MAYDAY: A 108-minute orbit of ‘i see Earth’ / 

2022 / 

Carlow / 

Curation / 

Performance

17 artists, writers and thinkers whose work resonated with the themes, forms and experiences of Tom dePaor’s i see Earth were invited to perform beneath the suspended sculptures. MAYDAY was a live event that took place on the 1st of May 2022 and lasted 108 minutes. The duration recalled the length of the flight in which the first human orbited the Earth.

Some contributions were made in person, others remotely, traversing space and time. The performers on the day were Tom dePaor Junior who played the drums as the audience entered the gallery to take their seats. Raymund Ryan, Curator at the Heinz Architectural Center in Pittsburgh, read his 2002 piece ‘Mindscapes and Land games’. Poet Vona Groarke read a new poem written about Tom dePaor’s exhibition. Sergio Lopez-Pineiro, Lecturer in Landscape Architecture at Harvard GSD, sent a message. Isadora Epstein’s live performance was inspired by Shylock and the Merchant of Venice. Nasrine Seraji, Professor of Architectural Design at UCD, proposed that a drawing is a fight. Artist and author Adrian Duncan presented a new video-work entitled ‘Finite Elements’. Lisa Godson, Director of MA Design History and Material Culture at NCAD, presented ‘Guest, Opium Lovers, Clay Companion, Paper Comrade, Smoke, Fellas.’ Artist Dennis McNulty presented ‘Love Is A Stranger’ (MAYDAY edit), 2021-22. Following the interval Emmett Scanlon, architect, curator and educator, prerecorded a new piece about the work of Tom de Paor. Artist Brian Fay, Senior Lecturer at TU Dublin, discussed the nature of lines. Penelope Haralambidou, Professor of Architecture and Spatial Culture at the Bartlett, presented her film ‘City of Ladies’, based on Christine de Pizan’s ‘Book of the City of Ladies’, c. 1405. Artist Isabel Nolan talked about space and hard-to-define boundaries, love and a bit about Giordano Bruno. Artist Alex Pentek sent a recording that responded to his experience of the exhibition ‘i see Earth’. Architect Oana Stanescu, Design Critic at Harvard GSD, presented her piece ‘Closer to Song than Rock’. Grainne Hassett, Head of Architecture at UL, through her short film, spoke about farming, lines and water. Musician Davey Kehoe played the harmonium and sang ‘When I Saw You’ by The Ronettes.

Image for Mayday Poster (drawing by dePaor)

Lisa Godson performs ‘Guest, Opium Lovers, Clay Companion, Paper Comrade, Smoke, Fellas’ for Mayday, VISUAL, Carlow 1st May 2022.

Participants

Curator of Mayday & i see Earth

Nathalie Weadick

Co Curator of Mayday

Hugh Campbell

Performers

Tom dePaor Junior, Raymund Ryan, Vona Groarke, Sergio Lopez-Pineiro, Isadora Epstein, Nasrine Seraji, Adrian Duncan, Lisa Godson, Dennis McNulty, Emmett Scanlon, Brian Fay, Penelope Haralambidou, Isabel Nolan, Alex Pentek, Oana Stanescu, Grainne Hassett, Davey Kehoe.

Production and Administration

Irish Architecture Foundation & VISUAL

Funder

Arts Council