Cork gets an art squat

by Niall Harnett Fri Feb 04, 2005 01:13

Great work, best wishes to all of ye. Reminds me of those who squatted a derelict boat yard in Amsterdam where some of the new tenants refurbished machinery and boats, acquired charter licenses and now make a living from boat cruises and tourism. I really hope that you are let alone to show what can be done by people with intelligence, initiative and drive, in a place left derelict by people without vision.

by Kevin Fri Feb 04, 2005 10:42

I live quite near this squat and noticed the recent activity. Great to see what is happening. It is a beautiful building and a crime that it has been empty for so long. A lot of people around here will be glad to see the place even getting a lick of paint.

by Langers! Fri Feb 04, 2005 11:59

The Russian parliament's lower chamber, the Duma, has barred a pianist from performing in the canteen after she played a tune with criminal undertones.
Pianist Olga Skiba was initially hired to delight MPs with the sounds of Mozart and Chopin - but was flooded with requests for popular melodies.
She was suspended for three weeks after she played the 80-year-old tune Murka.
It tells a story of a gangster killing his girlfriend for being an undercover agent of the Bolshevik secret police. Murka is considered a classic example of the prison chanson-style which originated in Odessa in the 1920s. The style came into fashion again after the collapse of the USSR.
Many Russian intellectuals have expressed alarm about the spread of the gangster culture.
Russian Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper says Ms Skiba was punished after a complaint voiced by nationalist MP Andrei Savelyev at the chamber's session. The pianist is said to have explained that Chopin was not conducive to MPs' digestion, so she had given in to their requests to play music from classic Soviet and Hollywood films, such as The Godfather.
The newspaper suggests that such issues emerge in the Duma because "MPs have nothing to do when all laws are dictated by the presidential administration". "Maybe they should invite acrobats and clowns, or conduct gladiator fights? Komsomolskaya Pravda reports.

**************
But you can use them as instruments, "prepared piano" ( John Cage et al) if they have strings, or percussion instruments. Its sounds like a very interesting musicial resource. Perhaps you could make an installation with piano bits.
**************
Now you should think about decorating the outside of the building, linking your activity to culture year (hang a piano from the window) and don't just waste the opportunity. Do you have a contact phone number? Will some teckie heads make you a site?

by ho chi mama Fri Feb 04, 2005 13:34

Great news. Let's see some photos.

by Gringo Fri Feb 04, 2005 16:30

I was a pupil at the above mentioned premise when it was known as "the annex" to the Cork School of Music, the main building of which was located at Union Quay and which is now also empty for years. It served as the annex for quite a number of years, in fact I remember attending lessons there around 1983 and I'm sure it was in the same use previous to that.
Congratulations to all involved for trying to reclaim this building especially in the spirit of how it was used for many a year.
Check out whats happening with Jarvis and the proposed new cork school of music building.

by dunk Sat Feb 05, 2005 13:43

great stuff lads
has anyone got photos, please upload if possible

by kilty crew Sat Feb 05, 2005 14:29

photos.
phone numbers.
site.
or else we won't believe yiz.

by dunk Sat Feb 05, 2005 15:31

for further info on TAZ and other things of interest:

A Temporary Autonomous Zone (T.A.Z) is a space where diverse free cultural and artistic expressions can take place
it can be a building, part of a city, town, country, street theatre, action on the street
ie
old temple bar dublin, secret underground cinema paris, christiania free state in copenhagen, berlin love parade, burning man festival nevada USA.

in barcelona, there was D Form festival - A weekend TAZ experiment in Barcelona
http://deform.org/?seccion=info&lang=en
and news as it comes to ireland
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=66746&condense_comments=false#comment88021

theres an interesting long forum on the european architectural student website, EASA here
http://easa.antville.org/stories/887874/#923479
which is discussing some very interesting ideas in architecture today- the cutting edge of modern thinking? maybe not, but up there none the less.
where and what is up there?

