Supernature 2013

Image 1: Lunar planting data  Image 2 & 3: Supernature. 2013. Production Stills. Multi-screen HD projection with sound. Image 4, 5 & 6: experiments documentation  Slide 7: Watch Film

 

Supernature is a visual art project conceived by the artist Linda Shevlin as part of the Spark Programme organised by Leitrim County Council and Leitrim County Enterprise Board with the support of the Arts Council.

Based at the Organic Centre Co. Leitrim, Ireland until end of January 2013, Linda worked with the staff and students of the centre to research and recreate a series of experiments exploring the many and often astounding ways in which nature manifests itself and adapts to its environment.

A geodesic dome was constructed to accommodate these experiments and the artist’s work made during the residency. The dome also acted as a public space for related workshops and as the main location for filming the final artwork produced by the artist.

Central to informing the ideas in the film is a cult novel written in 1973 by Lyall Watson entitled Supernature. Shevlin became interested in a number of botany related experiments that were carried out over the latter half of the last century.Watson describes these experiments as being “an exploration of the space between those things that we understand as normal occurrences and those that are completely paranormal and defy explanation.”

Given the title and the premise of this seminal book, along with the fact that I was residing in a science fiction-esque laboratory, I used this residency to do some practical research into the potential applications of bioluminescent algae as a sustainable, renewable source of light. Part of my reasoning for doing this was to examine society’s unquestioning faith in science. The science industry’s presentations of research and hypotheses are often accompanied by their infallible belief in their speculative theories. I was interested in how my theories, suppositions and findings would be received if I assumed this position of unquestionable knowledge. The means for me to do that was through the media of film.

These events and activities were documented and compiled to create the main fabric of the short film. The film borrows from the visual language of the sci-fi genre, portraying a blurring of the lines between reality and fiction and science and nature.

Info

Biography

Linda Shevlin has curated, facilitated and managed both large and small-scale visual arts projects including the 53rd Venice Biennale where she was project manager for the representative artists Gareth Kennedy & Sarah Browne and is Tulca Festival curator for 2018.

In 2017 she was the invited curator for the Hennessy Art Fund, purchasing new works for the IMMA collection and also curated the visual art programme for Bealtaine Festival 2017/2018 where she developed projects, commissions, residencies & exhibitions. with numerous Irish artists including Vivienne Dick, Kathy Prendergast, Kevin Gaffney, Pauline Cummins and Frances Mezzetti.

In 2016 she curated Radical Actions at RMIT Galleries, Melbourne as part of Culture Ireland’s 2016 International Programme ‘I Am Ireland’. The exhibition featured works by Duncan Campbell, Jesse Jones, Kennedy Browne and Seamus Nolan.

Other recent independent curatorial projects include Americana: Future Rural featuring John Gerrard (IE), Brian Duggan (IE), Kim Shively (USA) and M12 Studio (USA) at The Dock, Leitrim and Amharc Fhine Gall X commissioning Ella de Búrca, Ruth Clinton and Niamh Morriarty.

She has been awarded the Arts Council of Ireland’s Visual Arts Curatorial Residency award for three consecutive years (2013 – 2016) and in that time has produced a series of events and exhibitions in County Roscommon including newly commissioned works by Maria McKinney (IE) and Sean Lynch (IE); public art projects by Sean Rafferty (AUS), Ruth E. Lyons (IE) and Deirdre O’Mahony (IE), exhibitions by Martin Parr (UK), Duncan Campbell (IE) & Eamon O’Kane (IE) and a symposium titled The Workers with contributions from Adam Sutherland of Grizedale Arts (UK) & M12 Collective (USA) among others.

Shevlin is currently curator in residence with Roscommon Arts Centre & Solstice Arts Centre.

Contact

Linda Shevlin
Tivanagh School
Cloonloo
Boyle
Co. Roscommon
Ireland
 
linda@lindashevlin.com
+353 86 605 2571
+353  71 966 4606