The Northern Ireland Mental Health Arts Festival are delighted to be collaborating with University of Atypical in the celebration of Scott Ramsey ‘s solo show Catharsis. The festival theme this year is PAUSE, a time to stop, stand still, reflect upon the importance of our own and each-other’s mental health and wellbeing.

Catharsis: ‘The process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from strong or repressed emotions’

University of Atypical are pleased to host an exhibition of work by artist Scott Ramsey as part of the Northern Ireland Mental Health Arts Festival 2024. The exhibition, entitled ‘Catharsis’, features an eclectic series of Scott Ramsey’s unique boxed assemblages which the curator Noelle McAlinden has described as intricate, precious, complex, ethereal, infinite in meaning and genius in their consideration.

Scott Ramsey, in conversation with Noelle McAlinden describes the development of the boxes as a changing process. Sometimes the process starts with an object, then another object that has a relation to the first, sometimes it starts backwards with a ‘kind of wallpaper’. Some of the objects in the boxes are collected items, some are donated. He says it is the boxes that create the sense of order. He is inspired by the artists Hieronymus Bosch, Francis Bacon and Salvador Dali, and Scott describes the works as mini stage sets.

Scott, who lives and works in Fermanagh, is not just a visual artist. He is also an accomplished singer, songwriter, and musician. He has exhibited extensively locally and internationally including at the Royal Ulster Academy. Scott, who is a past pupil of Toni Johnston, has always been curious and highly imaginative with an eye for seeing the precious potential for the extraordinary in ordinary things.

Noelle McAlinden, chair of Northern Ireland Mental Health Arts Festival and curator of this touring exhibition at Strule Art Gallery, Omagh. ‘It is a privilege to be curating and supporting Scott to bring his stunning work to new audiences to enjoy as part of this year’s Mental Health Arts Festival.’