Áras Éanna Ionad Ealaíne is the most westerly arts centre in Europe, located on the small Gaeltacht island of Inis Oírr in Co Galway. The centre supports artists through its Artist in Residence programme. It offers artists the time and space to develop their practice and show new work in the unique environment of this island, which has a population of just over 300 people.
Áras Éanna have been welcoming artists on residencies to Inis Oírr for over twenty years. Inis Oírr is a spectacular island on the west coast of Ireland’s Atlantic ocean. It is a place of inspiration with its patchwork of fields and stone walls, dramatic Atlantic skies and a community steeped in culture and the Irish language.
I am very happy that I will spend the whole October there!
Inis Oírr is an incredible island off the west coast of the Irish Atlantic Ocean. It is the smallest of the three islands of the Aran archipelago. It is a place of inspiration with its patchwork of fields and stone walls, dramatic Atlantic skies and a community steeped in Irish culture and language.
And here’s a small excerpt from the text I wrote when applying for this residency:
“The Aran Islands are sites of rich ecology, complicated history, deep mythology and have been also been shaped by the forces of migration and population change over centuries. They call to me as place that I want to immerse myself in, and gain a deeper understanding of. The “Island as a World” project will bring my experience, as well as my Eco Poetic and Art Practice to bear in understanding the rich history, mythology and environment of Inis Oírr and the Aran Islands.”
Yes, I called my project “Island as a World”.
Expect a report from the ocean at the beginning of October. I will be making collages and linocuts, and an animated film when I return.