Welcome to the Neighbourhood 2006
21–28 August, Askeaton

Working from a makeshift desk in the foyer of the local Bank of Ireland, the artist offered a ‘sketch and draw’ service to the public. Following conversations on the street and some initial advertising, many local people brought in broken objects from around their houses, which were then lent to the artist for a week, in the manner of a short term deposit. At the end of the project, donors received their objects back along with a complimentary drawing of the object, which acted as a kind of accumulated interest for their involvement.

An installation at Ita’s Hair Salon featured a mish-mash of cultural references, using drawings, objects and magazine cuttings. A text upon a door featured a verse from local poet Michael D. Ryan, while an evocative piece of temporary signage fused two words together that Karilampi often heard on the streets of Askeaton: ‘Grand’ (a vernacularism for OK), and ‘Burger’ (his installation was around the corner from a fish and chip shop). Upon entering the installation space, viewers were often treated to an impromptu performance as the artist enacted the daily ritual of sweeping up masses of hair from the floor.

On a building scheduled for redevelopment at the west end of the town, the artist unleashed a series of drawings incorporating elements of the body with elements of local architecture. His impulsive inky drawings evoked perceptions of graffiti and brought a new energy into a quiet corner of the town.

The artist invited the residents of Askeaton to a photoshoot in a local car park, where refreshments were served on a summer’s evening. This proposal seemed to act as a way of understanding how many people might be interested in the fledgling artist residency programme and arts festival in the town. A group photograph was taken and made into a new road sign, placed at entrance routes to Askeaton.

Jeanette Hillig combines various found objects into her sculptured forms. In Askeaton, an expressive assemblage was located in a shop window, providing a visual counterpoint to the traditional Irish shop front.

A video entitled Greet the Day was screened in the Arena supermarket. It featured the artist walking on a street with her skirt caught in her knickers, attracting the attention of casual passersby.