Mongrel Foundation > Exhibition Text >Gavin Delahunty > “In the skin of a lion”

 

Since my earliest childhood I was confornted with the T.V. series: Our Gang or Little Rascals. I hated being restricted by conventional seats, chairs, couches and shoes so consequently while on the floor the red and green slippers of Angus McAnally, who introduced the show each Saturday morning, gave me uncountable hours of fun. The first episodes were shot in 1922 and found an end in 1944. In total there are 221 single episodes. The original cast comprised of seven individuals that were to represent typical characters in any neighbourhood. The success of the Rascals was based on their imitation of the addult world that surrounded them. The simple yet effective patterns of their weekly adventures which championed unusual behaviour over society’s rules gave the show an enduring quality and ensured its resurrection in broadcasting time and time again.

Seven in total, five permanent and two invited artists exhibited work as part of Mongrel Foundation’s latest incarnation ‘shop’ in Unit 4a Excise Walk, Clarion Quay. Hidden neatly beside Marks and Spencer ‘quick stop’ convenience store the complete glass front of Unit 4a faces onto a wide paved thoroughfare in the heart of the financial district. Due to the size and plan of 4a it was possible to view most of the works from outside and immediately you became aware that this installation was that of a collective and not a group show of individual artists working seperately. On the back wall hung a notice board introducing the members of the Foundation in a variety of ‘mood’ photographs - a photograph taken with heat sensitive film resulting in various colours close to the participant’s body, supposedly representitive of their feelings at that particular time. Displayed on the right hand side was a psychological evaluation of the collective presented as a continuous line of text, each member’s profile rooling into the next. As a way of nurturing creative relationships it seems the collective had undertaken these projects together. Moving with your eyes between these two pieces the success of these undertakings and possible others became apparent as the artists had employed similar fabrics, materials and colours, relationships between works became noticeable, smaller no less significant pieces began to be identified and a dynamic environment in full operation was revealed.

Once inside, the busy components of this bio-network on view from the exterior immediately froze to become a dizzying assortment of immobile works. An upright plasma screen showing a distorted model, ghost-like fabric patterns fashioned from human silhouettes mid-flight, others resting at my feet, a stuffed badger connected to a rigid pink leash wandering hopelessly without its owner, text declaring ‘answers to the world’, ‘one to be taken per lifetime’ and ‘store in a safe place’ all brought together with wooden sculptural interventions placed at various points of intersection with the building, extending out from the walls imitating with crude strokes already present fixtures. All of these ingredients inside and out of this think-tank. Closer inspection saw swiftly drawn ducks, trans and landscapes sketched upon recycled Iarnród Éireann train tickets - possibly replacing high-tech reccording devices used by some of the occupants of the surrounding buildings. Delicately constructed felt leaves paused in such a manner to remind us of an earlier time before super-strucures and office blocks and evoking a feeling that without our presence this micro-community would thrive.

The commercial property used for this project by Mongrel Foundation whilst commenting on its setting in the Irish Financial Services Centre was emphasised by most of the contents of the show being made available for sale. My only scepticism is that Dublin Docklands Development Authority planned to exhibit these artists’ investigations during a period when the financial sector was largely closed for business.

Gavin Delahunty:

Is assistant curator of visual arts at Project Arts Centre and was a project co-ordinator for Ireland at the 51st Venice Biennale.