Art Clash is back. A meeting of night class and nightlife, where people who are curious about being creative but lack the confidence to face the competitive environment and attitude that comes with most art classes meet every Friday, from 8pm at various locations throughout Dublin’s City Centre.
Each week a different guest artist will give a class in their chosen field, from film to street art, make up and fashion, trash, life-painting, illustration, photography and cupcake making.
Participants can enjoy specific play lists and DJs chosen by the tutor in either a BYOB or pub environment in Dublin city and previous locations have included basements of bars, empty gallery spaces, and even a disused convent.
“The seed was planted in my head when so many of my friends, with a few drinks on them, would confide in me that they wished they were more creative,” Aine Macken says. She’s a curator and in her own words, D-Joke who has been a figurehead in the art and clubbing worlds in Dublin for the past eight years. “Their level of humility had gotten to a point where they wouldn’t even try. The idea behind this was to try and make people feel more comfortable about the actual experience of creativity. I wanted to share the experience of making art over a few drinks on a Friday night without anxiety or competition.”
It’s open to and attracts all ages, with many people turning up on their tod and staying around for a toddy with their new-made compadres. And it’s not just novices who watch and learn. “It’s a really good opportunity for other artists to get an insight into an artist that they would respect and see how they would actually make something, not only listening to someone talk but attempting the method for themselves.”
Season One of Art Clash ended with an exhibition in The Copper House Gallery. “Art Clash participants, many of whom were complete beginners, were given the opportunity to exhibit the work they had made over the last ten weeks to the public, following a workshop in putting together an art exhibition and displaying their work naturally.”
Interested parties can visit Art Clash’s website www.artclash.net to sign up to the weekly newsletter. This newsletter will direct attendees as to what they need to bring, what time and where, however some details will be kept secret to surprise and titillate. Spaces will be limited and so booking a place online will be essential, with a charge of €15 per session or 10 sessions for €120.
Some of the names involved include illustrators Colm Mac Athlaoich, Mick Minogue, and Steve McCarthy, film groups Morb and Trashfest, make-up artist Ruth Hirsch, street artists Will St Leger (amongst other extremely exciting graffiti artists – to be announced), plus curator and photographer Aoife Giles.
By Caomhan Keane
