Each now, is the time, the space

Lismore Castle Arts is delighted to present Each now, is the time, the space, curated by Habda Rashid and featuring sculptural works by artists: Leonor Antunes (b.1972 Portugal, lives Berlin/Lisbon), Alexandre da Cunha (b.1969 Brazil, lives São Paulo/London), Rhea Dillon (b.1996 UK, lives London) and Veronica Ryan (b.1956 Monserrat, lives New York/London) in a display throughout Lismore Castle Arts’ gallery spaces to include points of collective interconnections and moments of showcasing individual practices.

All four artists share an interest in exploring the qualities of material, techniques of assembly, and the symbolic as well as conceptual prior lives of their found and made phenomena that are arranged into exquisite formal assemblages. The works foreground an astute examination of the history of sculpture with considered methods of making—including thought-out use of colour—which examines the metaphoric value of objects and material to create a layering of meaning that coalesces observations on life. Drawing a relationship to the visible layering of history in the lifetime of the castle, the works on view exist in their present situation as amalgams of diverse histories, material and narratives.

The artists collect and coalesce meaning, influences and material from diverse geographies, periods and disciplines to create syncretic sculpture. Antunes embodies techniques, underrepresented narratives and the histories of a global range of women artists and designers into her crafted sculpture. Dillon’s interest in examining colonialism through her Caribbean familiar history in relation to England lies evident in the history-laden material she adopts. The influences of Brazil and the UK are represented in da Cunha’s pieces, which coalesce art historical material with that of the everyday to point to issues relating to the environment. This theme is also reflected in Ryan’s practice, which brings together diverse material in a sustained meditation on the act of making, as well as her movements through New York, London and Montserrat. These itinerant methodologies un-fix meaning from that which has gone before to create space for fresh ideas and new forms.

The idea of meaning-making in a present iteration with a sense of experimentation and indeterminacy points to the title of the exhibition, Each now, is the time, the space, which is taken from the seminal American composer John Cage’s poem 2 Pages, 122 Words on Music and Dance (1957). Cage’s experimentation with random procedures, compositions and performance—with his unique systems of graphic notations—served as the groundwork for radical exchanges and shifts in avant-garde music and performative dance. It is this spirit that this exhibition embodies.

The exhibition will be accompanied by an extensive programme of events, talks, screenings, and a far-reaching learning programme. A catalogue will be published in Summer 2024 to accompany the exhibition.

Exhibition preview: Saturday, March 23, 3–6pm