A live Hawthorn Tree forms the centre piece for an exhibition in Sirius Arts centre in Cobh, by Bantry artist Marie Brett.
The artist has made a new collection of work combining oak and stainless steel, photography and a DVD, which explore tradition and folklore surrounding the native Hawthorn and pre-historic archaeological sites.
Marie said she was delighted to have an exhibition at Sirius and said of her artworks inspiration: “The Hawthorn, especially the lone bush, has always been regarded with a mixture of fear and respect. There are many stories of harm, even death, coming to those who interfere with a thorn tree. Likewise, the veneration of stones in the context of pilgrimage and patterns, still flourish. Private and public symbolic gestures of walking around, touching, scraping, kneeling, and leaving tokens on sacred stones are evident. I did months of research and investigation and built up a body of stories which helped inform the artwork”.
Marie is Irish descent, with her Mother coming from Mallow and her Dad from County Waterford. Both her parents were at the exhibition opening, as were many people from Cobh and Cork, where Marie is well known for her community arts projects. Sirius Director, Peggy Sue Amison says of the exhibitionsays of the exhibition:“Marie’s work connects her audience to something that is basically intrinsic in every culture – a universality of ritual and myth, a visual language of symbols, taking one beyond the verbal to a place of silence and imaginative contemplation”.
Marie Brett was awarded a Masters Degree with distinction in visual art from London University Goldsmith’s College. She lives and works in County Cork with her family, towards Bantry.
Contact Sirius for more information - gallery hours are as posted on this site.
The artist has made a new collection of work combining oak and stainless steel, photography and a DVD, which explore tradition and folklore surrounding the native Hawthorn and pre-historic archaeological sites.
Marie said she was delighted to have an exhibition at Sirius and said of her artworks inspiration: “The Hawthorn, especially the lone bush, has always been regarded with a mixture of fear and respect. There are many stories of harm, even death, coming to those who interfere with a thorn tree. Likewise, the veneration of stones in the context of pilgrimage and patterns, still flourish. Private and public symbolic gestures of walking around, touching, scraping, kneeling, and leaving tokens on sacred stones are evident. I did months of research and investigation and built up a body of stories which helped inform the artwork”.
Marie is Irish descent, with her Mother coming from Mallow and her Dad from County Waterford. Both her parents were at the exhibition opening, as were many people from Cobh and Cork, where Marie is well known for her community arts projects. Sirius Director, Peggy Sue Amison says of the exhibitionsays of the exhibition:“Marie’s work connects her audience to something that is basically intrinsic in every culture – a universality of ritual and myth, a visual language of symbols, taking one beyond the verbal to a place of silence and imaginative contemplation”.
Marie Brett was awarded a Masters Degree with distinction in visual art from London University Goldsmith’s College. She lives and works in County Cork with her family, towards Bantry.
Contact Sirius for more information - gallery hours are as posted on this site.
