Periodical Review 20/16: performance, screening & talk

Rosie Lynch, curator with Callan Workhouse Union (CWU) will discuss the impetus and thinking behind various CWU projects and the role of the artist in civic life.  

CWU is a developing facility and commissioning agency for visual art, design, architecture, research and community activities and projects, based in Callan, Co. Kilkenny. Since 2013, artist and designer-led projects have been accumulating use and meaning for the building's new life, bringing access for the public to this significant historic site.  Current and recent projects at CWU include  Workhouse Guild  (2016) a residency programme with art/craft collaborations and commissioned new work;  Workhouse Union  (2015) a series of new work critically exploring the history and legacy of Callan Workhouse in the context of institutionalism and  Workhouse Assembly  (2013) a twelve-day active research workshop. CWU's work extends to projects that examine the future of rural towns, housing, civic infrastructure and the commons.   CWU is working on a long-term project with Camphill Community Callan to develop  Nimble  Spaces, an innovative citizen-led approach to housing. The first phase of the project culminated in May 2015 with  Ways to Live Together: New Cultures of Housing, an international conference held at VISUAL, Carlow, exploring participatory design, spatial justice, social housing and co-housing. The project has now entered into the design and build phase, with three inclusive neighbourhoods (24 new homes) in the initial phase of development in the Callan area. CWU continues to support new work examining the future of rural towns through Meet You at the Green? - a large-scale project starting in early 2017.

The 1916 Song Project and more

Old and Contemporary Songs in the Irish Tradition
Aileen Lambert & Fergus Russell

The Lord Edward: 7–8.30pm

 New original songs in the traditional style based on the events of the 1916 Easter Rising will be performed by Wexford singer and artist Aileen Lambert and Fergus Russell from Dublin. The songs featured in the 1916 Song Project which was presented in the National Library earlier this year, a project which was devised and coordinated by Aileen with her partner Michael Fortune. Aileen and Fergus will provide an insight into the process involved in the project and composing a new song in the traditional style, as well as providing some other samples of new and old traditional songs which have featured in recent projects devised by Aileen and Michael.

Aileen Lambert, visual artist and traditional singer, along with Dublin singer Fergus Russell, will share with you some of their repertoire which stems from a series of innovative traditional song projects which Aileen and her partner Michael Fortune have devised and produced in recent years. The most recent is ‘The 1916 Song Project’, which resulted in a national touring concert of new songs relating to the Easter Rising, including one written and performed by Fergus ‘April 1916’, and another written by Aileen and Michael, ‘May Moran of Enniscorthy’ and sung by Aileen. This presentation will include performances of these and songs from other projects such as ‘The Wexford Song Project’, ‘Man, Woman and Child’ and ‘The Bird Song Project’.

 Aileen Lambert

In recent years Aileen Lambert and Michael Fortune have developed a practice of devising and facilitating traditional song projects, from themed concerts to song composition projects, with a wealth of fine traditional singers from across the country. Their efforts have generated renewed interested in the narrative ballad, revived many old songs, resulted in the composition of many new songs in the traditional style and most importantly have supported the development of singers and the reaching of new audiences.

 Aileen brings to her traditional song projects her sensibility as a visual artist and years of experience working in the field of participatory arts. Aileen studied in LSAD, Limerick, from ‘93 to ‘97, and graduated with an MA in Visual Arts Practices, from DLIADT, Dublin, in ‘07. She has exhibited nationally and internationally and has been undertaking collaborative projects with communities of all ages and various backgrounds for the past fifteen years. Her practice spans video, performance and sound work, and includes participatory and public art projects. Her public art project 'En Route' for Mayo County Council currently features in Pallas Projects Periodical Review 20/16.

Aileen’s own singing is rooted in the English language repertoire of her native County Wexford, where she regularly works with communities of all ages and abilities, sharing her love and enthusiasm of traditional song, while undertaking field research in parallel. For the past ten years, she has been tirelessly delivering traditional song workshops in primary schools to children throughout South Leinster, supported by the Heritage in School Scheme. For further info see 'Aileen Lambert – Traditional Singer' on facebook.

Fergus Russell

Fergus Russell is from Dublin and learned to sing at his mother's knee. A stalwart of An Góilín Traditional Singers’ Club and one of the organisers of the annual Frank Harte Festival, Fergus has a passion for collecting and reviving long forgotten traditional songs. When he finds a song that interests him, Fergus will try to track down the original air, but if that proves futile he will write a new air to suit. Some of these songs have proved popular and are being reabsorbed back into the tradition. In an endeavour to bring them to a wider audience Fergus has recently released ‘Landless & Free’ a CD comprising fifteen traditional songs not previously recorded. Fergus has participated in a number of projects devised by Aileen Lambert and Michael Fortune including ‘As I Roved Out’, ‘Man, Woman and Child’, ‘The Bird Song Project’ and ‘The 1916 Song Project’.