Opening Reception Saturday 21 January, 5 – 7pm

Peter Burns, Mark Clare, Jessica Conway, Niall de Buitléar, Gabhann Dunne, Caoimhe Kilfeather, Barbara Knezevic, Clare Langan, Mark McGreevy, Maria McKinney, Fiona Mulholland, Sharon White • Curated By Rowan Sexton

In 1989, Angus Fairhurst wrote an essay titled “Some went mad and some ran away, the great majority stayed faithful until physical death.” Fairhurst’s text resonated with Damien Hirst, as he adopted part of the title in 1994, for the exhibition he curated at the Serpentine Gallery, London, Some Went Mad. . . Some Ran Away. The exhibition investigated themes of fear, loss, hope, death and fantasy, in response to the bleak early 90’s in London. It also happened to be an exhibition of enormous significance, as the selected work was from a group of artists known as the Young British Artists (YBAs). Many of the artists had studied together previously at Goldsmiths, and some had participated in Freeze, an exhibition organized by Damien Hirst and Angust Fairhurst in 1988, which was also a pivotal point in the formation of the YBAs. Michael Craig-Martin, artist and tutor to the YBAs described their success at the time as “. . . a combination of youthful bravado, innocence, fortunate timing, good luck, and, of course, good work.”

It seems especially fitting at this present time in Ireland, to look back at how artists of the time in London countered the situation in which they found themselves. Following a surge of positivity and optimism, the artistic response captured a snapshot of a moment in time. With so many factors at play in social, economic, and geopolitical contexts currently, we are seeing more of a dejected, despondent and uneasy population in Ireland. Low morale is abundant, and as times are getting tougher, more people are choosing to leave.

Asserting self-confidence and a shared sensibility in an effort to capture the same sense of defiance displayed by the YBAs, and their determination to overcome the situation they found themselves in, during the mid-90’s – a group of artists have been invited to examine a statement by Fairhurst, subverted to read “None Went Mad. . . None Ran Away”, and address the same prevalent themes explored in Hirst’s exhibition. There is a need for reinvention, vigour and a phoenix-like renaissance in society. There is a history of resilience here. It is simply a matter of finding that inner strength, looking forward and creating a future.