Winter ‘12
FREE – PLEASE TAKE ONE
Vol9 Iss 2
Space Inside Arts Magazine
Barbara O’Meara
Space Inside LIVE NIGHTS 1st Tuesday October to June Wicklow Sailing Club, Wicklow Town FREE ADMISSION Great Music, Poetry and Dance
Editorial Hi all, Welcome to our Winter issue of the Space Inside with more topical articles and information. Before I forget, please put a note in your diary that the January Live Night will be held on 8th January – the second Tuesday of the month - to give you time to recover from New Year’s celebrations. Our monthly €100 draw is now up and running and congrats to Wicklow Writers and James Boland the first two lucky winners this season. And a big thank-you to all our Friends – you are still in with 7 chances to win! Here’s a quick look inside this issue
3 Cambodia – Kingdom of Wonder
4 and 5 Music and Book Reviews 2012
8 Writing from Stillness
10 Colm Brennan In Profile Remember, you can read our magazine online, too - http://thespaceinside.blogspot.com. See you at our first Live Night of 2013 on 8 January with another lively line-up of music and poetry. Happy New Year!
Carol Boland
Cover Art: Heartlands by Barbara O’Meara The Alley Gallery, Strabane: 7 Jan – 1 Feb ‘13 Barbara is from Wicklow. Her work is inspired by her current interest and investigation of a sunken yew forest on the Irish coastline. Her paintings are based on her interpretation and emotional responses to our connection with nature and the fragility of our lives. Her paintings are also inspired by simplicity and complexity of human nature. http://www.alley-theatre.com/exhibitions/
Taking Stock: the National Photographic Archive from 1998 Taking Stock at the National Photographic Archive (NPA) in Temple Bar, Dublin, is the NPA’s first retrospective. Rosy Wilson stumbled upon it one sunny afternoon in November.
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aving time to spare between meetings, I spent a sunny afternoon in Temple Bar moseying around IFI, the Culture Box and other interesting spaces, and happened on the ‘Taking Stock’ exhibition. I'd never seen this branch of the National Library of Ireland, but was curious to look at the photographs displayed there. The exhibition area was light and very quiet with only one young man studying the photos. These were mainly black and white scenes, and people with historical events related to 20th century history. For example, there were rather sinister pictures of the Free State Army embarking in Dublin and landing in Cork during the Civil War. Huge crowds of civilians looked on in both cities and I wondered what side, if any, they were on. There were also photos of people coming ashore, rescued from the wreck of the Lusitania. My favourite pictures were the many portraits of Irish characters such as islanders on Inisheer waiting for the Dun Aengus to land. The men were all on the Quay with women and girls on the land behind. There was a great photo taken in the 1950s of a farmer ploughing with 2 fine horses in Liscannor, and overhead the trail of a jet presumably after taking off at Shannon. Maybe I loved this photo because I know this part of Co. Clare so well with its combination of traditional and contemporary ways and culture. Whether you're from Dublin, Cork, Limerick or Kerry, the Western Islands or Co. Wicklow, or any other part of Ireland, there will be photos to remind you of familiar places, people and events. After a very interesting hour down memory lane with great photographs, I walked along the Broadwalk to The Winding Stair Bookshop, before crossing the Halfpenny Bridge, pausing to admire the colours of sunset on stunning views up and down river. ‘Taking Stock’ runs until summer 2013 and admission is free.
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Cambodia Kingdom of Wonder
Janet Smith lived in Wicklow town for many years and was a member of the Space Inside team. She is now working in Cambodia.
