Mr. & Mrs. Krabb's Utopia
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| Artist Name(s) | Amanda Dunsmore |
| Artwork title | Mr. & Mrs. Krabb's Utopia |
| Context/Background | The rural is a contested zone in which a complex matrix of perspectives is at work. Socio-economic change, climate change and ecological realities demand a radical re-thinking of the rural so that a new discourse can be developed by cultural practitioners and grassroots participants in the rural dynamic. Rural Vernacular is a project initiated by the Arts Office of Clare County Council and curated by Fiona Woods. It set out to foster a new type of engagement between Public Art and rural contexts. A number of artists were invited to conduct research in rural Co. Clare including Amanda Dunsmore, an artist originally from England but living for a number of years in rural East Clare. |
| Description | Mr.& Mrs. Krabb's Utopia is a meditation by the artist on contemporary rural life in Ireland from an 'outsiders' point of view. The participants were asked 'Why did they relocate to start a new life in Ireland. Were they looking for a kind of Utopia?' The resulting conversations touched on many rural issues and the artist decided to present an edited version of one of these conversations. This was accompanied by a random selection of one minute video studies, loosely recreating the visual details noticed while conversing.
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| Mediation | The video work was at www.lit.ie/dunsmore/VIDEO/utopia.htm This work features in the publication Ground Up – Reconsidering Contemporary Art Practice in the Rural Context, Clare County Arts Office, 2008. |
| Biographies | Amanda Dunsmore is a visual artist based in Ireland. The subject matter of her diverse range of artworks originate from contemporary social contexts, presented through the media of video, sound, photography and installation. Recent works include the performance series Head in a Hole Woman and the multi-presentational public sound work Shhh Shhh Shhh - Bags, Streets, Windows Linz, Austria. Her historical context projects reflect on diverse acts of preservation and include the Keeper project. |
| Commission Type | Local Authority |
| Commissioner Name | Clare County Council |
| Commissioning process | A curated process (part of the Ground Up series) |
| Project commission dates | May 31, 2006 - September 30, 2006 |
| Artform | Visual Arts |
| Funded By | Clare County Council |
| Budget Range | 0 - 10000 euro |
| Project commission start date | 31/05/2006 |
| Project commission end date | 30/09/2006 |
| Location | X-PO |
| County | Clare |
| Street Address | Kilnaboy, Co.Clare |
| Content contributor(s) | Siobhán Mulcahy |
| Public engagement | County Arts Officer – Project Director |