Nicola Anthony’s A desire for closeness, First Fortnight exhibition in the Presentation Centre, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford opened on the 10th January.
It’s a small visually pretty exhibition. The main work floats from the ceiling, it’s quiet lovely even poetic and romantic. Maybe I just think that because the device used is a dove!
There are a couple of different types of work, modestly priced in small groups.
I can’t seem to find when it closes so check it’s still on if you want to go see it.
The following artwork seeded adjunct to the main pieces and the stories collected. There was no real bridge from it to the community work and it was controversial to me. While it reminded me of Gary Coyles work from 2010 it did not seem to have the same authenticity. Coyles daily collection of salty sea water from his swims looked like murky different tides and saline conditions. The following work was pristine not like Cahore canal or puddles it felt like it was sanitized for perfect picture pure images that ruined the premise.
It maybe worth noting Gary Coyle was the first artist I saw documenting his sea swims through in sea photography and capturing sea water.
First Fortnight utilises arts and culture to challenge mental health stigma while supporting some of Ireland’s most vulnerable people through creative therapies.
Roisin Markham 
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