the notion of TAZ has been around for a long time
ie preceltic times on this island
but the essay that led to its use today was written @ 1985 by Hakim Bey
heres the lot in full
http://www.hermetic.com/bey/taz3.html#labelTAZ
or
http://www.hermetic.com/bey/taz_cont.html
images later

hope this offers some inspiration as to how things could be
dunk

ps
if anyone could assist me here, most welcome
http://easa.antville.org/stories/1041499/
"alvar aalto was an anarchist"

by dunk Sat Feb 05, 2005 15:37

a similar space existed till @ december in kilkenny city
the present arts officer offered free use of the chadwicks electricity showroom as an art space for kilkenny up and coming artists- @ 14 people used space for @ half year. as well as studio space, they opened doors to the the public on open days; kids came in for art class from school and met real artists, saw what they were doing and talked with them.
i have photos, ill try to find them

my friend etaoin was one of the crew, she was responsible for black blanket @ bush shannon visit.
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=65270&search_text=black%20blanket

and she also helped make the idea "playing with phi" a reality
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=62618&search_text=playing%20with%20phi

by . Sun Feb 06, 2005 18:52

Why is this 'excellent'? A group of refugees from the middle-class sieze a piece of property for themselves. Are we to believe that this elite group represents the 'people' and that this is an act of socialisation? Looks like they just took a piece of property for their own purposes. Will others be allowed to move in now to do what they want? Say, a big bunch of rock bands who want to practise 24-7?

Remember that the 'commons' in both Britain and Ireland disappeared not just because of action by the State and landlords, but because of squatters who appropriated land and made it their own. They reckoned they were more deserving of it (as they saw it) than the collective community.

by revolutionary commandos of peru Sun Feb 06, 2005 23:37

chadwicks in kilkenny was cool!!! but its typical that now it has made way for a huge hotel and shopping centre.....but i guess thats progress.......

by LOL - "history of autonomy and canon law in one hand ballot box & doctorate in the other" Mon Feb 07, 2005 15:20

Deform is happening again in BCN the first site got evicted quite a weekend that one - but then turned into something else and trundles on, there's a weekend coming up soon-
C/f
http://barcelona.indymedia.org/newswire/display/157463/index.php
http://www.deform.org

by sarah - blackfort Wed Feb 09, 2005 12:20 sarahblackfort at yahoo dot co dot uk

wow I'm so impressed this sounds
amazing!
Is there a contact for anyone involved in
this available?
if so I would really like to get in touch with someone about this, or if they could mail me it would be much appreciated!

thanks,

sarah

by . Wed Feb 09, 2005 13:11

from http://www.utvinternet.ie/newsroom/indepth.asp?id=7867&pt=e

The group, which states among its aims a desire to tackle with the lack of affordable and adequate studio spaces for Cork artists and musicians, took it upon themselves to occupy and rennovate the old Cork School Of Music building on Wellington Road, which has been abandoned for twelve years and has fallen into disrepair.

The group, which includes visual artists and musicians have occupied the building in an effort to provide affordable spaces for Cork artists working in all genres and to house a creative community which would be in direct contact with the community during the city`s stint as EU capital of culture.

Now, the leaseholders Cork Institute of Technology have obtained an injunction which will force the group to vacate the red-brick building, leaving it empty once again.

A spokesperson for "One Day..." said the group has not been given a commitment that the premises, which has a shed full of pianos - including a Bechstein grand - in severe disrepair to the rear, will be put to use by CIT.

A small group of protesters gathered outside the building yesterday afternoon and displayed pianos left to rot in a shed as well as a placard that read "culture of capital".

There has been broad support for "One Day..." from across the artistic spectrum in Cork.

by YouTV Wed Feb 09, 2005 13:11

Cork artists collective removed from building

A Cork artists initiative calling itself "One Day..." has left a premises it rennovated on Wellington Road in Cork city centre.
*
The group, which states among its aims a desire to tackle with the lack of affordable and adequate studio spaces for Cork artists and musicians, took it upon themselves to occupy and rennovate the old Cork School Of Music building on Wellington Road, which has been abandoned for twelve years and has fallen into disrepair.

The group, which includes visual artists and musicians have occupied the building in an effort to provide affordable spaces for Cork artists working in all genres and to house a creative community which would be in direct contact with the community during the city`s stint as EU capital of culture.

Now, the leaseholders Cork Institute of Technology have obtained an injunction which will force the group to vacate the red-brick building, leaving it empty once again.

A spokesperson for "One Day..." said the group has not been given a commitment that the premises, which has a shed full of pianos - including a Bechstein grand - in severe disrepair to the rear, will be put to use by CIT.

A small group of protesters gathered outside the building yesterday afternoon and displayed pianos left to rot in a shed as well as a placard that read "culture of capital".

