Published: Wednesday, 2nd December, 2009 6:00pm

Over 20 artists 'strayed closer' to Multy

Comments (0) | Print | Email

Mullingar artist, David Gorman, one of those who participated in the residency programme at the Friary in Multyfarnham.

At the Franciscan Friary in Multyfarnham, the classrooms which once held students improving their knowledge of agriculture are now empty of desks and pupils.

But the Friars put the building to a new use for an eighteen month period which ended earlier this year: they opened it up to artists who wanted to participate in a "residency", during which they received free food, accommodation, and the use of large private studio spaces, under a programme called "Straying Closer to Multy".

The artists didn't have to be Catholic, but no matter what religion they had - even if none - they were invited to experience "the rhythm of the Friars' existence", and to attend morning Masses, meditations, meals, and "any other day-to-day goings on that might occur".

The fruit of the creativity of the 23 artists who participated, is currently on show at the Friary, in an unsual exhibition: one in which visitors wander the building, finding art, words, installations, and sculptures for themselves, often in the "spaces" in which the artists themselves actually carried out that work.

Fr. Joe Walsh, of the Friary told those who attended the opening of the exhibition - which also marked the start of a week-long programme of art workshops at the Friary - that he had been delighted that the residency programme was unlike any other residency programme in the world.

"Usually you submit CVs, images of your work, and make an 'artist's statement' but when we set up this residency, we didn't want to see an artist's statement anywhere. I have written artist statements and I know how much they're worth!

"We especially didn't want anyone to feel they had to produce anything: it's not about production. We're people, not machines.

"We are the new initiative, something new that hasn't been done before.

That is our brief from the Province," he stated.

Artist Paul Muhlbach, from Belfast, spoke on behalf of the participating artists, and paid warm tribute to the Friars for their generosity.

"I would be surely not the only one to say that coming into it, it was a leap into the dark," he said.

As a religious "non-subscriber", he said, it felt like "a bit of a risk", but he knew Fr. Joe, and how open-minded he was.

He spoke of how the Friars, people who had taken up a contemplative life, had opened up to people "from all over the place" with their different agendas; and spoke of his admiration for now the sense of a welcome space had been kept open right through the residency.

"It was the case that there wasn't any expectation to make work, but all the artists during my time did produce work, and they all made very distinctive work.

There was something very healthy about that."

Mr. Muhlbach said that while there, the artists had been invited to participate in the rhythm of the Friars' lives.

"And that was something I really took on board during my time here," he said, adding that he had gone to Masses, and it had been odd to be present, but not a participant - but equally odd for the Friars to have someone present who was not participating.

The opening concluded with readings of poems written by them during their stay at Multyfarnham by poets Wilma Kenny and Heather Brett.