Chapter 1
Just Left of Copernicus (Roof of the Story)
VISUAL, Carlow, Ireland
3 October 2015 – 3 January 2016
Just Left of Copernicus is an exhibition of new work by Irish artist Niamh McCann. In collaboration with architects Jack Byrne and Séamus Bairead, McCann has created a large-scale work for the Main Gallery at VISUAL. Entitled Copernicus for Now and made of industrially produced cardboard tubes and plywood, the work draws on many references, ranging from topographical photos of the moon landscape from the 1969 moon landings, to the work of Buckminister Fuller, to the ideas of German expressionist architect and scenographer Hans Poelzig (1869-1936), best known for the design of Frankfurt’s IG Farben building and the sets for the iconic film Der Golem. What ties these together is McCann’s interest in the interchange and flow of fact and fiction, the overlapping layers of narrative, history and fable contained within the cultural and physical structures that we construct.
A catalogue of the exhibition with texts by Francis MacKee, Francis Halsall and Grainne Hassett launched in November 2015.
Chapter 2
Just Left of Copernicus (The Pastoral)
Solstice Art Centre, Ireland
1 September – 21 October 2016
Just left of Copernicus (The Pastoral) is the third and final manifestation of Niamh McCann’s touring exhibition Just Left of Copernicus produced by Solstice Arts Centre. Each of its previous manifestations, at both VISUAL, Carlow, (Roof of the Story) and Limerick City Gallery of Art (A Prologue) were individual to each space. McCann collaborated with architects Jack Byrne and Séamus Bairead to develop the large scale structure/object Copernicus for Now. This aspiring structure/object is made of industrially produced cardboard tubes and plywood. A section of background landscape in the infamous photograph of Armstrong on the moon, as well as ideas contained within B Fuller’s Spaceship Earth, are amongst references for the work. Copernicus for Now is both object and event, a crater-like landscape for visitors to occupy and events to take place.
The interchange and flow of fact and fiction, and the overlapping layers of history and fable within the work of German architect Hans Poelzig is of particular interest to McCann. Poelzig is perhaps best known for his design and build of the Poelzig Building (IG Farben building), Frankfurt Germany, a site of dramatic historic 20th century importance. Poelzig was also a painter and scenographer of the influential silent horror The Golem: How He Came Into the World (1920).
Chapter 3
Just Left of Copernicus (A Prologue)
Limerick City Gallery of Art, Ireland
22 January - 24 March 2016
Niamh McCann’s practice looks to the visual cultural landscape to invite a reconsideration of our relationship to the world around us, questioning how this world constitutes us as subjects, and how we, in turn, give this world form. As an artist, her exploration of these themes takes the form of concise multi-media work, presented within larger installations and site-responsive pieces.
McCann has been collaborating uniquely and extensively with Limerick architects Jack Byrne and Séamus Baireadinon the development of a new large scale structure/object. This aspiring structure/object entitled Copernicus for Now is made of industrially produced cardboard tubes and plywood.
Emerged from a previous piece by the artist entitled Occupy that referenced a section of background landscape in the infamous photograph of Armstrong on the moon, and created that horizon line as a series of interlocking pentagons. Here McCann references the aspirational moment that allowed this event to take place, its cultural (near fictional) potency as image, and the ideas contained within B Fuller’s ‘Spaceship Earth’ (hence the use to pentagon as reference to the geodesic). Copernicus for Now is both object and event, a crater-like landscape for visitors to occupy and events to take place.
The interchange and flow of fact and fiction, and the overlapping layers of history and fable within the work of German architect Hans Poelzig is of particular interest to McCann. Poelzig is perhaps best known for his design and build of the Poelzig Building (IG Farben building), Frankfurt Germany, a site of dramatic historic 20th century importance. Poelzig was also a painter and scenographer. Edgar Ulmer, film director cited Poelzig as a mentor and claimed that they worked together on The Golem: How He Came Into the World(1920). Ulmer subsequently honoured Hans Poelzig as nom de guerre of main villain Hjalmar Poelzig in Ulmer’s 1934 film The Black Cat.
The changing subtitles of Just left of Copernicus in each gallery, reflect a changing site specific manifestation within each reiteration that will also comprise of archive material, wall drawings, process based work and smaller concise sculptural pieces.