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n 1975, Cambodia's government, plagued by corruption and incompetence, lost its American military support. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge army, consisting of teenage peasant guerrillas, marched into the capital city Phnom Penh and, on 17th April, seized control of Cambodia. Once in power, Pol Pot began a radical experiment to create an agrarian utopia inspired in part by Mao Zedong's Cultural Revolution Pol Pot would now attempt his own ‘Super Great Leap Forward’ in Cambodia, which he renamed the Democratic Republic of Kampuchea. That ‘Super Great Leap Forward’ consisted not only of the most appalling genocide and torture of Cambodians, but a relentless destruction of the culture of the society. All art forms were banned;
the central cultural pillar of the society – Buddhism – was snuffed out with the killing of monks and the banning of any form of religious or spiritual practices. The famous and exquisitely beautiful Cambodian traditional dance known as Apsara was also banned. Schools were closed, the use of foreign languages was banned. Newspapers and television stations were shut down, radios and bicycles confiscated. Money was forbidden. All businesses were shuttered, religion banned, education halted, health care eliminated, and parental authority revoked. Rebuilding artistic heritage The road back to normality for Cambodia has been long and painful. Today the Killing Fields and the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum are much visited by foreign tourists, egged on by tuk-tuk drivers eager to earn dollars. But there is a part of Cambodian society that is seeking not so much to forget but to re-build its rich artistic heritage. Cambodia Society for the Living Arts (CSLA) has a mission. That mission is to make Cambodia known for its Arts - visual, performance and music – as much as for its Killing Fields. And it is making great strides in this direction. A new CD of Jazz-Khmer music produced by CSLA is a wonderful blend of traditional haunting Khmer music with spikey jazz riffs played on a blend of old and new instruments. A Phnom Penh based band called
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Krom has just produced a new CD ‘Songs from the Noir’ which draws some painful attention to the underbelly of Cambodian life, as well as a celebration of Khmer culture: Check out video release, ‘Oh Phnom Penh’ on Youtube. Traditional Apsara dancing has seen a massive revival, along with a burgeoning performing arts scene and contemporary dance. Five nights a week, the traditional Apsara Dance Company of Cambodia performs in the grounds of the National Museum. There is also a Phnom Penh School of Performing Arts, which has recently given both free and ticketed performances in the main theatre in Phnom Penh. Phare Ponleu Selpak Another stunning artistic venture is the Phare Ponleu Selpak, a wellknown NGO, which began in the refugees camps in 1986 on the Thai border. This venture gives disadvantaged young people the chance to channel their energies into learning circus skills of juggling, clowning and acrobatics, while raising awareness of issues such as HIV/AIDS, landmines, disability and child rights. The energy, enthusiasm and sheer hutzpah of these young 14 – 18 olds is inspiring as they re-enact parts of their history through performances which make you gasp as they perform seemingly impossible feats. To see the spirit of this country rise above its trauma is testimony to the overwhelming power of art to renew, to re-engage and to redress atrocities of the past. Think of Cambodia. Think of its artists. Wonder at its human spirit.
Music Reviews
Sharon Van Etten Tramp
12 For 2012 Our regular album reviewer, Michael Tinsley, gives us a run-down of 12 of his top albums of 2012. Despite the much heralded on-going slow death of the music industry, 2012 was yet another phenomenal year for new music. Starting with a long list over 80 albums I found it a hard job to pick only 12. In the end I plumped for those that I kept coming back to: always a good touchstone.
Dr. John Locked Down My biggest musical regret of the year was missing Dr. John’s July gig in Vicar Street because, if it was anything like this album, then it must have been a treat. On ‘Locked Down’ the New Orleans Blues legend teams up with the Black Keys main man Dan Auerback to deliver 10 brass infused blues-rock songs that have more funk and vitality than any septuagenarian should be able to muster. Dum Dum Girls End of Daze
Action Bronson Blue Chips My favourite hiphop album of 2012 is undoubtedly the ‘Blue Chips’ mixtape by Action Bronson: a larger than life 27 year-old professional chef turned rapper from Flushing, New York of Albanian stock. Over beats provided by producer Party Supplies, he delivers his lurid ghostfaced flavoured rhymes about his favourite topics of cooking, women and weed. Fierce, funny and filthy.
While only a 5 track EP, ‘End of Daze’ is packed with more emotion, drama and quality songs than most albums. Although centred around the reverb-drenched slow-burner ‘Lord Knows’, the other tracks are packed with enough evolving ennui and pounding pathos to sooth any broken heart. How To Dress Well Total Losee
Cat Power Sun Sun
Returning from a wilderness of financial, substance abuse and mental health problems Chan Marshall single-handedly delivers an unexpected mix of contemporary sounding songs flavoured with synths and drum machines. Uptempo singles ‘Ruin’ and ‘Cherokee’ stand-out at first but repeated listens reveal even greater depths. Corin Tucker Band Kill My Blues With Wild Flag’s eponymous debut album rightfully claiming all the postSleater Kinney glory last year, the other Kinney, Ms. Corin Tucker retuned in 2012 to reclaim some of the limelight with the righteous rage of Kill My Blues. Female-fronted alt rock has rarely sounded this focused and fierce.
