hello and I really like to have my culture in the dark so ah I can see you
culture in the dark so ah I can see you
culture in the dark so ah I can see you all and you can all see me and I’ve
all and you can all see me and I’ve
all and you can all see me and I’ve quite me uncomfortable it’s easier to be
quite me uncomfortable it’s easier to be
quite me uncomfortable it’s easier to be in a doomed auditorium waiting for play
in a doomed auditorium waiting for play
in a doomed auditorium waiting for play or a film or a TED talk to unfold and we
or a film or a TED talk to unfold and we
or a film or a TED talk to unfold and we can be still surrendered to someone
can be still surrendered to someone
can be still surrendered to someone else’s story we can lose ourselves in
else’s story we can lose ourselves in
else’s story we can lose ourselves in that moment imagine asleep you inhabit
that moment imagine asleep you inhabit
that moment imagine asleep you inhabit another place another time a fan scape
another place another time a fan scape
another place another time a fan scape there perhaps we can gain momentary
there perhaps we can gain momentary
there perhaps we can gain momentary awareness of what it must be like to be
awareness of what it must be like to be
awareness of what it must be like to be other than ourselves
other than ourselves
other than ourselves at a light gate or in a nightclub I love
at a light gate or in a nightclub I love
at a light gate or in a nightclub I love that feeling where we can just let go of
that feeling where we can just let go of
that feeling where we can just let go of our bodies and move together in a crowd
our bodies and move together in a crowd
our bodies and move together in a crowd to feel the music we can be united in
to feel the music we can be united in
to feel the music we can be united in the rhythm and pace of the performance
the rhythm and pace of the performance
the rhythm and pace of the performance and generally it feels just fantastic to
and generally it feels just fantastic to
and generally it feels just fantastic to be listening watching or ala Bruce
be listening watching or ala Bruce
be listening watching or ala Bruce Springsteen just dancing in the dark but
Springsteen just dancing in the dark but
Springsteen just dancing in the dark but museums we do it with the light thumb
museums we do it with the light thumb
museums we do it with the light thumb and I think that means that as well as
and I think that means that as well as
and I think that means that as well as providing opportunities for something to
providing opportunities for something to
providing opportunities for something to look at we are also providing an
look at we are also providing an
look at we are also providing an opportunity for all of us to step into
opportunity for all of us to step into
opportunity for all of us to step into the light and that can feel
the light and that can feel
the light and that can feel uncomfortable and I think it’s cultural
uncomfortable and I think it’s cultural
uncomfortable and I think it’s cultural spaces we need to remember that and
spaces we need to remember that and
spaces we need to remember that and perhaps provide opportunities for all of
perhaps provide opportunities for all of
perhaps provide opportunities for all of us to see each other in better and new
us to see each other in better and new
us to see each other in better and new and more interesting ways so I’m the
and more interesting ways so I’m the
and more interesting ways so I’m the director of a gallery here in Cork the
director of a gallery here in Cork the
director of a gallery here in Cork the Glucksman which is on the campus of
Glucksman which is on the campus of
Glucksman which is on the campus of University College Cork and I hope some
University College Cork and I hope some
University College Cork and I hope some of you visited if and they’re all very
of you visited if and they’re all very
of you visited if and they’re all very welcome to come if you haven’t and and
generally we shell work is described
generally we shell work is described sometimes is called provoking or
sometimes is called provoking or
sometimes is called provoking or provocative in 2009 we commissioned the
provocative in 2009 we commissioned the
provocative in 2009 we commissioned the gorilla girl the u.s. art based
gorilla girl the u.s. art based
gorilla girl the u.s. art based collective to initiate a discussion
collective to initiate a discussion
collective to initiate a discussion about gender in art in an Irish context
about gender in art in an Irish context
about gender in art in an Irish context and
and
and you know that’s wonderful that’s about
you know that’s wonderful that’s about
you know that’s wonderful that’s about platforming the incredible work of
platforming the incredible work of
platforming the incredible work of artists like Alva and other artists that
artists like Alva and other artists that
artists like Alva and other artists that we are privileged to work with when we
we are privileged to work with when we
we are privileged to work with when we present our exhibitions we provide a
present our exhibitions we provide a
present our exhibitions we provide a space for display and a space for
space for display and a space for
space for display and a space for viewing
viewing
viewing so artwork and audience meet so I
so artwork and audience meet so I
so artwork and audience meet so I thought that it might be worth using
thought that it might be worth using
thought that it might be worth using this TEDx opportunity to ask you to
this TEDx opportunity to ask you to
this TEDx opportunity to ask you to consider what it means to see and to be
consider what it means to see and to be
consider what it means to see and to be seen in the public space of the museum
seen in the public space of the museum
seen in the public space of the museum for me as a curator it means two things
for me as a curator it means two things
for me as a curator it means two things very awkwardly feeling like this is you
very awkwardly feeling like this is you
very awkwardly feeling like this is you have a clicker anyway first I think we
have a clicker anyway first I think we
have a clicker anyway first I think we constantly have to challenge ourselves
constantly have to challenge ourselves
constantly have to challenge ourselves to present diversity points within the
