Category: Uncategorized

10 December 2021 – 30 June 2022

Curated by Jan Morrow, Emma Campbell and Sinéad Bhreathnach-Cashell.

The showcase includes work by 2021 Turner Prize winners, Array Collective, as well as an invited selection of artists whose work ranges across disciplines and career stages. These artists and specific artworks reflect Lord Mayor Kate Nicholl’s interest in social justice movements, and illustrate the work she is doing to further diversity and inclusion during her term. The showcase represents Belfast-based artists from a range of backgrounds, including ethnic and cultural minority communities, LGBTQIA individuals, and activists for women’s rights to bodily autonomy. In the Mayor’s words, ‘Belfast, all of it, belongs to each of us, and we should have pride in all its glories’.

Artists: Anushiya Sundaralingam, Array Collective, Ben Malcolmson, Ciaran Harper, Clodagh Lavelle, Dorothy Hunter, Emma Campbell, Factotum, Grace McMurray, Johanna Leech, John Rainey,  Joy Gerrard, Laura Nelson, Marta Dyczkowska, Peter Surginor, Sally O’Dowd, Shiro Masuyama, Sinéad Bhreathnach-Cashell, Sinéad O’Donnell, Stephen Millar, Thomas Wells, Wee Nuls

Johanna Leech

THINK, screen print, 2019

Johanna Leech is an artist based at Flax Art Studios. Her practice is that of artist-collector. This work references the biggest marketing campaign of all time, by IBM, and the artist collects things associated with it, salvaged from an abandoned IBM complex in New York State. The artist’s father worked for IBM in Belfast. She describes herself as an explorer presenting her discoveries. Her work draws on international folk traditions and her vaguely ethnographic, museological presentation enables viewers to create their own narratives as they are led through unusual rumours, local lore, historic or accurate happenings to moments of collective consciousness.

See documentation here: LINK

7th February 2019

Cabinets of Curiosity, also known as ‘wonder rooms’ have displayed collections since at least the 1500’s. They have been used to categorise natural history objects, tell stories about the world and it’s history (sometimes not letting the truth get in the way of a good story) and served to establish a social ranking in society. The Odd Collection exhibition was inspired by the odd collection of favoured objects and the collection of odd objects that find their way into our homes and especially artists studios.

With invited artists, we will convert the Pollen Gallery into a ‘wonder room’, with a nod to the history of museum natural science collections and wink to the possibilities of undiscovered treasures.

Participating artists : Aimee Magee, Aisling Magee, Aisling O’Beirn, Alice Clark, Deirdre McKenna, Jayne Cherry, Jenny Davies, Johanna Leech, Kate Ritchie, Locky Morris, Nathan Crothers, Sharon Adams, SInéad Breathnach Cashell, Zara Lyness.

True/False/Fake/Real
17-28 January 2018
Curated by Seacourt – The Centre for Contemporary Printmaking

Prints:
third from left hand side in – bullet holes
Middle top – Eden Bay
right top on main wall – 22 Ammo

Thanks to everyone who donated and everyone who claimed a gift!

Photos by Jiann Hughes & Johanna Leech

Call-out for unwanted gifts and gift stories for Re-gifting event on Thurs 4th Dec.

Exhibition at Golden Thread Gallery 6th – 27th Nov 2014  [my piece below]

In 1989 a group of students graduating from the University of Ulster fine art MA established a studio group and secured premises on the top floor of a 19^th century flax spinning mill on the Crumlin Road in Belfast. Flax Art was born.

Twenty-five years on Flax Art Studios, now located in the city centre, is celebrating by looking to the past and planning for the future. The year long programme of events will culminate in an exhibition in the Golden Thread Gallery which will document the early years of Flax Art and the studios relationship with the city of Belfast, the network of international artists who have participated in the international residency programme, and the work of current studio holders. Alongside the exhibition a 25^th anniversary publication will be launched.

This exhibition will coincide with a ground breaking symposium on future models for sustainable and affordable studio provision in Belfast to be held on the 6 – 7 of November at the Black Box. A programme of Flax Art Studios based artist led talks will also take place throughout the exhibition at the Golden Thread Gallery: –

Talks Programme – Time: 1pm – 2pm

Tuesday 11^th November – Alastair MacLennan

Tuesday 18^th November – Ryan Moffett

Tuesday 25^th November – Barbara Freeman

Thursday 27^th November – Johanna Leech

My studio in FLAX is open as part of ‘Belfast Open Studios’ ran by Visual Artists Ireland. http://belfastopenstudios.com

“Celebrating it’s 25th Birthday, Flax includes some of Belfast’s most well known artists. Flax Art Studios is committed to developing and strengthening the visual arts sector in Belfast, and has provided 25 years of best practice work at the cutting edge of contemporary art.”

Above photographs of my studio

On Thursday 23^rd October I’m giving a ‘Show & Tell’ presentation in the Black Box about my practice. Which was also part of Belfast Festival at Queens. “Quickfire artist talks at the Black Box – Each day at the Black Box we are hosting a lively, fast-paced hour of artists talks. This is a unique opportunity to hear from ten artists talking about their work in this series of revealing ‘Show & Tells’. This free event provides a fascinating insight into the range of work being made by artists today.” Belfast Festival at Queens website listing

Three Northern Ireland artists chosen for Washington DC residency – Theatre & Arts, Entertainment – Belfasttelegraph.co.uk.

At Mailbox141

http://www.mailbox-141.artabase.net/

‘What is painting? To paint is to be able to portray upon a flat surface anything that one chooses of all visible things, howsoever they may be’

Albrecht Dürer

I’m currently in Australia collecting images and stories.  I traveled up the East Coast, exploring the different land, new people and places.