Tom Krell’s sophomore album as ‘How To Dress Well’ expands his mesmerising altcontemporary take on R&B. While the fidelity is turned-up on this offering, when compared to his debut, the quality knob is still stuck on 11. A challenging but extremely rewarding listen. Purity Ring Shrines The debut album from Canadian altelectro popsters Purity Ring is an amazingly accomplished and coherent body of work, filled with strong melodies, interesting if sometimes obtuse lyrics, lush swathes of synths and more innovative beats than a dozen hip-hop mix tapes put together.
After 10 months on the stereo it is the quality of the songs like ‘Give Out’, ‘Leonard’ and ‘Serpents’ that keep me returning to Ms. Van Etten’s third album. The understated arrangements belie the amount of emotion she manages to squeeze into every line of every song. A touching and thrilling triumph. The Staves Dead & Born & Grown Watford’s finest, the Stavely-Taylor sisters, finally released their debut album in November. It was worth the wait. ‘Dead & Born & Grown’ is an accomplished but delicate album filled with beautifully gentle songs and thrilling blood-harmonies. Stealing Sheep Into The Diamond Sea Stealing Sheep are a Liverpool based allfemale three piece. The 11 songs on their debut album are all as strong as they are diverse, with folksy and pastoral elements, particularly in the vocals, but also touches of Krautrock, pop, alt rock, prog and electronica. A veritable rough diamond. Terror Danjah Dark Crawler One of many quality releases on the Hyperdub label this year, Dark Crawler is an ambitious slab of contemporary electronic bass music featuring elements from grime and dubstep. There are plenty of guest vocalists and rappers to add other dimensions to Terror’s cinematic beats. Embrace the fear. THEESatisfaction awE NaturalE Although out of Seattle, and on the Sub Pop Label, these hip-hop / soul / electronica grooves couldn’t be further from the grunge sound of yore. Although only 30 minutes long Stas & Cat have filled this album with enough funk, rhymes and clever vocal interplay to last the whole year. An unorthodox delight.
Book Review 2012 Bridge Street Books, Wicklow, is the proud winner of the BGE Irish Book Shop of the Year Award. Here are some of their favourites for Christmas. Non-Fiction Our pick of non-fiction includes ‘Into the Silence, the Great War, Mallory & the Conquest of Everest’ by Wade Davis. Taking ten years to write, Wade Davis asks not whether George Mallory was the first to reach the summit of Everest, but rather why he kept climbing on that fateful day. Expertly researched, brilliantly written, this is a must for anyone interested in what it takes to reach the top of such a mountain. Or, take a look at the ‘Atlas of the Great Irish Famine’ by Crowley, Smith and Murphy. This lavishly-illustrated Atlas is the definitive summary of all aspects of the Great Irish Famine. For the best in sports try ‘The Secret Race’ by Tyler Hamilton, the ultimate sports exposé, about Lance Armstrong & the US Postal team - a book that takes us into the secret world of professional cycling like never before. For something a bit different, try ‘The One Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window And Disappeared by Jonas Jonnasson, which starts on the one-hundredth birthday of Allan Karlsson. Sitting quietly in his room in an old people's home, he is waiting for the party he-never-wantedanyway to begin. . The press is going to be there but, as it turns out, Allan is not. And so begins his unlikely journey involving criminals, several murders and a suitcase full of cash. Lastly, for a fast paced thriller try ‘The Black Box’ by Michael Connelly, the latest thrilling read featuring Harry Bosch. Or ‘The Bat’ by Jo Nesbo, the first ever Harry Hole book, only recently translated into English
Fiction We loved ‘Flight Behaviour’ by Barbara Kingsolver - On the Appalachian Mountains above her home, a young mother discovers a beautiful and terrible marvel of nature. As the world around her is suddenly transformed by a seeming miracle, can the old certainties they have lived by remain unchallenged? Stick with this one as it is a fabulous read – Kingsolver at her best. Also a very good read is The ‘Secret Keeper’ by Kate Morton, the latest from the much-loved and bestselling author. Or ‘Painter of Silence’ by Georgina Harding, a magnificently written book that is poetic in reading. It’s Romania, the early 1950s, and a nameless man is found on the steps of a hospital. Deaf and mute, he is unable to communicate until a young nurse called brings paper and