to present diversity points within the
to present diversity points within the program and second we have to ensure
program and second we have to ensure
program and second we have to ensure that as many communities in our city in
that as many communities in our city in
that as many communities in our city in our country and in our critical Ambus
our country and in our critical Ambus
our country and in our critical Ambus not only have access to but are actively
not only have access to but are actively
not only have access to but are actively invited to explore the ideas and
invited to explore the ideas and
invited to explore the ideas and artworks on show it means more than
artworks on show it means more than
artworks on show it means more than seeing the art it means seeing the
seeing the art it means seeing the
seeing the art it means seeing the audiences to museums do it with the
audiences to museums do it with the
audiences to museums do it with the lights on and that allows us to observe
lights on and that allows us to observe
lights on and that allows us to observe our audiences and to be responsive to
our audiences and to be responsive to
our audiences and to be responsive to them and know that they in turn are
them and know that they in turn are
them and know that they in turn are observing us and looking to see the work
observing us and looking to see the work
observing us and looking to see the work and hopefully the Welcome that they
and hopefully the Welcome that they
and hopefully the Welcome that they might be given and sometimes I wonder
might be given and sometimes I wonder
might be given and sometimes I wonder what that welcome should really look
what that welcome should really look
what that welcome should really look like perhaps it is reminding ourselves
like perhaps it is reminding ourselves
like perhaps it is reminding ourselves that just because our senior visitors
that just because our senior visitors
that just because our senior visitors might want chairs to sit on during their
might want chairs to sit on during their
might want chairs to sit on during their visit it doesn’t mean they don’t also
visit it doesn’t mean they don’t also
visit it doesn’t mean they don’t also want to dance our job is not just to
want to dance our job is not just to
want to dance our job is not just to present artwork the challenges the
present artwork the challenges the
present artwork the challenges the conventions of representation but we
conventions of representation but we
conventions of representation but we also need to see beyond the stereotypes
also need to see beyond the stereotypes
also need to see beyond the stereotypes of our own expectations from the excess
of our own expectations from the excess
of our own expectations from the excess we have invited schools to participate
we have invited schools to participate
we have invited schools to participate in dedicated programs I don’t
designed to introduce children of all
designed to introduce children of all ages and abilities to the enjoyments and
ages and abilities to the enjoyments and
ages and abilities to the enjoyments and learning possibilities of art because I
learning possibilities of art because I
learning possibilities of art because I wanted to show that last photograph of
wanted to show that last photograph of
wanted to show that last photograph of the very young children and because it
the very young children and because it
the very young children and because it was taken ten years ago and those
was taken ten years ago and those
was taken ten years ago and those children are now teenagers and perhaps
children are now teenagers and perhaps
children are now teenagers and perhaps some of them might be studying for an
some of them might be studying for an
some of them might be studying for an exam and hoping to get into Euston see
exam and hoping to get into Euston see
exam and hoping to get into Euston see so these kids are great
so these kids are great
so these kids are great teenagers are a tougher audience and we
teenagers are a tougher audience and we
teenagers are a tougher audience and we were pretty delighted with ourselves
were pretty delighted with ourselves
were pretty delighted with ourselves when some years ago we had successfully
when some years ago we had successfully
when some years ago we had successfully completed a project with a group of
completed a project with a group of
completed a project with a group of teenage boys in a city center school
teenage boys in a city center school
teenage boys in a city center school which is little tradition of pupils
which is little tradition of pupils
which is little tradition of pupils progressing on to third level following
progressing on to third level following
progressing on to third level following an exhibition to celebrate their work at
an exhibition to celebrate their work at
an exhibition to celebrate their work at the end of the project the principal
the end of the project the principal
the end of the project the principal wrote me a letter with a letter of
wrote me a letter with a letter of
wrote me a letter with a letter of thanks but in truth it reminded me that
thanks but in truth it reminded me that
thanks but in truth it reminded me that the privileged I feel to work in a
the privileged I feel to work in a
the privileged I feel to work in a university art museum is also a very
university art museum is also a very
university art museum is also a very strong place of privilege in itself the
strong place of privilege in itself the
strong place of privilege in itself the principal wrote to me we had such a
principal wrote to me we had such a
principal wrote to me we had such a terrific day and the whole ambience of
terrific day and the whole ambience of
terrific day and the whole ambience of the gallery contributed to this we were
the gallery contributed to this we were
the gallery contributed to this we were thrilled with a visit to the gallery and
thrilled with a visit to the gallery and
thrilled with a visit to the gallery and TCC by so many of our parents and
TCC by so many of our parents and
TCC by so many of our parents and grandparents many of them were in UCC
grandparents many of them were in UCC
grandparents many of them were in UCC for the first time I had simply just not
for the first time I had simply just not
