ELEMENTAL

An exhibition of contemporary sculpture, especially for children, with work by artists Caoimhe Kilfeather and Karl Burke, and creative response space designed and created by Anne Bradley; at VISUAL, Carlow. Curated by Superprojects.

20 September 2019 - 9 January 2020

Aimed especially at children aged 4-12, Elemental is an exhibition that invites children and people of all ages to encounter contemporary art through touch and movement, as well as sight. Leading artists Caoimhe Kilfeather and Karl Burke have transformed the Links gallery with their interactive, tactile sculptures and installations that explore scale, texture, space and light.

Elemental contains a major commission from Caoimhe Kilfeather, with artworks that suggest an imagined garden of both indoor and outdoor elements. One element, created from hundreds of metres of green Indian silk, hanging 3 metres high, offers pockets of space for children to inhabit. A wooden structure perches 5 metres high overlooking the exhibition space, the floor covered with cushions and 'leaves' fashioned from organdie, with brooms and sweeping brushes to tidy up. Children are able to walk around and through a steel sculpture by artist Karl Burke (entitled ‘Taking a Line’), which stands 2.5 metres high, and creates a very subtle optical illusion that implies density in empty space. A related video piece is also included.

Practising primary school teacher and trained artist Anne Bradley has created ‘The Make Space’ – a calm room where children can take time to creatively respond to the themes and materials of the works on exhibition; using materials such as sand, small objects, pieces of wood and fabric to explore pattern, visual order, touch and more.

Elemental was funded by The Arts Council.

Photos by Ros Kavanagh.