pencils. Slowly, painstakingly, memories appear on the page. Also worth a mention are two of the most talked about books this year : Maeve Binchy’s ‘A Week in Winter’ and JK Rowling’s ‘The Casual Vacancy’. A Week in Winter is full of Maeve’s trademark warmth, humour and characters you want to spend time with. Set high on the cliffs on the west coast of Ireland, Stone House was falling into disrepair – until one woman, with a past she needed to forget, breathed new life into the place. Although Rowling received mixed reviews, this is a fine book. Slightly slow to get into, this is a page turner. Teens Last year, Will Hill stormed the vampire world with ‘Department 19’, the tale of the secret government department which exists to protect us from Vampires. This year, the sequel ‘The Rising’ is equally as good, if not better than the first. A fast paced, action packed thriller. For a slightly slower paced thriller, look no further than ‘Girl, Stolen’ by April Henry. A novel set in America, in which a car is stolen, while
Cheyenne Wilder is asleep in the back seat. Things take a twist when we find out Cheyenne is blind and although she can’t see her kidnappers, they refuse to let her go. What follows is seat gripping and thoroughly enjoyable. Finally, there are two films about to storm the big screen this Christmas, so why not read the book first – ‘The Hobbit’ by JRR Tolkien comes in many formats now, and is the perfect present.. ‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower’ by Stephen Chbosky, is the story of freshman Charlie and a coming of age novel that will entertain and amuse till the end. Children There are some fantastic new picture books this year including ‘Wanted: The Perfect Pet’ by Fiona Roberton, The Christmas Mouse by Ruth Brown, adapted from Charles Dickens classic ‘A Christmas Carol’ and Superworm by Julia Donaldson. But my favourite has to be ‘Guess How Much I love You, Here, There & Everywhere’ by Sam McBratney, a new collection of stories featuring Big Nutbrown Hare and Little Nutbrown Hare. Also fantastic is ‘The Snow Bear’ by Holly Webb. As the snow begins to fall, Grandpa and Sara build an igloo and Sara sculpts a snow bear and finds the snow bear has transformed into a real live cub! On every wish list this year are ‘The New Wimpy Kid’, The Third Wheel by Jeff Kinney and the David Walliams book ‘Ratburger’. Lastly, Jacqueline Wilson has 2 books out this Christmas – ‘Four Children and It’, a retelling of the old classic. and the third in the Hetty Feather series ‘Emerald Star’. All Ages ‘Wicklow Photographs: Exploring County Wicklow in a photographic Journey’ by Ian Lush and Paddy Maddock is a fabulous collection of photographs. Also, ‘My Olympic Dream’ Katie Taylor’s diary and photographic journal of how she achieved Olympic gold, is a lovely memento and suitable for all the family. Bridge Street Books T:353(0)404 62240 www.bridgestreetbooks.ie
What’s On – Events that caught the Space Inside’s eye CONCERT
OPERA ROH Live Cinema
The Unthanks Thurs 28 February
La Boheme Tues 15 Jan
20.00 The Unthanks have established themselves as one of the most innovative and critically acclaimed folk band to emerge in many years. George Unthank joins his girls with his own band The Keelers, ’ a rowdy, gusty Northumbrian group of shanty singers’. €20/18 conc Mermaid Box Office T: 01 272 4030
From a shabby garret to the bustling Café Momus to a snowy courtyard at dawn, this minutely observed panorama of 1830s Parisian life, conjures emotions and atmosphere ranging from joy to tragedy, in largescale crowd scenes and intimate tableaux. Puccini no doubt drew on his own student escapades for the robust humour of the comic scenes. Movies@Gorey Movies@Dundrum
www.mermaidartscentre.ie
THEATRE OLIVER!
ART Riverside Art Gallery Tinahely
12 Dec - 12 Jan 14.30 and 19.30 Cameron Mackintosh’s spectacular new production of Lionel Bart’s smash-hit musical OLIVER! which comes to Dublin as part of its first ever UK and Ireland tour. Starring Neil Morrissey as Fagin and Samantha Barks as Nancy. €20 - €50
Bord Gais Theatre Grand Canal Square, Docklands, Dublin, 2, http://www.bordgaisenergytheatre.ie/
Group Art Exhibition
Jan 2013 Riverside Art Gallery is located in the Riverside Business Center in Tinahely , Co. Wicklow. Art Auctions and Exhibitions are held at regular intervals. Group Exhibition of works by Tony Kew, Vincent Lambe and Elena Mikhailova.
www.riversideartgallery.ie
Declaring Art on the World How can we avoid the roadblocks of any creative endeavor—be it writing a novel, or painting a masterpiece?
Anne Graham believes she may have found the answer.
