Three sounds, three volumes

I had to make a lot of extra cards for my own piece in the Hunter's Moon Score Trail.

People chose to interpret it in different ways, some using my framework and some using their own. There are some examples below.

The whole project made me think of how I look at things and how composers look at things and what the differences are. It made me realise that I look at graphic scores from more of a visual standpoint and composers read them totally differently - as a code for making sound primarily. It was interesting to see how many members of the public used my cards to make a score whose primary focus seemed to be the visual. It was obvious some really thought about sound and thought about representing that sound with this frawework I had supplied. And some made an interesting image which also happened to be a score!

It is hard to break away from your primary discipline but it was a great exercise in trying!

Hunter's Moon Art Trail 2013

This was the last year of the festival - at least in its present form, so we had to party extra hard this year. (Or at least as extra-hard as it gets with a toddler in tow...)

Some pictures from the Art Trail below...

Above is Sam Salem's meditative video installation which had two different screens showing footage taken in a Roscommon forest. Slow-motion views of the wind moving through the branches and typically Irish dramatic light changes went with a gentle and evocative sound piece.

Stephen Rennicks had a whole booth with information about his intriguing and humourous alternative guide to County Leitrim, where fact mixed with fiction to leave you wondering what was real and what was fantasy. 

Striking black and white drawings from Alan Doyle.

Above are Cian O'Neill's delicate and detailed drawings using microscopic images of plants as source material. (Hard to photograph the amazing detail!)

Ciaran Og Arnold had a series of black and white photographs of Ballinasloe during the night. They had that beautiful rich image quality that only comes with analogue photography.

Cormac O'Leary had a series of paintings called the Halloween Mummers - dark works of people dressed in strange costumes.

Gavin Porter had a series of detailed and well-crafted etchings.

McLoughlinPhelan had a video piece with some beautiful imagery and interesting sound recordings.

Above are Katie O'Neill's nature-inspired prints.

Roisin McNamee had an interesting piece involving knotted cotton cord and electronic components.

 

I spent some nice moments sitting on a cosy couch listening to Natalia Beylis's daily field recording diary.

Its hard to believe that was the last year of such an amazing festival. It was great to see so many amazing performers and artists converge on our tiny town. I'll miss it!

Hunter's Moon Score Trail 2013

Here are all the scores and artwork from the Score Trail. I will post about the other art separately. It was a lot of fun doing the Score Trail. I worked together with my sister, Jennifer Walshe. We asked composers to send us text or graphic scores to display in shop windows. We then sent artists one score each and asked them to make a work in response to it. I loved getting emails and packages in the post containing some really awesome work! 

Here is the map above and a link to a pdf of all of the work if you would like to see the originals. Click on any images to embiggen.

Below I've put some pictures up of all the work in situ. We printed out labels with QR codes that people with smart phones could scan which would take them to sites about the composers/artists and in particular to performances of the pieces where possible.

Istvan Zelenka sent us these thoughtful text scores (above) to which Sandra Lulei responded with layered and embroidered drawings below:

 Pictured above is one of Amnon Wolman's graphic scores (left) with Felicity Ford's postcard-sized scores in response. I love how Felicity tries to untangle the mystery of the image in Amnon's score with her descriptions of different actions involving knitting needles, matches, pins and combs.

 Karen Power sent us an excerpt from her score armed only with nuts.

 James Saunders made a piece especially for the festival - location composite #4 - which is hidden inside a book in one of the bookshops. Festival-goers are invited to write the sounds they hear on sheets of paper hidden in the book. The resultant score will hopefully be performed over the weekend.

My own work gave people a chance to create their own score to take home or leave on the wall.

Jennifer Walshe's score was printed on a t-shirt and hung in a charity shop window. We may see it on Sunday being worn by a Carrick on Shannon farmer, having been accidentally purchased from the shop.

 Paul McGuire's score Underpass Anxiety was presented...well, in an underpass aptly enough...

 Danny McCarthy made this beautiful book for the festival, which we will be turning the pages of each day.

Anton Lukoszevieze sent us a score based on what looks like an image of a Russian circuit board called Music for Orchestra.

Joe Kudirka sent us some delicate and beautifully textured sheets of handmade paper - there are all sorts of interesting material in them - hair, foil, etc.

Anthony Kelly made this score for us. I like how he allows the performer to choose their own way to interpret his image.

Travis Just sent us his score Basketball Duo, for two performers with basketballs, which Gavin Porter made a print in response to. I really like how these two work together.

John Godfrey sent us a score called Tinting Study. It is quite a subtle visual work as well as being an interesting score.

Tomomi Adachi sent a bold graphic score for piano and two graters. (I'm thinking this didn't work out too good for the piano.) I like how Vicky Langan responded, using a grater on cardboard and a piano string to create her sculptural piece. 

Alvin Curran sent us this piece which reminds me of a diagram of how to do the fox trot. I'd like to see this one performed.

D. Edward Davis sent us a thoughtful excercise in listening to which Natalia Beylis responded with a sweet drawing.

And finally we have Mouthpiece I from Erin Gee. I love the video of this piece. It reminds me of Beckett. 

And another finally...there is a mystery score out there folks! The first 10 people who find it and report back to the Box Office with the title of it get a free copy of Felicity Ford's 6 postcard scores. Whooppee!!

Hunter's Moon 2012

Well, it's been another great year on the Art Trail at Hunter's Moon, with lots of great work from talented artists and loads of positive feedback from festival-goers and locals alike.

Here is a taste of what we had over the weekend...

 Bold and striking paper cut-outs from Ellie Downey.

 Sandra Lulei's delicate and beautiful installation of handmade paper keys.

 (This looked particularly good at night.)

 Paul Terry's mesmerising projection of shoal movements. Lots of kids kept trying to catch this one as it flitted about the wall.

 The Drone Dome from Willie Stewart proved a popular spot for hanging out and listening to drone music.

 The Mr. E's installation of bizaare and elegantly macabre hats and taxidermy created a dark atmosphere in the Green Gallery.

 Powerful and engaging large-scale portraits from Davy Gascoigne.

Gavin Porter's delicate etchings had a dream-like quality.

 A collection of evocative otherworldly paintings from Jane O'Sullivan.

 Turf Boon's detailed and meticulous drawings drew the viewer's eye in. (More images to come.)

Colourful and surreal paintings from Su Fitzpatrick.

 Ricky Adam's dark photographs gave a sense of desolation and destruction.

 

Playful and sweet drawings of childhood monsters from Natalia Beylis.

 

Aoife Barry had a selection of striking and remarkable photos and collage work which worked particularly well in the book shop.

Abstract and moody paintings from Carol Wood.

And finally, a knitted murder scene from myself with text from Istrim Gusset.