Category: Exhibition

The Old Cork in Colour exhibition is the result of a collaboration between Spike Island and the authors of the hugely popular ‘Old Ireland in Colour’ books, Professor John Breslin and Dr Sarah-Anne Buckley.

The authors have used their digital and research skills to identify and colourise over thirty images from the city and county of Cork, many of them being colourised for the first time. There are ten images taken on Spike Island that showcase its rich past, as a military, penal and social space, while the remaining twenty images include areas like Cork City, Cobh, Kinsale, Bantry, Bandon and Cork Harbour.

John was able to make use of a computer-based “artificial intelligence” system called DeOldify that does an initial colourisation of a black and white photograph in a short period. After that, he manually colourises various aspects of the photograph in Photoshop to correct any incorrect colours—such as uniforms, eyes, hair, etc.—based on any records or research he or Sarah-Anne can find. For uniforms, John and Sarah-Anne contacted several uniform specialists in Ireland and the UK to find out about various shades of khaki, green, etc. for those British and Irish uniforms that he had colourised from around the WWI time frame. For eyes, hair, etc. he consulted portrait paintings, Ellis Island travel records, biographies, prison records, family members and any other relevant records where available.

“Often the details are unknown, so you must choose a colour that looks right or that seems to match the shade of grey in the original photo—there is a certain amount of interpretation here, but it is usually based on commonly worn colours, building materials, etc. from the period, statistics on eye colours in certain countries, and so on.”

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The exhibition is on display in Mitchel Hall until November 2022.
Curated by Dorota Gubbins.

From left, Dorota Gubbins curator and John Crotty general manager, both Spike Island and authors Dr Sarah-Anne Buckley and Professor John Breslin, both NUI Galway, at the official opening of the exhibition ‘Old Cork in Colour’ on 12 April 2022. Photo: David Keane

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Hold Fast. As part of the Cork Harbour Festival and in collaboration with Backwater Artists Group, studio member Seán Hanrahan presents a body of work in two of the cells, of the former Punishment Block in Spike Island. The work reflects on the maritime theme of tattoos, which are perhaps one of the most recognisable visual forms, when we think of the culture of sailors. Tattoos are also very much part of prison culture. The exhibition will reference popular images of tattoos, such as the nautical star, anchor and swallows and explore the correlation between both cultures, in relation to this theme.

HOLD FAST: Physically, the term Hold Fast means to bear down and fight through the storm, it also indicates a sailor’s career as a deckhand, by the tattoos on their hands of the same name.

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About Seán Hanrahan
Seán Hanrahan is a multidisciplinary artist based in Cork city, working in print, photography, installation & collaborative practice. My studio practice is at Backwater Artists Studio where I am also a board member. I have been a member of Cork Printmakers for 15 years, where I have worked on several projects & exhibited internationally. Recent projects/exhibition – Artist in residence at IMMA (Irish Museum of Modern Art) where I produced a site-specific flag Project Memory Anthem for IMMA’s A Radical Plot residency program August-October 2021. Facebook Artist in Residence (AIR) program, where I produced a large-scale mural for their Cork Oculus laboratory offices. In 2018 I co-curated Aрка/Arch exhibition of Belarusian graphic work with Belarusian Artist Roman Sustov, Studio 12 Backwater Artists, Cork IRE. HALFTONE 16, 17, 18, 20, 21 The Library Project, Dublin IRE. The 188th RHA open submission exhibition, Dublin IRE. Solo exhibition Night Frightens the Day/Калі ноч палохае дзень VCCA (Centre for Contemporary and Modern Art) Minsk, Belarus. Over the Sun, (Kazimir Malevich’s influence on western Artists), initiated and curated by Seán Hanrahan. Participating artists Seán Hanrahan IRE Dominic Fee IRE and Josh Dannin USA, Vitebsk Gallery of Modern Art (V.C.C.A.) Vitebsk, Belarus.

xhanrahan.com

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Holding fast, in cells and on high seas | Podcast by Ellie O’Byrne

Source: Tripe + Drisheen

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About Backwater Artists Group
Established in 1990 by artists for artists, Backwater Artists Group provides high-quality, affordable studios with security of tenure, access to facilities and developmental support for over 70 visual artists. We ensure a stable, supportive working environment for artists and we are committed to ensuring that artists develop the skills needed to establish, expand and sustain their studio practice.  Through our Studio 12 exhibition/project space, we support studio and non-studio artists and aim to increase collaboration and engagement with the wider artistic community and the general public through exhibitions and outreach events. The Backwater Artists Network (BAN) offers a shared city centre focal point and opportunities to connect for professional artists working in isolation from studios in their own homes or in single privately rented studios.

backwaterartists.ie

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About Spike Island

Spike Island offers unique art venues within the prestigious heritage buildings whose history spans almost two centuries.

Dorota Gubbins is the curator at Spike Island with her primary focus being on heritage and arts. This has led to organising and facilitating a great variety of events.