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teven Pressfield helped me write this article. Or to put it more correctly, he showed me the weapons that I must use in the war against that perpetual enemy of creativity and productivity Resistance. For years now I have been somewhat haphazard in my creative output. Sure, I have made an album and two EPs in the last two years. But the process was like the proverbial pulling of teeth with my musical partner-incrime acting as dentist. If he hadn’t put deadlines for completing the work, it would probably be still swirling around in the ether of my head or on his computer. And don’t get me started on my last minute approach to things; only practising or coming up with that guitar riff the day before recording and almost NEVER taking notes of . . . well, notes, chords, anything that might have made the process a hell of a lot easier and perhaps improved the overall quality of the finished product too. Articles such as this would (usually) find themselves sent just in the nick of time and not always up to standard. And then there’s my fictional writing, itself a fiction, as mythical as El Dorado. Everything rushed or noncommittal. It’s funny because I would call myself an artistic soul, and constantly tell friends and family
about the million and one creative ideas I have waiting in the black to be borne into life. But I wasn’t doing the one thing that Stephen Pressfield said I should be doing - approaching the work like a Pro. In his book, The War of Art - Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles, Pressfield (author of The Legend of Bagger Vance and many others) plays General and drums up the troops (i.e. me and other creative types) to have courage and commit to fighting the daily, never-ending war against your fears or as he calls it, Resistance.
In a series of easy-to-read essays, he tells you that it really is very simple sit down before your computer, easel, bank manager (if an entrepreneur) and JUST DO IT. He tells the reader to stop worrying and fussing over whether their next novel or piece of art is going to be a commercial or critical success; if you’re doing that you become a hack, someone who is eyeing up what’s fashionable
currently on the ‘market’ and going with that. If you take this approach, Pressfield argues, you will never create the stuff you really love. He also states that taking the ‘amateur approach’ of doing it as a sideline, when it ‘feels right’ to do it, is a cop out. If you say that you are an artist or an entrepreneur, then start treating it seriously and as your main career. To those who are sceptical to the financial stability of such an undertaking, Pressfield takes an example from his own life - in his early twenties, his marriage fell apart. Even though he was working various jobs, keeping in with conventional society’s standards of providing for his family, going against his innate creative spirit caused him undue stress and inability to maintain healthy, stable relationships with others. So, after many years of rejected novels and rubbished film scripts, he made the book - The Legend of Bagger Vance he truly wanted to write. It was a commercial success (despite the reservations of his agents and others on the commercial viability of a fiction book about golf). So whether you need ‘lucky’ talisman or rituals Pressfield invokes the Muse everyday via a quote from the Homer’s Odyssey - to mentally prepare yourself each day, do it. Don’t distract yourself from the task at hand with logic, reflection, comfort-eating, drugs or sex, just jump in. I entered a short story competition last week after reading Pressfield. It’s not Pulitzer-prize winning fare by any means, but at least I wrote about what I wanted to - art for art’s sake and am prepared to keep at it, keep learning. If the world decides at any point to sit up and pay attention to my battle cry, that’s just a bonus. The War of Art is available on Amazon
Writing from Stillness Writing from Stillness One workshop that most of us will need after the festive season is over is Writing from Stillness. This workshop invites you to slow down and connect with your own creativity, just as writers like Thoreau and, more recently, Jane Hirshfield have done.
Are you a writer in need of inspiration? Carol Boland talks to Shirley McClure on her imaginative writing workshops.
Shirley McClure has been working in adult education for almost thirty years, teaching health and wellbeing, as well as English. She runs a number of creative writing classes with groups, and has a particular interest in Creative Writing for Therapeutic Purposes. Her one-day Creative Writing workshops are aimed at beginner writers and poet, and those who have been writing for some time. ‘My workshops offer opportunities for exploration, trying things out,’ says Shirely. ‘Some people come to these days because they have lost focus in their work or are looking for a new 'charge' to ignite their pages. Others come to dip their toes in the creative pool, to enjoy a stimulating, reflective day.’ Shirely has run workshops with various groups, such as the Active Retirement in Bray, and is currently facilitating a course with Arklow Cancer Support Group entitled Creative Words for Well-being . Writing from the Five Elements This interesting workshop refers to Chinese philosophy, where the world and all that's in it - nature, objects, our senses, our preoccupations - belong to 5
distinct Phases or Elements. ‘Writers have always been attracted to the natural world,’ says Shirely,’ and this workshop draws on the 5 Elements, and their many associations, to begin 5 new pieces of writing.’ Participants are led into writing by the use of visual prompts, evocative materials, and examples of poetry and prose by established writers.
