A Memory of Water 2 | Iontas Theatre

A Memory of Water 2
After the wonderful exhibition with St. Mary’s Nursing Home in 2020, Iontas Community Artist in Residence Orlagh Meegan-Gallagher has this year worked with the residents of Killanny House (A unit for residents with physical and/or cognitive conditions) Castleross Nursing Home. Orlagh’s own Dad is in this house.
Orlagh’s practice centers around memory and water so she wanted the residents to work with the same theme using reminiscing about family holidays and days out by the sea, rivers and lakes as a starting point.
A Memory of Water is a multi-sensory project. In a series of carefully planned activities, Orlagh used Visual, Auditory, Oral and Tactile stimulus to trigger reminiscences which became the basis for artworks created by the residents.
This involved Orlagh working remotely through Castleross’ Social Activities Coordinator, Joan Mee, having weekly socially distanced meetings/demonstrations with her and providing her with everything she would need to facilitate the sessions.
It was so important to Orlagh that the residents got to experience the processes involved in creating art from a concept. Something as simple as feeling the sand between their fingers, sounds of the waves, a spoken word, an artist’s work or a video of the sea, being transformed into memories, emotions and thoughts, and evolving into artworks with imbued meaning and power.
Having to use all that modern technology can offer in order for this project to work during Covid 19 Orlagh sent videos and sound recordings of the sea into the residents and Joan sent back videos and photos of the residents enjoying each session.
The project was fluid, like water itself, and Orlagh modified and reacted to the project based on the residents’ responses to each activity, developing her own work from this.
Orlagh has collaborated again with Regret Will Come, musician, (and the artist’s son) who recorded sounds of the sea and rivers for the residents, and has created a soundscape for the short film inspired by the project, interweaving the voices of the residents with his evocative music.
Orlagh has also worked with videographer Darren Finn who has edited the piece (see KZbin link below) which incorporates all the digital material that Orlagh and Joan have generated over the course of the project. This, alongside an exhibition of Orlagh’s and the residents’ artworks results in an immersive, multimedia experience.
At all times the soul of this project was to enhance daily life and the well-being of the residents in Killanny House through art. To keep them safe, the residents cannot attend the opening but Orlagh is hanging the exhibition in Castleross Community Centre after this one finishes for all the residents to enjoy.
Orlagh’s 3 paintings, based on places the residents mentioned during the project, will be gifted to Killanny House for the residents & staff to enjoy long term.
Project funded by Creative Ireland and supported by Iontas Theatre