Red Sky at Night, a night time festival of new public art commissions by international artists will be unveiled in historic locations across Belfast from Friday 1 – Sunday 3 November for Belfast 2024, the city’s year of creative and cultural celebration.
Six international artists Zuza Golińska (Poland), Kanich Khajohnsri (Thailand), Kasper Lecnim & Irmina Rusicka (Poland), Dina Mimi (Palestine), Aisling O’Beirn (Ireland) and Leandros Ntolas (Greece), have been commissioned to create new work for the unique sites across Belfast around the themes of Art and the Public Realm.
In partnership with British Council Northern Ireland and Belfast City Council the international creative commissions have been curated and delivered by collectively-led arts organisation Household Belfast. To understand the city and develop their work the internationally based artists have spent time in Belfast on artists residencies hosted by Household, as part of their Artists in Neighbourhoods programme.
The artists have responded to the city through a range of art forms informed by their international perspectives and experiences of the city. The residencies have helped them get to know Belfast and their creative projects celebrate the city, draw inspiration from its people and connect people and place.
Featuring temporary interventions into architecture, sound performances and immersive installations, the night time festival invites audiences to see their city in a new light.
The artworks will be installed at Riddel's Warehouse, the Palm House, Carlisle Memorial Church, Bank of Ireland, 2 Royal Avenue, and the Waterworks Park. They include: Benign Land, a large-scale interactive video game experience set in the imposing space of Carlisle Memorial Church by Netherlands-based Greek artist Leandros Ntolas; Lament, by Polish artist Zuza Golińska, who has collaborated with St Anne’s Cathedral choir to perform a lament to the Bank of Ireland art deco building on Royal Avenue; and Possession, an installation animating the Palm House in Botanic Gardens by Thai artist Kanich Khajohnsri.
Speaking about the inspiration at the heart of Benign Land, artist Leandros Ntolas said: "Having the opportunity to spend two weeks in Belfast as part of the art residency organized by Household was instrumental in shaping the creation of this work. Immersing myself in the urban environment, culture, people, and the multi-layered history of the city sparked numerous points of inspiration. Each became a thread I continued to unravel throughout the conception and development of Benign Land. Working site-specifically for the Carlisle Memorial Church has been the cohesive force, weaving all these elements together."
Household Belfast has created site-specific projects experienced by thousands of people in unusual, underused and overlooked places and neighbourhoods across the city. For Artists in Neighbourhoods 2024, Household have been continuing their research through Red Sky at Night into best-practice ways to support the production of new art in public space. Jane Butler from Household said:
“Household are honoured to have hosted and worked with 6 incredible artists over the last two years, who have responded with fresh eyes to the stories of our beloved city. We are proud to invite audiences to experience their evocative and exciting works in these unique Belfast sites, allowing residents to see their city in a new way. We’d like to thank British Council and Belfast City Council for their support, and we look forward to continuing our work exploring how public art can be commissioned and experienced in the city.”
British Council Northern Ireland’s partnership with Belfast City Council brings an international dimension to Belfast 2024. Jonathan Stewart, Director British Council Northern Ireland, said:
“We are proud to be working in partnership with Belfast City Council and Household on this inspiring programme of commissions, supporting global arts connections in the city and bringing new international perspectives and visibility to Belfast during this year of cultural celebration.
“We look forward to experiencing and visiting the commissions and the opportunities the work provides to give audiences the chance to experience the city in a new light.”
Speaking about Red Sky at Night, Councillor Micky Murray, Lord Mayor of Belfast, said:
“This has been a really interesting and innovative project which has brought artists and communities together – exactly what our Belfast 2024 creative programme has aimed to do.
“Seeing our city through an international lens has been insightful for everyone involved showing what we do well, and also where we can learn from our neighbours elsewhere in how best to embed art and culture into our communities. I look forward to seeing the artworks in place across the city and encourage visitors to stop by and explore what’s on offer.”
All installations and events will be free to visit from Friday 1 November – Sunday 3 November. Performances and some events will have limited capacity and will require pre-booking.
Booking links can be found in the commissions section at https://www.householdbelfast.co.uk/artists-in-neighbourhoods-all/red-sky-at-night
Red Sky at Night is part of the Belfast 2024 year of cultural celebration and is supported by Belfast City Council, British Council Northern Ireland, and the Mondriaan Fund.
It has been made possible through the support of Belfast Buildings Trust, Hearth NI, staff at Botanic Gardens, 2 Royal Avenue, SARC, Glenwood Primary School, St Mary’s Primary School, Visual Spectrum, John D’Arcy, Chris Campbell-Palmer, Shesaid Design and the First 47 design.
~ Ends ~