‘Art bids us touch and taste and hear and see the world and shrinks from all that is of the brain only, from all that is not a fountain jetting from the entire hopes, memories and sensations of the body’ W.B. Yeats. Writing from the Body Shirely’s Writing from the Body, is a one-day creative writing workshop for women. She invites participants to pay attention to the body as an intrinsic element of life itself, perhaps comparable to the way that an artist works at Life Drawing. ‘The body has been described as our Home, and in that sense it may be a good place to start, or indeed return to, on our writing paths.’ Rich, body-related imagery is discovered in the pieces written during this workshop.
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‘Conscious stillness is a way for us to reach our inner core, the deep place of truth where we feel connected to the pulse of life itself – the ultimate creative principle – and know ourselves to be one with that’ J McCutchen Simple mindfulness techniques are used prior to writing and, as with the other workshops, no previous experience is necessary. The next workshop on Writing from Stillness, takes place Sunday 24th February 2013 at the Wilton Hotel Southern Cross Road, Bray, and is open to both men and women. To register your interest, email Shirley at shirleymcclure2@gmail.com or phone 086 603 4481. Cost is €55 waged/ €45 unwaged/ OAP.
Winner of Cork Literary Review's Manuscript Competition 2009, runner-up in the Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Award 2009, and shortlisted for the Strokestown International Poetry Competition 2012, Shirley’s début collection, Who's Counting? (Bradshaw Books) was published in 2010. http://www.thepoetryvein.com
Metaphor in Writing Following on from her article on symbolism, Carol Boland now looks at how metaphor can enhance your writing.
Tenor and Vehicle
A metaphor is a figure of speech that describes a subject by asserting that it is the same as another, otherwise unrelated, object. One of the most prominent examples in English literature is from the play As You Like It: A visual metaphor used by Angel Soft ‘All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely Visual players; they have their exits and Modern advertising relies heavily their entrances’ Shakespeare. on visual metaphors. For example, This quote is a metaphor because in a magazine ad for the banking the world is not literally a stage but firm Morgan Stanley, a man is by asserting that the world is a pictured bungee jumping off a cliff. stage, Shakespeare uses the Two words explain this visual comparison to convey an metaphor: a dotted line from the jumper's head points to the word understanding about how the "You"; another line from the end of world works and the lives of the the bungee cord points to "Us." The people within it. metaphorical message - of safety and security provided in times of Metaphor Types risk - is conveyed through a single Common types of metaphor dramatic image. The Angel Soft/ include dead, visual and mixed angel baby advert (above) is metaphors. another good example. Dead A dead metaphor is one in which the sense of a transferred image is absent. For example: ‘to grasp a concept’ and ‘to gather what you've understood’ use physical action as a metaphor for understanding. Most people do not visualize the action — dead metaphors normally go unnoticed.
Mixed A mixed metaphor is one that leaps from one metaphor to another which is inconsistent with the first. ‘I smell a rat, but I'll nip him in the bud.’ This form is often used as a parody of metaphor itself: ‘If we can hit that bull's-eye then the rest of the dominoes will fall like a house of cards.’
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On a more technical point, a metaphor expresses the unfamiliar, or the tenor, in terms of the familiar, or the vehicle. When Neil Young sings, ‘Love is a rose,’ the ‘rose’ is the vehicle for ‘love’ which is the tenor.
‘The apparition of these faces in the crowd; Petals on a wet, black bough.’
Ezra Pound,
Why use metaphor By using metaphors, you can convey much more through implication than through straightforward language. Take the case of that literary metaphor dolphin-torn: what exactly is Yeats suggesting about the sea, and how else could this have been expressed? Just as writers convey meaning more open-endedly when they use metaphorical language, readers interpret less narrowly. So meaning is communicated between writer and reader in a less precise way, even though the metaphors may seem concrete and vivid. It is this imprecision, this 'fuzziness' of meaning, which makes metaphor such a powerful tool in the communication of emotion. Source: Murray Knowles and Rosamund Moon, Introducing Metaphor. Routledge, 2006, and Internet.
In Profile Colm Brennan Interview by Carol Boland If Colm Brennan is not a name you immediately recognise, chances are that you know him better than you think - for Colm’s sculptures adorne many public spaces throughout Ireland.
A Traveller’s Tale
Born in Belmuttet, Co. Mayo, Colm now lives in Co. Wexford. He was a founder member of the Sculptors’ Society of Ireland and Sculpture in Context and, in 1986, he established the CAST bronze foundry in Dublin, with Leo Higgins.
