Project was set up by visual artists and theatre practitioners in 1966 as an alternative to the established institutions of the day as a place where artists could control their working situation. The exhibition Artists/Groups referred to this history by inviting artist led initiatives from the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and England to work in Project's gallery over a five-week period. Each group used Project as an office/ studio/ exhibition/living space for approximately one week. During this time the participants could use the space to organise talks, performances, and screenings as well as to publish and disseminate information about their projects and their practice. When the week ended, the artists left their artworks and documentation behind as a context for the following group to work around.
The evolving programme began with the core installation 'The Whole Nine Yards' by Constance Short. Short was one of Project's original members and was responsible for promoting the work of female artists within the organisation. Constance was succeeded by The Metropolitan Complex, Pavilion, The Mongrel Foundation, Factotum and Cinilingus. London based artist Amy Plant had a permanent office space in the gallery and from there coordinate the activities.
Constance Short from 29 Oct
The Whole Nine Yards
-For the artist there are no absolutes
This installation was a panel of political text based prints 29ft long and 3ft wide made from 81 linocuts, each 12 inches square. The texts are written, cut and printed by the artist. They record her thoughts and opinions over the nine months that the work took to complete and communicate strongly held, sometimes, contradictory beliefs in several languages. 'The Whole Nine Yards' was shown alongside archival material documenting Short's career as a founding member of Project, artist and long time political activist. Short will be in the gallery to demonstrate her printing techniques and to talk about her work.
The Metropolitan Complex from 8 Nov
The Metropolitan Complex is an independent Dublin based project organised by Sarah Pierce. It is a collaborative artistic practice incorporating a range of activities associated with the art world such as exhibitions, talks and publications. These structures are often opened up to the personal and the incidental. For Artists/Groups, the Metropolitan Complex has invited one of the longest running women's groups in Dublin, St. Pappin's Ladies Club from Ballymun to display their archive at Project. St. Pappin's Ladies Club has met every Monday in Ballymun for thirty-seven years. Formed in 1966, its activities include costume design, pantomime, arts and crafts. It is an independent self-organised group of women. Its members have moved through generations together as single women, working women, mothers, grandmothers, even great grandmothers.
Pavilion from 15 Nov
Pavilion* was the title given to an installation at the Crawford Municipal Gallery produced by a group of artists from Cork in June 2003. The installation was centred on the life-size reconstruction of one of the studios at the Cork Arts Collective, where most of these artists are based. Additional structures were attached to this including a recording studio and projections screen. For Artists/Groups Irene Murphy, Stephen Brandes, Una Quigley, Dobz and Mick O'Shea reinstalled this structure at Project and used it as a departure point for their work.
Mongrel Foundation from 22 Nov
The Mongrel Foundation is an independent Dublin based artist's collective founded by Mark Garry. Members include Karl Burke, Rhona Byrne, Gillian Kane, Mark Garry and Gavin Murphy. For this exhibition the Mongrel Foundation produced a collaborative artwork using different methods of analysis as a starting point. The result was exhibited in Project's foyer accompanied by a publication.
Factotum from 22 Nov
Retired artists Stephen Hackett and Richard West run the organisation Factotum as a flexible structure to undertake a variety of activities. Working largely in an editorial/curatorial capacity, Factotum has addressed the cultural, political and social landscape of Belfast referencing amongst other things architecture, popular music and their own love of traction engines and ducks. Factotum were in residence at Project, living and cooking in the gallery for a week, and produced an issue of their free 24 page newspaper 'The Vacuum' with the help of Dublin based collaborators.
Cinilingus from 29 Nov
Cinilingus is an independent Belfast-based screening organisation, run by committee members Stephen Hackett, Daniel Jewesbury, Lisa Malone and Duncan Ross. It presents experimental film and video and documentary in a variety of unlikely places: bars, clubs and community centres, as well as outdoors. In the gallery, Cinilingus presented a multimedia extravaganza featuring Dodgy Stereo and Citygas and a videotheque installation featuring material from local and international filmmakers, including Lech Kowalski, Duncan Campbell, Luke Fowler and the Spence Brothers.