Just Left of Copernicus (Roof of the Story)
VISUAL, Carlow, Ireland
3 October 2015 – 3 January 2016
Just Left of Copernicus is an exhibition of new work by Irish artist Niamh McCann. In collaboration with architects Jack Byrne and Séamus Bairead, McCann has created a large-scale work for the Main Gallery at VISUAL. Entitled Copernicus for Now and made of industrially produced cardboard tubes and plywood, the work draws on many references, ranging from topographical photos of the moon landscape from the 1969 moon landings, to the work of Buckminister Fuller, to the ideas of German expressionist architect and scenographer Hans Poelzig (1869-1936), best known for the design of Frankfurt’s IG Farben building and the sets for the iconic film Der Golem. What ties these together is McCann’s interest in the interchange and flow of fact and fiction, the overlapping layers of narrative, history and fable contained within the cultural and physical structures that we construct.
A catalogue of the exhibition with texts by Francis MacKee, Francis Halsall and Grainne Hassett launched in November 2015.
Chapter 2
Just Left of Copernicus (The Pastoral)
Solstice Art Centre, Ireland
1 September – 21 October 2016
Just left of Copernicus (The Pastoral) is the third and final manifestation of Niamh McCann’s touring exhibition Just Left of Copernicus produced by Solstice Arts Centre. Each of its previous manifestations, at both VISUAL, Carlow, (Roof of the Story) and Limerick City Gallery of Art (A Prologue) were individual to each space. McCann collaborated with architects Jack Byrne and Séamus Bairead to develop the large scale structure/object Copernicus for Now. This aspiring structure/object is made of industrially produced cardboard tubes and plywood. A section of background landscape in the infamous photograph of Armstrong on the moon, as well as ideas contained within B Fuller’s Spaceship Earth, are amongst references for the work. Copernicus for Now is both object and event, a crater-like landscape for visitors to occupy and events to take place.
The interchange and flow of fact and fiction, and the overlapping layers of history and fable within the work of German architect Hans Poelzig is of particular interest to McCann. Poelzig is perhaps best known for his design and build of the Poelzig Building (IG Farben building), Frankfurt Germany, a site of dramatic historic 20th century importance. Poelzig was also a painter and scenographer of the influential silent horror The Golem: How He Came Into the World (1920).
Chapter 3
Just Left of Copernicus (A Prologue)
Limerick City Gallery of Art, Ireland
22 January - 24 March 2016
Niamh McCann’s practice looks to the visual cultural landscape to invite a reconsideration of our relationship to the world around us, questioning how this world constitutes us as subjects, and how we, in turn, give this world form. As an artist, her exploration of these themes takes the form of concise multi-media work, presented within larger installations and site-responsive pieces.
McCann has been collaborating uniquely and extensively with Limerick architects Jack Byrne and Séamus Baireadinon the development of a new large scale structure/object. This aspiring structure/object entitled Copernicus for Now is made of industrially produced cardboard tubes and plywood.
Emerged from a previous piece by the artist entitled Occupy that referenced a section of background landscape in the infamous photograph of Armstrong on the moon, and created that horizon line as a series of interlocking pentagons. Here McCann references the aspirational moment that allowed this event to take place, its cultural (near fictional) potency as image, and the ideas contained within B Fuller’s ‘Spaceship Earth’ (hence the use to pentagon as reference to the geodesic). Copernicus for Now is both object and event, a crater-like landscape for visitors to occupy and events to take place.
The interchange and flow of fact and fiction, and the overlapping layers of history and fable within the work of German architect Hans Poelzig is of particular interest to McCann. Poelzig is perhaps best known for his design and build of the Poelzig Building (IG Farben building), Frankfurt Germany, a site of dramatic historic 20th century importance. Poelzig was also a painter and scenographer. Edgar Ulmer, film director cited Poelzig as a mentor and claimed that they worked together on The Golem: How He Came Into the World(1920). Ulmer subsequently honoured Hans Poelzig as nom de guerre of main villain Hjalmar Poelzig in Ulmer’s 1934 film The Black Cat.
The changing subtitles of Just left of Copernicus in each gallery, reflect a changing site specific manifestation within each reiteration that will also comprise of archive material, wall drawings, process based work and smaller concise sculptural pieces.