Jenna Byers recently returned from a trip to Vienna where she stumbled across a most unusual museum. Vienna is a city awash with ostentation; palaces of white stone and churches decked in gold, but tucked away beneath the walls of the Imperial Palace is the littleknown Globe Museum. This is an experience unique to the city of Vienna, as it is the only Globe Museum in the world, and it is a surprising treat for the traveller looking for something a little off the beaten track.
So where might you connect with Colm’s work? If you’ve been to UCD’s Belfield Campus, RTE Montrose, Conrad Hotel, Dublin Zoo, even Dublin Airport, then you cannot have missed his monumental sculptures. Further afield, Civic Offices, Nenagh, INTE in Leixlip, and Kilmacthomas, Co. Waterford, all display his pieces. The list of his exhibitions in Ireland and abroad is endless.
The museum follows the historical evolution of the globe, from its earliest inaccurate stages to modern school versions. Alongside the development of the terrestrial globe is the collection of celestial globes charting the night skies. The earlier, baroque globes are works of art, depicting the constellations in pictorial form, compared to more contemporary version which shows the stars as they sit in the sky.
Visiting his studio outside Gorey, you are greeted with a plethora of manquettes and small pieces of his work. ‘ I usually work in polystyrene first and then refine it in wax,’ say Colm, ‘then I work on it in bronze or bronze and stainless steel, two metals I find that are extremly compatible.’ Many of Colm’s pieces are abstract - 'Stele for Cecil King' in Tobernae Park, Blackrock, while others are naturalistic, such as ‘Golden Harvest’ in Kilmacthomas. His subjects vary from ‘Knockavota Calves’ to a ‘Melting Glacial Cube’, though one of my favourite pieces must be the ‘Watchers’ (above).
Some of the highlights include a digital globe with an overlay of the earliest surviving globe, demonstrating the stark lack of knowledge possessed by early cartographers. Also fascinating are the lunar globes in one of the last rooms. The first lunar globe depicts only one side of the moon because stargazers in the 1600’s had no way to see the dark side of the moon. The last room in the museum is home to four collections owned by private individuals, who have donated their globes to the museum and this demonstrates the range of uses that globes have been put to; as bookends, works of art, as well as informational tools.
Though best known for his work in bronze and stainless steel, Colm also creates prints using the technique of wood engraving. On top of all that, he is no-mean poet. You can catch Colm on TG4’s Imeall, in January. An exhibition of his work in Green Acres Gallery, Wexford, in March 2013 will be well worth the trip.
No matter how jaded a traveller you might be, this museum is bound to show you something new or, at the very least, reignite your passion for travel.
www.colmbrennan.ie
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First Fortnight
2013 is again using live music,
NEW SALMON BOOKSHOP
spoken-word, theatre, film and visual art to create open discussion and understanding of mental health problems and challenge prejudice and discrimination.
Publisher Salmon Poetry has established a new writing centre and bookshop in Ennistymon, Co Clare. The Salmon Bookshop & Literary Centre will host a monthly reading series, book launches and signings, creative writing workshops, and master classes facilitated by writers from Ireland, the US, UK and further afield. The bookshop offers a wide range of new and second hand books, with an emphasis on poetry and literary titles.
Stuart Semple, Le Galaxie, We Cut Corners, Róisín O, Kopek, actress Mary McEvoy, and acclaimed theatre productions Silent, Solpadeine Is My Boyfriend & Box of Frogs. Check out the full line-up on www.FirstFortnight.ie
Ri Sessions is new platform for up and coming singer songwriters which takes place on the first Wednesday of every month in Sally O’Briens, Arklow. They showcase popular artists living in the Wicklow area, and Leslie Dowdall will perform on 2nd Jan
ARTS CENTRE FOR ENNISCORTHY The Presentation Centre is a new multi-use arts venue in Enniscorthy, Co.Wexford, developed by Enniscorthy Town Council. Situated on the site of the former Presentation Convent, this modern new facility has been sensitively redeveloped and retains all the wonderful features of the former chapel including stained glass windows, ornate timber ceiling, original wishbone floor, decorative arches and adjoining walled garden. Contact: Mairead Linneen 0539233000
Ri Sessions also run a competition with €2,000 worth of recording prizes sponsored by Gavin Ralston and others. The competition is open to soloists, duets and bands (18 and over only). Gigs are free with donations to Suicide or Survive. Contact Ri sessions on Facebook or txt 0872451287.
