This new commission for IMMA If the Ground Should Open… is presented here for the first time on the occasion of the centenary of the historic Easter uprisings of 1916. This new work takes as a point of departure Irvine’s 2013 novel ‘Days of Surrender’, which focuses on Elizabeth O’Farrell and Julia Grenan. These were two of more than a hundred women who were ready to die or kill for the possibility of a different Ireland but whose stories were all but written out of official Irish history, consigned to the margins as the narrative was masculinised.

This new video and sound installation uses their names as the ground of a score for 9 musicians. In this way they are performed and remembered, becoming part of the ground we walk on in 2016.

Watch Jaki Irvine talk about her work in our 2016 Programme Introduction

If the Ground Should Open… is part of the official Ireland 2016 Programme.

This commission is presented as part of an exciting on-going initiative, New Art at IMMA, proudly supported by Matheson, which allows IMMA to continue to support artists’ vital work in a strand of programming that recognises and nurtures new and emerging talents, new thinking and new forms of exhibition-making.

About the artist

Jaki Irvine was born in Dublin in 1966 and currently lives and works in Dublin and Mexico City. Her solo exhibitions include Project Arts Centre (1996), Kerlin Gallery (2004) and the Douglas Hyde Gallery (1999, 2005) in Dublin, Frith Street Gallery (1997, 1999, 2011) the Staatliche Kunsthalle in Baden-Baden, Germany (1998) and Delfina Project Space (2001) in London, Henry Moore Institute (2004) Leeds and Galleria Alessandro de March (2004) Milan. In 1995 Irvine was included in the seminal exhibition of Young British Artists, General Release, at the Venice Biennale, and represented Ireland at the 1997 Biennale. In 2008 Irvine produced a major video installation entitled In a World Like This, which was produced in collaboration with Chisenhale Gallery, London and The Model Arts and Niland Gallery, Sligo. In 2011, a new solo exhibition of video works Before This Page is Turned, developed in the Dublin Graphic Print Studios, was presented at the Kerlin Gallery, Dublin. She has also participated in numerous group shows throughout Europe, Australia and Japan. Irvine is represented in the collections of IMMA, the Irish Arts Council, Tate Modern, FRAC and in numerous other collections, both public and private.

Associated Events

Artist Talk: Jaki Irvine, If the Ground Should Open…
Thurs 22 September, 6pm / Lecture Room
Artist Jaki Irvine introduces her new work which draws on her research of Elizabeth O’Farrell and her partner Julia Grenan, active members of the 1916 Easter Rising. Irvine discusses the ways this new film and sound work, and the forthcoming live performance, experiments with the Canntaireachd oral traditions of bagpipe music and a spoken-sung score. Moderated by Sarah Glennie, Director, IMMA. Booking will be available shortly.

Curators Lunchtime Talk Series
Wed 30 November, 1.15-2pm, Meeting Point Main Reception, FREE
Join IMMA Director Sarah Glennie, for an insightful walkthrough of this exhibition. No booking required.

LIVE EVENT 
Tues 13 Dec 2016, Great Hall, €8 Online booking opens 23 September 2016.

Exhibition Resources

Read article including interview with Jaki Irvine by Maeve Sheehan – The nurse and the furrier who were Rising heroines in the Sunday Independent.