ARCHIVE:

Louise McGarrigle

July can be a blaze of glory, full of arts festivals, exhibitions, and shows throughout the country – waiting to be discovered, experienced and hopefully offering inspiration and a chance for reflection.

The familiar adage, “This too shall pass,” which Richard Long reimagined as an art piece in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, serves as the inspiration for an exhibition curated by Valeria Ceregini and presented at the Galway International Arts Festival. In 2020, Long sought to portray comfort and fragility through this phrase, reminding us of the transitory nature of the human condition at that time. Unfortunately, five years on, we find ourselves in no better place globally, grappling with ongoing geopolitical instability, devastating wars, and the escalating effects of the climate crisis.

The exhibition for the Arts Festival explores the transient nature of life and the interconnectedness between humans and the Earth.  GIAF describes how, through the use of decaying materials, “the featured artists highlight the cycles of transformation in nature, emphasising the fragility and resilience of the environment. The exhibition encourages reflection on sustainability, urging us to adapt to nature’s rhythms and act with urgency to address environmental challenges, fostering a hopeful path toward a harmonious, sustainable future.”

Staying out west, Architecture at the Edge has its Open Call for applications until July 7th. This year’s theme is The Unseen Architecture: Making Visible the Invisible. The 2025 program aims to highlight architecture as part of our everyday, often imperceptible but making up our vital environment, and influencing our way of life in both conscious and subconscious ways. The festival itself will take place from the end of September through October.

Tilt, by French artist Noémie Goudal, is on display at the Dock Arts Centre in Leitrim until August 2nd, curated by Mary Conlon and Linda Shevlin. Goudal constructs illusionistic interventions in the landscape, captured through photography, film, and sound. Deploying scenography and staging devices, she expands photography beyond its conventional parameters into immersive installations. Her wok is educated by her interest in paleoclimatology—how scientists study past climates partly to undertsand what happened and partly to help predict future events and plan accordingly.

Let’s hope July brings some balmy weather, ideal for exploring Dublin on a walking tour with the Irish Georgian Society. Titled From the Oscar Wilde Statue to Townsend and Hawkins Streets, this tour, given by Dublin Decoded’s Arran Henderson, will explore a lesser known section of the city, from north of Merrion Square to Fenian Street, Cumberland Street, Pearse Street, Townsend, and Hawkins Streets. Explorers can enjoy a mix of architecture from Victorian school buildings and old stone masons’ yards, to theatres and music halls.