Dublin Port’s Pumphouse hosts two fascinating solo exhibitions
By Brian Bowe
Temple Bar Gallery + Studios have partnered with Dublin Port Company on Longest Way Round, Shortest Way Home, an art project which features two solo exhibitions that will run simultaneously until October 27th, presenting ambitious work from two highly-acclaimed artists, Yuri Pattison and Liliane Puthod at Dublin Port’s The Pumphouse.
Yuri Pattison’s installation, Dream Sequence, can be found within the disused Pump House No. 2, now open to the public for the very first time. The main element bound to catch your eye on entry is the generative video on a massive LED screen mounted between the building’s well-worn pipes, pumps, and button-heavy control boards. The video — which follows the course of an imagined river, and plays on a loop every 20 mins — was made using a game engine, combining famous rivers from all over the world. You’ll notice interpretations of familiar Dublin landmarks, such as the Poolbeg Stacks. You’ll also find a piano next to the screen scoring the exhibition. But what makes this installation particularly fascinating is that a lot of the elements you’re experiencing are being directly affected by live changes in local atmospheric conditions, such as water and air quality. This means certain components of the exhibition (the music, the flow of the river onscreen) is subject to small and continuous changes.
“Temple Bar Gallery + Studios is honoured to bring two exhibitions of scale and ambition to Dublin Port’s Pumphouse landmark venue,” said Clíodhna Shaffrey, Director of Temple Bar Gallery + Studios. “This setting and what it resonates gives a vital aspect to both Yuri’s and Liliane’s work and allows people a poignant encounter with exemplary contemporary art.
“Dublin Port is now a desirable place for the artistic community. At a time when artists are increasingly finding it harder than ever to locate a place to create and exhibit their work in Dublin City, this partnership between DPC and TBG+S is more important than ever. We look forward to welcoming people to the exhibitions, made possible through this exciting partnership with Dublin Port Company.”
Liliane Puthod’s impressively immersive work Beep Beep is located inside two shipping containers situated on the former graving docks, an area where ships were once repaired and restored. Once inside the shipping containers — the inside walls of which are coated with insulation foam — you’ll come across a 1962 Renault 4 which belonged to the artist’s late father, who kept it in their hometown in the Rhône-Alpes region of France. When he died, Puthod excavated the automobile from a dusty old shed filled with other forgotten everyday artefacts: ashtrays, bikes, lamps, bottles, all of which are on display, scattered on the ground or adorning the walls of this intensely personal installation. With the help of specialist mechanics in France, Puthod restored the car, and got it back on the road. She, along with a couple of her artist friends, then set off on a seven-day, 900 km cross-country tour through France to Ireland — all of which was live-streamed via the online video platform Twitch.
“Dublin Port is a significant site for my new exhibition,” Puthod commented. “I have revived my late father’s R4 and made the journey from France to Dublin as an ongoing investigation into Irish and French industrial landscapes. While this project reflects on global consumption and distribution network, I see the port as a special place that deeply encapsulates the passing of time, movement of goods, and narratives in relation to places and individuals.”
Liliane Puthod’s Beep Beep and Yuri Pattison’s Dream Sequence are on view at The Pumphouse, Alexandra Road, Dublin Port, until 27 October.
There are public transport links with Dublin Bus and Luas (Red Line), as well as on-site parking. Visitors can arrive anytime during the opening hours: 11am–5pm. This is a free event, but booking is essential as spaces are limited. Book online via eventbrite. For further information please contact info@templebargallery.com
