BalehomeBalehome - VISUAL

VISUAL Centre for Contemporary Art &
The George Bernard Shaw Theatre

BalehomeBalehome

Katie Watchorn

06 Jun - 02 Sep 2018 |

BalehomeBalehome presents a collection of new and pre-existing works by Katie Watchorn relating to farmyard and milking parlour systems, in particular the sunken pit of the traditional herringbone milking parlour structure, still used today on her family farm.

Stemming in part from her grandmother’s cattle records which document the physical attributes and life events of each cow in the herd, Watchorn creates a sculptural narrative depicting a full generation of dairy production. The result is an intimate family portrait, one that is sensitively bound to the cyclical nature of the farm and rural living. Her family’s particular lilting cattle call - Balehome - is bellowed out over the landscape to call in the herd for morning and evening milking.

As part of BalehomeBalehome, Watchorn has created a limited edition publication in collaboration with artist and designer Marian Balfe, which includes a short story by artist Laura Fitzgerald and is available from VISUAL’s bookshop.

Raised on a dairy farm in rural Co. Carlow, Katie Watchorn received a BA (Hons) in Fine Art Painting from the National College of Art and Design in 2014. Drawing on her upbringing, Katie’s practice primarily deals with illuminating the nuances and materiality of Irish rural farming. She has received the Overall Winner in the Visual Arts Category of the 2014 Irish Undergraduate Awards, the Hotron Recent Graduate Award 2016, Wexford Arts Centre EVA Award 2016/2017 and is supported by the Arts Council Next Generation Bursary for the production of new work 2017/2018.

BalehomeBalehome
Talk and Tour,
Link Gallery Sun 24th June, 3pm, Free

Paddy McGovern in conversation with Katie Watchorn.

An opportunity to hear artist Katie Watchorn speak with Paddy McGovern about life on her family farm and the artistic processes that this life inspires.Paddy
McGovern was art director of Eigse Carlow Arts Festival for 15 years and one of a group of pioneers involved in the early stages of VISUAL Carlow's development.

No booking necessary