Opening Reception Friday 24 October at 6pm • Office opening by Ed Krčma • A Pluck Projects presentation

In Pursuit of Leisure is the debut solo exhibition of recent work by Artist Stephanie Hough. Curated by Pluck Projects the exhibition of video and installation opens in CIT Wandesford Quay Gallery on 24 October.

Stephanie Hough grew up in a pub in the midlands. This has shaped her interest in society and social interaction. These themes now infiltrate her artwork, which focuses on how society is warped in the prism of pop culture. She scrutinises versions of recreation and commodified leisure presented by the media.

With typical wit and intelligence, Hough has created an exhibition that is smart, funny and provocative.

Hough began exhibiting her work in 2003 and has since shown her work extensively throughout Ireland, the UK, mainland Europe and the USA.

The Pursuit of Leisure will be officially opened by Dr. Ed Krčma, UCC Lecturer in Modern and Contemporary Art.

The exhibition is the first for Pluck Projects. Pluck work with innovative and avant-garde artists to curate and present exciting work to the public.

Stephanie Hough is a contemporary visual artist, born in 1982 in the midlands. Stephanie graduated with a First Class Honors Degree in Fine Art from the CIT Crawford College of Art & Design in 2005 and was the recipient of the Barry Maloney Award (Student of the year), The Ciarán Langford Memorial Bursary and the Cork Film Center; Video Art Student of the Year. Stephanie went on to receive an MA in Art in the Digital World from the National College of Art and Design, Dublin, in 2008.

Hough began exhibiting her work in 2003 and has since then showed her work extensively throughout Ireland, UK, mainland Europe and the USA. Stephanie has just recently has been nominated for an international residency place in the United States.

After her masters Stephanie relocated to Cork city in 2009 and was a founding member of the artist-led initiative Basement Project Space in Cork City, Stephanie held various positions from 2009 until 2012. As a result of her time at BPS Stephanie has continued to develop and organise alternative art exhibitions. Stephanie also worked at the National Sculpture Factory as Projects Assistant from Oct 2011 – Oct 2012.

Some of Stephanie’s exhibitions to date include: 11:11 at Kitchen Space, Chicago, Illinois , USA. LIMBO, Group Exhibition, Limerick City. Mini Kunst Festival Biennial at 4bid gallery, Amsterdam, Netherlands. Konnektor #21 Überbleibsel, Konnektor Forum für Künste, Hanover, Germany.

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Pluck is a new independent curatorial venture, based in Cork. Set up by Sarah Kelleher and Rachel Warriner Pluck work with contemporary and avant-garde artists to organise exhibitions, performances and other art events.

Sarah Kelleher is an arts writer, the assistant editor of Enclave Review and is currently based in the National Sculpture Factory as part of the programming team. From 2003-2009 she managed the Vangard Gallery, Cork where she was intimately involved in its curatorial, commercial and administrative aspects. She is a PhD candidate with the History of Art Department in UCC where she is researching contemporary Irish sculpture.

Rachel Warriner is an art historian and poet. She co-organises events including the Avant Festival of progressive arts, SoundEye Poetry Festival and Word into Image (Tactic Gallery, July). Rachel is on the board of Artefact Journal (Journal of the IAAH) and the Modernisms Research Center, UCC. She is a PhD candidate with the History of Art Department in UCC where she is researching feminist art of the 1970s, focusing on the work of American artist Nancy Spero.

Upcoming projects include The Land of Zero in collaboration with renowned Irish Artist Maud Cotter, Masters students from the MA:AP CIT Crawford College of Art & Design, other practitioners, and the public realm in Crawford Art Gallery.

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http://stephaniehough.wordpress.com/