CÚRAM, the Science Foundation Ireland Centre for Research in Medical Devices based at NUI Galway together with Galway City Arts Office have commissioned a new Community Art-Science project for Westside community in Galway City.

Award winning artists Anne Cleary and Denis Connolly, who live and work between Paris and Ireland, have been selected to develop an art-science project with the Westside community using the research being carried out at CÚRAM as their inspiration. Their highly engaging artworks focus on vision, perception of space and the relationship with the public. They design interactive environments that often integrate new technologies and with this project, aim to create a permanent artwork which acknowledges the various communities of Westside and celebrates their connection to CÚRAM and the ManTech Industry. 

“We are really interested in CÚRAM’s work on corneal implants and also in advanced biomimicry, which is the imitation of the models, systems, and elements of nature for the purpose of solving complex human problems”, says Anne Cleary. “This project provides us with an opportunity to become familiar with CÚRAM’s research, potentially leading to new avenues for our own work and also to highlight CÚRAM’s work to the local community and through future art events. Our work is all about perception, how people see the world, how they adapt, how they react to a situation, and in fact the success of any medical device or implant is all about adaptation and reaction in the body, so our work has some good parallels with CÚRAMs research.”

CÚRAM’s public engagement programme, which incorporates artist-in-residence projects, supports the Science Foundation Ireland objective of having the most scientifically informed and engaged public. “We aim to inspire and engage all communities with current and cutting edge research that’s happening here in Ireland”, said Professor Abhay Pandit, Scientific Director of CÚRAM. “Unfortunately chronic illness such as diabetes, Parkinson’s and heart disease are familiar to most Irish communities and it’s important that we provide opportunities for people to find out more about our work in finding solutions to these illnesses and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers. That can be through the work of filmmakers, teachers or artists such as Cleary Connolly who use the research as inspiration and break barriers to provide another ‘way in’ to the world of science.”

According to James Harold, Galway City Arts Officer, the project is a new and exciting opportunity to bring the worlds of art and science together. “I’m particularly delighted to be able to support this project which will bring a whole new world of creativity and innovation in the sciences to the Westside community. CÚRAM’s public engagement programme has a strong focus on empowering communities with knowledge and providing new and novel ways for people to engage and interact, and I am excited to see what results from the combination of science and art through such a contemporary visual art project.”

James Coyne, CEO of Westside Resource Centre and Community Partner on the project says that the Westside community is a strong and vibrant one with its own annual community Arts Festival. “Westside Resource Centre is committed to providing an extensive range of activities for people of all ages. This new Art and Science Project, supported by CÚRAM and Galway City Arts Office, will add a new dimension to our programme and we’re looking forward to working closely with the artists and researchers in the coming months. We will be encouraging local people to get involved and to contribute to this interesting collaboration.”

The project will be officially launched in Westside Library on Culture Night 22 September at 6pm. All are welcome to attend and find out more. Refreshments will be served at the launch and will be followed by a screening of CÚRAM’s Science on Screen documentaries. The artists will also be running public workshops in November at Westside Resource Centre during Science Week as part of the project.

For more information on the artists and their work please visit www.connolly-cleary.com Cleary Connolly’s work is supported by the Arts Council of Ireland.