PhotoIreland Festival 2023
PhotoIreland Festival 2023 launches at 6pm Friday 30th July, returning to The Printworks in Dublin Castle, where we first launched our public-facing research project, the Museum of Contemporary Photography of Ireland, back in 2019.
The interlinked and collaboratively conceived two main exhibitions are organised by international curators Catherine E. McKinley and Renée Mussai, with artists Aida Silvestri, Atong Atem, Bernice Mulenga, Frida Orupabo, Heather Agyepong, Hélène Amouzou, Lola Flash, Mónica de Miranda, Phoebe Boswell, Sethembile Mzesane, Silvia Rosi, and Zanele Muholi.
Artist Ethel-Ruth Tawe delves into Ben Krewinkel’s Africa in the Photobook and Rubén H. Bermúdez presents a solo show around his book And you, why are you black?
This edition sees the return of the festival’s summer art book fair, first launched in July 2011, now renamed and rebranded as Tsundoku, and the launch of a new mentorship programme entitled RELAY, featuring artists E the Artist (Daranijoh Sanni), Samantha Brown, and Tobi Balogun, mentored by Alice Rekab.
The Printworks at Dublin Castle will host four main exhibitions:
- Catherine E. McKinley curates newly commissioned, photography-based multi-media work by artist Atong Atem. Dust explores the relationship of Dinka women who act as mediums and custodians to the earth, to the rupturing history of Christianity and colonialism.
- A diverse constituency of creative practitioners working in photography and lens-based media including Aida Silvestri, Heather Agyepong, Hélène Amouzou, Lola Flash, Mónica de Miranda, Phoebe Boswell, Sethembile Msezane, Silvia Rosi, Zanele Muholi, and Frida Orupabo, the latter presented in collaboration with The McKinley Collection, are brought together in a group show titled I See the Face of Things to Come by guest curator Renée Mussai. The thematic exhibition centres around a fluid interpretation of (self) portraiture—as repertoire, as chorus and soliloquy, as moving image, as vision, as breath, as vessel, as archive, as embodiment, as justice, as activism, as community—showcasing the interdisciplinary work of artists whose evocative praxis amplifies notions of self and other through the prism of past, present and future tenses.
- Artist Ethel-Ruth Tawe presents work in response to Ben Krewinkel historic and contemporary photobook archive Africa in the Photobook.
The Library Project will be host to a solo exhibition And you, why are you black? by artist Rubén H. Bermúdez, providing the most extensive presentation of his work. Starting from an investigation into the origins of black slavery in Spain, the author constructs an autobiographical tale.
See below the free events taking place the first week of PhotoIreland Festival. We look forward to seeing you there!
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Fri 30th June
Critical Practice Reviews
When 10am-1pm
Book your session here
Location Bedford Towers, Dublin Castle, Dame Street, Dublin
Launch of PhotoIreland Festival 2023
Doors 6-8pm.
Speeches 6:30pm
Performance by Tobi Balogun 7pm
Bookings mandatory via Eventbrite
Location The Printworks, Dublin Castle, Dame Street, Dublin
Sat 1st July
Critical Practice Reviews
When 10am-1pm
Location Bedford Towers, Dublin Castle, Dame Street, Dublin
Book your session here
RELAY Artists Tour
When 12pm
Location The Printworks, Dublin Castle, Dame Street, Dublin
Curatorial Talk
With curators Renée Mussai, Catherine E. McKinley and artists Atong Atem and Lola Flash
When 2-3pm
Location The Printworks, Dublin Castle, Dame Street, Dublin
Curatorial Talk
With Ben Krewinkel and artist Ethel-Ruth Tawe
When 3-4pm
Location The Printworks, Dublin Castle, Dame Street, Dublin
Double Book Launch
Dust by Atong Atem and Believable: Traveling with My Ancestors by Lola Flash
When 4-5pm
Location The Printworks, Dublin Castle, Dame Street, Dublin
Launch of And you, why are you black?
When 6-8pm
Location The Library Project, 4 Temple Bar Street
Artist Rubén H. Bermúdez presents And you, why are you black? beginning from an investigation into the origins of black slavery in Spain, the author constructs an autobiographical tale. Accompanied by a book launch.
Sun 2nd July
Artist Talk: Heather Agyepong
When 2pm
Location The Printworks, Dublin Castle, Dame Street, Dublin
For more details and a press kit, please contact julia@photoireland.org