FLOOD BARRIERS by the river Corrib quay formed a practical backdrop for the opening of the Tulca visual arts festival at Galway’s medieval Spanish Arch at the weekend.
Seven artists with the Belfast performance art network, Bbeyond, gave their interpretations of “freedom” during a two-hour demonstration, which elicited mixed responses from passersby.
Artist Brian Patterson appeared to be using his teeth to apply strips of sticky tape to the Spanish Arch paving, while Chrissy Cadman blew bubbles into the gathering wind. Caroline Murphy dressed in a blue rain poncho bore a Virgin Mary image, while James King negotiated the outdoor stage in a barbecue cover and Hugh O’Donnell scattered breadcrumbs from a white sack.
Much of the performance was improvised, and the artists engaged with the public – one woman joined in a tomato-squashing session on a ladder, with others considering whether to engage the mobile barbecue cover in conversation.
Living on the Edge: People, Place and Possibilityis the theme of Tulca, now in its ninth year in Galway. Irish and international artists will participate in Tulca at various venues in Galway between now and November 21st, and there will be a series of public talks. Admission to all events is free.