Creative Writing Comps Poetry Ireland / Trócaire Poetry Competition Deadline: 1st Mar 13 Dead Good Poetry Competition Deadline: 31st Mar 13 2013 Cardiff International Poetry Competition Deadline: 15th Feb 13 2012 British Haiku Awards Deadline: 31st Jan 13 2013 Hippocrates Prize Deadline: 31st Jan 13 Strokestown International Poetry Award Deadline: 25th Jan 13
Source: Poetry Ireland
DAULTEN QUAILE GENEALOGY Learn How to Trace your Family History Beginner’s Day Course €50 per person Guided Field Trip to a Dublin repository €25 per person Book a researcher to do your research Reasonable Rates
The Lennon Education Centre Annagh Long, Gorey, Co Wexford Tel: 05394 10013 or Mobile: 086 3287217
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Email: daultenquaile@eircom.net www.lennoneducationcentre.ie
In Memory of Gerry Sheridan
Gerry Sheridan was a staunch supporter of the Arts. He was a founder member of Wicklow Writers, a Friend of The Space Inside, and a member of the Bealtaine Writers Group (Dublin). He will be sadly missed. The Butterfly Tree In leafy Glanmore glade standing tall the buddleia blooms multi-coloured. White blossoms draped in ceaseless animation with Red Admiral, Painted Lady and Speckled Wood. The lazy days of summer hold a time of peace and recollection.
Now autumn brings the falling year while buddleia’s blooms turn russet gold. Some butterflies turn to larvae and pupa while others their span of life is ended.
Glanmore 2 Famine walls bind green lawns, towering trees, haven from a clamorous world. Streaming river Vartry marking far boundary, betimes calm quiet. Chuckling by leafy trees, dappled by sunlit spears. Winter brings angry roaring torrent. Season grace this place. Spring awakening land, multi-coloured crocus and waving daffodils. Trees stir from bare slumber. Summer glows under warm sun soaking dusty lawns.
Languorous days flow gently. Sounds of merriment as glasses ring, smoky barbecue, carefree chatter.
Winter will shed its icy mantle on the tree coming spring will renew the Butterfly tree again.
Autumn shortening days, plants contract against frost. Carpets of russet leaves lie forewarn dark winter’s approach. Storm and ice to come.
Buddleia blossoms will rebound as Red Admiral flies in from Africa.
Through all the year stands Glanmore.
FRIENDS of The Space Inside 2012/13 Businesses: National Fire Museum of Power (Wales), Healthy Habits Café, Wicklow, Maltfield Riding School, Redcross, Bridge Street Books and Track One (Wicklow). Groups: Wicklow Writers and Shed Poets Individuals: Anne Ferris (TD), Helen Duffy, Avril Young, Charlie Burke, Conal Kavanagh (Councillor), Mary Boland, Anne Graham, John Graham, Joy Whittaker, George and Meta Whittaker, Liam Walsh, Edward Ryan, James Boland, Edward Ryan, Andy Boland, Cora Boland, Marie O’Brien, Philip Lynch, Michael Tinsley, Shirley McClure, Marin O’Donovan, Carol Boland, Margaret Kennedy, Tommy Dickenson, Bernie Walsh, Pat Moore, Peter Kelly, Philip Galvin, Pascal Moran, Liam Walsh, Catherine Graham, Helen Graham, Kevin Graham, Charlie Kavanagh, Angela Nolan, Kerri Gill, Patricia Gill. Space Inside Arts Magazine is published quarterly by volunteers: Carol Boland and Anne Graham. Distribution: Evert Beerda, Tess Doyle and others. Live Nights: Carol Boland, Pascal Moran, Kerri Gill, Anne Graham, Cait Breathnach, John Graham, Maureen O’Donovan http://thespaceinsdie.blogspot.com
T:0851138367 E:spaceinside@hotmail.com Published by Boland Press Printed by Conway Media
Space Inside Arts Live Nights First Tuesday in the month, from October to June, the Space Inside Arts runs a free evening of music, dance and poetry in Wicklow Sailing Club, South Quay, Wicklow Town. Doors opens 8pm Help us to keep afloat by becoming a Friend for only €40 with a chance to win €100 in our 9 monthly draws. You can also donate €3 (or more) online at thespaceinside.blogspot.com. The Space Inside is grateful to Wicklow Town Council and Friends for making the journal and Live Nights a reality. This project was initially assisted by Wicklow Rural Partnership Ltd under the European Union LEADER +/National Development Plan 2000-2006.