There has been broad support for "One Day..." from across the artistic spectrum in Cork.

by dunk Fri Apr 08, 2005 12:20

http://www.kilkennycoco.ie/ar2003/arts.html
Mary Butler, Arts Officer kilkenny

etaoin
http://www.emigrant.ie/files/indexfile.asp?id=189

chadwicks building @ kilkenny

12 artists occupy and use derelict space for half year

etaoins stencil work

by monkey - none Tue May 24, 2005 20:23 none none

heres a link to the lads site

http://www.oneday.ie

and if ye have any quieries or questions i suggest to make them to CIT....often

by redjade Tue May 24, 2005 21:02

I saw this on EuroNews or maybe the BBC the other night - I saw this post and it reminded me of the TV news I saw so I googled it and found the following.

Rather inspriation me thinks - shows that art can do something useful, involve people and be a 'player' in politics all at the same time. - redjade

------

A welcome dose of anarchy

STATUS Quo blaring at the checkpoint, cheerful decorative motifs draped over a disused army post, a procession of students wearing straitjackets to cross no man’s land at the Ledra Palace, an artist painting a pink line along the Green Line.

The past week has seen a delightful dose of anarchy injected into the threatening symbols of our division - the aggressive barbed wire, the military debris, the shattered houses of the buffer zone. It’s an area that’s all too often uncomfortable, a depressing reminder of separation, past suffering, and implicit threat - symbols that are deliberately maintained by the military and political establishments of both sides.

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/news/main.php?id=20029&cat_id=1

-- --

During the fighting and shortly thereafter, many shops abruptly shuttered their doors leaving inventory in place circa 1974. The team of Art Lab (UK) came across an old photography shop with an assortment of readymade props such as an Aubrey Beardsley poster, vitrines, tourist books, and other ephemera that they incorporated with their own work.

Art Lab put new photographs and objects with the old and create a seamless transition of time, a 21st century curiosity shop filled with a delightfully odd assortment of past and present.

http://www.artinfo.com/NEWS/maxhenry_2005-5-19.htm

-- --

Leaps of Faith is an international exhibition and multi-disciplinary arts project to be held in Nicosia in May 2005. It is designed by two internationally renowned curators, Katerina Gregos and Erden Kosova, and will mark the first time in 30 years that a part of the UN controlled Green Line (buffer zone) dividing the island is opened up for use in an international event.

The project aims to animate and activate public spaces and sites in the divided city of Nicosia and the war-ravaged Green Line dividing the capital of Cyprus, through an international public arts event. The purpose of the project is to reinforce communication and exchange but also to encourage an alternative discourse. The project also aims to bring into dialogue the issue of Cyprus with other areas that have also experienced division and political turmoil and the trauma that is the result of these.

Leaps of Faith will include a main project organized by its curatorial team, which will feature 20 international and Cypriot artists whose work has conveyed an understanding of the notion of a contested territory. These works will demonstrate a strong sense of social responsibility and they will highlight the particular physiognomy of the city of Nicosia. The exhibition will be comprised of new, site-specific works, based on local research and communication.

The project will also enable a number of parallel events and projects as an important element of the whole endeavour. A series of film screenings, lectures, workshops and a conference will take place during the same time- frame. For more details visit:

http://www.leaps-of-faith.com/

-- -- --

However, while most artists in "Leaps of Faith" travelled from north to south to complete their research, no Greek Cypriot work is on display in the Turkish Cypriot sector, and similarly, no Turkish Cypriot art is on display in the Greek Cypriot south.
http://p128.news.scd.yahoo.com/s/afp/20050520/lf_afp/afplifestylecyprusarts_050520163801

art for peace

by dunk Wed May 25, 2005 13:11

back in 2002, 400+ people went to and occupied a derelict army barracks in croatian island of Vis for 2 weeks, start of process to bring "culture" and life to what was off limits army base, refugee zone, abandoned space.
we came from all over world, we turned derelict space into art gallery for local community
last i heard the zagreb music, art, clubs, dj, vj crews go there and occupy it, ive lost touch but it was great.

there is a precedent for art systems to go in and bring life to buildings in their "in-between" life, its a win win system- life and "culture" comes to area, artists have a place to live and work from
previous post on that here
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=65045&search_text=art%20and%20politics#comment107557
also in relation to art life to capel street briefly

post re samogar art gallery
http://easa.antville.org/stories/141409/

people and ideas flow in the network age

by Noreen McGuire Sat May 28, 2005 16:25

The group who occupied this building did so without the expectation that the ownership of the building was suddenly theirs! They offered to move out as soon as CIT found a use for it. What would you prefer to see? A beautiful building brought back to life by working artists & musicians or left to continue to rot? Maybe some developer will buy it up and we'll have another superpub or shopping centre. Just what the capital of culture needs.