Belfast is moving forward but looking back....

After working with Iraq veterans against the war it was interesting to come home to the exhibition at Belfast Exposed, Open shutters Iraq, giving yet another series of perspectives on just what is going on in the country. It was in particular the women's perspectives that rang true with a different kind of voice. The worry, the fear, the getting on with day to day life, as best you can. The incredible resilience. The exhibition is printed on a  series of large stickers making  transporting and installing an exhibition much easier. Belfast Exposed has a series of talks alongside The Golden Thread current exhibition, Loss. If anyone has ever visited the Imperial War Museum in London you will know that it has quite a selection of Art to choose from in it's collection from which The Golden thread selected. The  exhibition  gives the viewer an opportunity to look with very contemporary eyes, how commemorating does not have to be boring. It was interesting to see the exhibition the same night that Good Vibrations the Film was being premiered, a film well worth supporting. It certainly brought back memories for me of a time when punk was not just a hair cut and the footage of Northern Ireland showing the reality of life in the city center. Amazing to think its only been the last couple of years that life have been pouring back into the city at night. Helped along in no uncertain terms by the artists and  the creative community. Lets keep it up and lets get more people out supporting it.

Exhibitions coming to an end:

• Warning this is contemporary art @ Crescent art center 15th June
• Things that fall in between, R space gallery Lisburn       16th June
• Open Shutters Iraq, Belfast Exposed                               15th June
• The Moment Between, Culturlainn                                    7th June
• Natural Forms @ Castle Espie                                          10th June
• Fifteen over eight @ Catalyst                                             7th June

Openings this week

Tuesday tonight 

• Divis Flats, 1982 by Judah Passow 7-9pm

Thursday LATE NIGHT ART

• Fusion, selected 1st and 2nd year art college students @ Spacecraft 6-8pm
• Spectrum by Michael Hart @ Queen Street Studios gallery 6-9pm
• 16/CEX celebrating 16 years of Creative Exchange studios 6-9pm
• Echo @ the Engine Room gallery 7-9pm
• For the love of art, Crafty Chamber gallery 7.30-10pm
• Experimental Film part IV , 8 commercial court  7-9pm
• Temporary art repair shop @ Ps2 6-9pm ( bring something broken to participate see video) 

Friday 

• University of Ulster degree shows @ The art college , York Street 5-9pm
• Fenderesky gallery open 2-5pm

Saturday

• NIGAT day meeting at Ballyowen day center
• Fenderesky gallery

Sunday

• life drawing at Blick studios, details online. 

Talks next week: 

June 12th 2012: Conflict / Alan Ingram, Belfast Exposed, 2pm – 3pm

June 13th 2012: Commemoration/ Hazel Francey, Belfast Exposed, 2pm – 3pm

 June 14th 2012 : Collecting / Sara Bevan, Golden Thread Gallery, 2pm – 3pm

June 15^th 2012: Remembering / Triona White Hamilton, Golden Thread Gallery, 2pm – 3pm 

Gossip and other,

Patrick Colhoun is opening in the Stringer gallery, Greenwich London, people are getting ready thinking of their summer holidays. Belfast film festival is still on until 10th June, then we have the Book Festival starting on the 11th, I attended the poetry slam at Crescent art center last week and was entertained by the variety of peoples work, in particular a man who's day job is on a social housing help line. Very funny. The slam happens once a month and the next one is during the Book festival so many take  a look at that. Do remember that its late night art this week so come out and support all the creativity, and bring people with you. See you out and about.:-)

Love and light

Bronagh Lawson

twitter@creativchangeni