Unseen by my Open Eyes, solo exhibition curated by Kathleen Soriano, 2017
Unseen By My Open Eyes was the first solo exhibition of Irish artist Caoimhín Gaffney’s work in the UK. Curated by Kathleen Soriano, an independent curator and Chair of the Liverpool Biennial, formerly Director of Exhibitions at the Royal Academy of Arts, and Director of Compton Verney Art Gallery.
“As a natural storyteller, albeit with surreal leanings, Gaffney leaves the viewer with little sense of whether they are witnessing a dystopian or utopian view of the past, present or indeed the future. The inability to place his work within a particular time period, and the somewhat absurd narratives, though rooted in some form of reality, add to the ambiguous and unsettling nature of the work.
All four films shown are shot in the prevalent or native tongue of the country in which the film was made, forcing the viewer to engage, working hard to negotiate both image and meaning. In each case, Gaffney has choreographed, crafted and scripted roles for the performers. All four films present worlds where a tension between memory and the romanticisation of culture and behaviour exists. The cinematic lyricism and the enchanting nature of Gaffney’s storytelling is challenged through the obfuscation of language, serving only to highlight the often circular and oblique narratives.”
– Kathleen Soriano, exhibition text
In addition to Arts Council England support, this exhibition is also supported by The Elephant Trust, The Arts Council of Ireland, and Culture Ireland.