IMMA are delighted to announce details of Sunset Birth – the 2017 IMMA Summer Party sponsored by O’Hara’s Irish Craft Beers and curated by the artist Linder and the musician Maxwell Sterling.
Responding to the current IMMA exhibition As Above, So Below: Portals, Visions, Spirits & Mystics, the curators have invited musicians and performers whose practice reflects and responds to themes of spirituality and mysticism via music, performance and ritual.
Programme highlights include Kuwaiti musician and visual artist Fatima Al Qadiri in her first Irish appearance, legendary Hacienda (Manchester) DJ Greg Wilson, Boomkat DJ Conor Thomas, Berlin based WIFE and additional performances from Marcin Pietruszewski & Tristan Clutterbuck duo, Lauren Fitzpatrick, Teresa Winter, CROWW, Sam Kidel and Rian Treanor.
Started in 2014, IMMA’s Summer Party has become a landmark in the cultural calendar as a celebration of art, music, live performance, food and drink. This year IMMA will create two parties in one, with distinct before and after dark programmes happening on the same night. In the early part of the evening exhibitions will be open in the Main Galleries, food and drink will be on offer on the Terrace and the Gardens will be alive with talks, films, music and art interventions. After dark the party will move indoors with immersive live performances in IMMA’s stunning stained glass Baroque Chapel and ornate Great Hall. The night will respond to our landmark International exhibition ‘As Above, So Below’ and indeed the party title -‘Sunset Birth’ – takes its name from a painting by the British Surrealist artist Ithell Colquhoun, whose work is currently on view as part of this exhibition.
There will be DJ sets, live performances, dance and live film scores across the night, channeling emotions through different forms and sonic styles ranging from intimate recitals of vocal work through to more intense and highly energised performances. Several of the musicians performing are affiliated with the record label, The Death Of Rave which was set up by Conor Thomas in 2012. The label is home to a wide variety of music, from Mark Leckey’s soundtrack to ‘Fiourucci Made me Hardcore’, to the work of Sam Kidel, Wold and The Automatics Group. Whilst the label covers a large span of musical genres, there is an overarching connectivity between the artists, rooted in their prescient sound, style and environmental engagement.
Curators Linder and Maxwell have previously collaborated on various film and performances, most recently, Children of the Mantic Stain ballet for British Art Show 8 at the Royal Festival Hall 2016, plus Maxwell composed the five hour score for Linder’s Destination Moon. You must not look at her! performance at last year’s inaugural Art Night hosted by the ICA, London.
As always, delicious food and drinks will be available to purchase all evening and the grounds and galleries of IMMA will be open to art and culture lovers during the night. We are delighted to partner with O’Hara’s this year who will be providing full bars stocked with a range of drinks including, of course, delicious O’Hara’s Irish Craft Beers and Ciders.
The Summer Party is part of a Summer Nights Programme at IMMA this July and August including a free live art performance night Wilder Beings Command! on Saturday 29 July which is suitable for all ages, and a live performance by artist Eoghan Ryan on 17 August 2017.
