Exhibition curated by Michael Fortune with Southside Travellers Action Group

Tangled is an exhibition which features the work of Ursula Burke, John Byrne, Alice Maher, Breda Mayock, John Power, Dermot Seymour and Michael Fortune. The exhibition has been curated by Michael Fortune who worked in collaboration with staff and participants from the Southside Travellers Action Group (STAG) in 2019 and 2020. During this period, Michael introduced the group to the work of several Irish contemporary artists; the selected artists and the themes running through this exhibition reflects his collaboration and engagement with STAG.

In venue, and viewable online here.

Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Cllr. Una Power: ‘I am delighted to see the involvement and collaboration of the local community in the gallery programme in this intriguing exhibition.’

The exhibition includes both new and recent work from the artists’ studios. The range of work varies from folkloric themed drawings by Alice Maher to intimated ethnographic styled images of Traveller hair and hairstyles as seen in the photographs by Breda Mayock. Sitting alongside these are works relating to the animal world via filmic superstitions, paintings and installation by artists Dermot Seymour and John Byrne, while the overall show is anchored in the space with sculptural works by John Power comprised of reused and refabricated scrap, as well as a delicate ceramic work by Ursula Burke which borrows from imagery of the domestic ornament. The voices, faces and lives of those from STAG are represented in the exhibition in a series of films and photographic works produced by Michael for the show.

STAG is a community development organisation which provides various services such as Healthcare and Accommodation and Education support for Travellers and the wider community. Michael has worked with STAG on various socially engaged projects in recent years. The Summer Learning Programme will comprise of a series of online events and workshops for all ages and interests.