for the first time I had simply just not seen the fact that these children are
seen the fact that these children are
seen the fact that these children are surrounded by their own communities who
surrounded by their own communities who
surrounded by their own communities who themselves might not have access to the
themselves might not have access to the
themselves might not have access to the museum or the University and we needed
museum or the University and we needed
museum or the University and we needed to see them to not kind of became my
to see them to not kind of became my
to see them to not kind of became my mantra to an encourage and invite all
mantra to an encourage and invite all
mantra to an encourage and invite all kinds of communities of interest to come
kinds of communities of interest to come
kinds of communities of interest to come to the museum for the first time when
to the museum for the first time when
to the museum for the first time when they are with us to ensure that they are
they are with us to ensure that they are
they are with us to ensure that they are seen and that they are welcomed and
seen and that they are welcomed and
seen and that they are welcomed and hopefully they might have a reason to
hopefully they might have a reason to
hopefully they might have a reason to come back or maybe they’ll just take it
come back or maybe they’ll just take it
come back or maybe they’ll just take it and leave it and decide that the clips
and leave it and decide that the clips
and leave it and decide that the clips one is not for them and our recent work
one is not for them and our recent work
one is not for them and our recent work with children living in direct provision
with children living in direct provision
with children living in direct provision have made me realize but often they
have made me realize but often they
have made me realize but often they can’t come back unless we provide
can’t come back unless we provide
can’t come back unless we provide supports to help them get there in order
supports to help them get there in order
supports to help them get there in order to see and be seen they might require
to see and be seen they might require
to see and be seen they might require something more than just a bus they
something more than just a bus they
something more than just a bus they might require a me
might require a me
might require a me they might require time to run around in
they might require time to run around in
they might require time to run around in our beautiful grounds things that we
our beautiful grounds things that we
our beautiful grounds things that we didn’t expect when we planned the
didn’t expect when we planned the
didn’t expect when we planned the workshops from the outset I believe we
workshops from the outset I believe we
workshops from the outset I believe we have a responsibility to enable all
have a responsibility to enable all
have a responsibility to enable all children to express themselves
children to express themselves
children to express themselves creatively perhaps by making the
creatively perhaps by making the
creatively perhaps by making the creativity of these children visible we
creativity of these children visible we
creativity of these children visible we can spotlight their desire to contribute
can spotlight their desire to contribute
can spotlight their desire to contribute positively to Irish society this is the
positively to Irish society this is the
positively to Irish society this is the young artist Emmanuel putting himself in
young artist Emmanuel putting himself in
young artist Emmanuel putting himself in the frame in the foyer that lets me so
the frame in the foyer that lets me so
the frame in the foyer that lets me so some communities need buses to get to us
some communities need buses to get to us
some communities need buses to get to us the meals when they get there
the meals when they get there
the meals when they get there others need a glass of wine and a place
others need a glass of wine and a place
others need a glass of wine and a place to relax some communities need our large
to relax some communities need our large
to relax some communities need our large lift that fits several wheelchairs at a
lift that fits several wheelchairs at a
lift that fits several wheelchairs at a time some communities want to hear an
time some communities want to hear an
time some communities want to hear an expert or an artist view or just a
expert or an artist view or just a
expert or an artist view or just a different perspective this is the DJ CVG
different perspective this is the DJ CVG
different perspective this is the DJ CVG giving an inspiring presentation about
giving an inspiring presentation about
giving an inspiring presentation about music civil rights and album covers so
music civil rights and album covers so
music civil rights and album covers so now in our foray we do regular
now in our foray we do regular
now in our foray we do regular exhibitions of the work the different
exhibitions of the work the different
exhibitions of the work the different community groups create when they are
community groups create when they are
community groups create when they are with us and by displaying it in a public
with us and by displaying it in a public
with us and by displaying it in a public space we hope that we are fighting other
space we hope that we are fighting other
space we hope that we are fighting other people to see the diversity and
people to see the diversity and
people to see the diversity and creativity that is present in our
creativity that is present in our
creativity that is present in our society but just not always visible
society but just not always visible
society but just not always visible perhaps seeing is not so much believing
perhaps seeing is not so much believing
perhaps seeing is not so much believing as it is belonging and because museums
as it is belonging and because museums
as it is belonging and because museums do it with the lights on we can really
do it with the lights on we can really
do it with the lights on we can really start to see each other and know that in
start to see each other and know that in
start to see each other and know that in this place in our city we are united in
this place in our city we are united in
this place in our city we are united in ours
ours
ours [Applause]
”
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