeves (or records), poster, flyers, audio headsets and whatever else we can find, and whatever works for each particular theme or idea. We also aim to use all the rooms, nooks and crannies of the venue for various exhibitions, again depending on the idea . We wil l adjust and create accordingly . Admission will always be free and open to the public from 6pm, 7 days a week.

WOLVES IN THE CITY

Produced and Curated by: The Twisted Pepper (Natalie Winterlich & Shane O'Donoghue)

Dates: Opening 5th December – Closing 8th January

What happens when we see a wolf in the city? How did it end up there anyway? Where did it come from and what does it think of us? By 1786, wolves were extinct in Ireland. Secreted in Irish woodlands, they had survived for 40 years longer than in the United Kingdom. The four artists in this exhibition reintroduce the wolves into our modern life and spaces in different ways

The exhibition is based around a piece of music- Phosphorescent's 'Wolves'. The track is a slow ballad.

In an artist's response to the music, Donal Dineen's response is a slowed down video of a wolf in pursuit of another. They get tangled in their own natural environment,. The powerful music accompanies it and shows us his inspiration and creation of visuals that make it much more than a soundtrack.

The strange symbols of Wolves are then shown in other artist's work. In an animation by Rafael Sommerhalder, two strangers sit in silence on an underground train and gradually recognise each other as being covert wolves. They eventually uncomfortably connect from either end of a dark tunnel. Young Model and Andy Parsons from Sligo see the still and strong shape of a wolf, build the model and take it to the streets to look at people's reaction, photographing and using video.

Photographs, video, sound and projections will be at The Twisted Pepper in the new cafe space by day and club by night throughout December.

Featuring:

Andy Parsons www.s-i-b.net/exhibitions.htm

Andy completed a B.A. in Painting at Winchester School of Art in 1989 and an M.A. in Painting at Manchester Metropolitan University in 1990. He recently moved to Sligo after a number of years living and working in London.

His work includes drawing,painting, printmaking, sculpture and Artists Books. He has had numerous solo shows in London and Tokyo and shown in group exhibitions such as the Jerwood Drawing Prize. This spring he has undertaken an innovative educational project for The Model Arts and Niland Gallery, Sligo the Model Niland on Wolfe Tone St. in Sligo converting a disused pharmacy into a studio, Wolf on Arm, and project space and creating work collaboratively with local young people. Known as Young Modelthey are aged between 14-20 and form a succesful part of the Model Niland in Sligo with regular installations of their work.

Donal Dineen

siamsagallery.com/in_pursuit/donal_dineen.html

Donal is a radio presenter, photographer and film maker from Co. Kerry. He currently presents the Small Hours late-night radio show on Today FM, recently running the Fresh Air series of live performances in-studio for November of a range of artists including Villagers and Chequerboard.

Natalie Winterlich is an illustrator and designer. She has both studied and worked in Theatre design and production and has a BA in Model making and Design as well as working for industry.

Rafael Sommerhalder

www.crictor.ch/

Rafael is an animator and co-founder of CRICTOR, Zurich, Switzerland. His short films have won him much praise including the Audience Award SSA/Suissimage, Solothurn Film Festival, 2009 and First prize in Animation at the Adobe Design Achievement Awards, 2008. He is a graduate of The Royal College of Art, London.

Rafael likes it simple, enjoys telling stories and has a soft spot for animation. But what he truly loves is doing all these things at the same time and over and over again. It gives him what other people get from milk and cookies, popping bubble wrap or jumping in puddles. Rafael was born in Switzerland. He went to filmschool there and did some documentary work and fiction. He now lives and works in Zurich, Switzerland.

THE CURATORS

Natalie Winterlich has been involved in putting together innovative sets for video and stage in both Galway and Dublin. A highlight is the cosy set built for Electric Picnic TV in 2007, which hosted among others Marlene Shaw and Jamie Lidell interview sessions. A talented illustrator and book fan she is a regular at indie and visual arts nights in the City. Expect a well informed selection for this gallery much influenced by interesting personalities in music's rich recent history.

Shane O' Donoghue is a graphic designer and painter based in Dublin. He is a graduate of Central St Martin's College of Art and Design and has been involved in a range of arts and music projects at home and abroad (design for collective '091' music in Galway/ 'Dubsocial' indie and design shows in Bangkok, Thailand ). Keeping a permanent eye on developments in visual culture, and a desire to tip people off about the good stuff, means that this series of exhibitions are an eye poppingly good opportunity to share the discoveries with The Twisted Pepper crowd.

A major early influence was watching 'Modulations' at the '3345' events circa '99 in Dublin.

Check out one of Shane's previous projects Dubsocial