‘Most of the art that inspires me is pre-industrial’, John Kindness talks to Brian McAvera about his interest in the ‘longevity of imagery as opposed to its immediate social impact’
Brian McAvera: Almost everything you do has humour in it. Yet outside of caricature, there is remarkably little humour in the art world. Why?
John Kindness: I think you have to ask the humourless bastards why that is. A lot of artists have a fear of not being taken seriously, so they take themselves far too seriously. Black humour is something I think Belfast people can’t help: finding some element of mirth in almost every situation. If you think of Irish literature and humour, Flann O’Brien was a humorous writer, yet Joyce could be incredibly funny though he would never be described as a comic writer. Flann’s reputation as a major writer suffers from his always being put into the category of comic writer. The Third Policeman is an extremely dark book. Ulysses is an extremely funny book despite its reputation as a literary milestone and a modernist tour de force. I recently found myself with tears in my eyes laughing at The Citizen’s conversation with his dog.
Northern Ireland: 30 Years of Photography at Belfast Exposed and the MAC this summer highlights the medium as a highly-charged, critical artform that constantly questions its own role in the construction of memories, writes Stephanie McBride
As a building commissioned by a State entity charged with the stewardship of a precarious energy resource, Bord Gáis Network Services Centre warrants some reflection on its relevance as a benchmark and path-finder, writes Seán O’Laoire