Opening Reception Thursday 8 August at 6pm

you take my life

(Merchant of Venice, Shakespeare)

The Lockout in Dublin was of Shakespearian proportions – heroes and villains conform to the complexity of the Shakespearian idea and triumph is often nuanced.

In marking the centenary of the Lockout and in consideration of the social history of Ireland as it played and is playing out, LCGA joins in a national consideration of the work of Contemporary Art in drawing attention to the social issues of our times. Underwritten by the notion that we do best homage to the past by living – really living in our present – the work of 9 artists is brought to Limerick to bring our present into high relief. Our National Question has become one of the bond market; the traditional labour in our communities is becoming a legal grey area; the protest of craft-workers at their redundancy at the hands of exported manufacturing, the geography around industry and how it affects our towns; our struggle to be individual and the questions around our Ireland of the future; our connection to international models of labour and profit as well as the notions of Public Space – examining all these aspects now pays homage to the struggle for self determination and for consultation that embodies the reason for the Great Lockout of 1913, which involved workers of the City and exiles from the Countryside alike.

Artists in LCGA’s exhibition include Deirdre O’Mahony, Mark Curran, Deirdre Power, Anthony Haughey, Megs Morley & Tom Flanagan, Darek Fortas, Jesse Jones, Seamus Farrell, and Sean Lynch. A major conference collaboration with Goldsmiths College London, LAND LABOUR CAPITAL, takes place 26 – 28 September at LCGA, building on a Goldsmith’s initiative The Future State.

Further collaboration through this period takes place between LCGA and CCA Derry Londonderry, Belfast Exposed, Gallery of Photography, Temple Bar Gallery & Studios and independent venues in Dublin including Pallas Project. Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane also open an exhibition on the Dublin Lockout later in September. This is a contemporary element that lies alongside more historically based events and discussions.