Latent Online gallery of unrealised art works launched

Press Release: Dublin, Ireland; 25 May 2011 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Latent is a curated, web-based gallery that reveals the often forgotten, postponed or edited ideas of unrealised art works. The work of nine emerging artists is uncovered in this archive for the first time.

Latent exposes the potential within dormant ideas often concealed in the artists notebook and rarely made public. The nine artists currently participating in Latent work in disciplines including sculpture, painting, performance and photography. As well as showcasing their work, Latent links to their own websites. “The Web has huge potential as an international, interconnected exhibition space. Latent is not linked to one specific physical place, rather it can exist in many locations or forms simultaneously,” says Latent curator and Dun Laoghaire, Ireland - based artist Blaithin Quinn. “The images can be downloaded and printed on A4 paper, and potentially displayed anywhere in the world”, says Quinn.
Featured artist Pamela de Bri said that when making a selection of unfinished pieces for Latent “I looked only at pieces that I intend to do something with in the future”. De Bri continues “it could be for my own satisfaction, or it could be because I do not have the resources to complete an idea at the moment.” According to participating painter Ronan Lawlor “to some extent the task of an artist will never be complete, will never be fully realised and all that discarded or unfinished work completes some function in educating and enriching the artist’s practice.” With reference to her sound piece for Latent, artist Jessica Conway said “It didn't grab me as to what I would do next, or if I was even interested in doing anymore with it... so I left it, but I may get back to it.”  Sculptor Joanne Reid expresses dissatisfaction with her unfinished Test Pieces: “For one reason or another I just kept leaving them aside and working on something else. So I'm really frustrated with them because I wanted to move them on to a completed project. It’s like a failure that’s been following me around for three years. I think that’s why I chose them, I see what they could be but I just can’t seem to push them any further.”
All the selected unrealised works have the potential to be completed. Paradoxically they are now realised to some extent.“Latent plays with the contradiction that is part of the act of making these often unseen remnants visible, while at the same time keeping an openness of interpretation, possibility and potential”, said curator Blaithin Quinn. “An ongoing open submission format also gives Latent the potential to evolve and alter over time and the archive itself will never be quite complete”, says Quinn.

Open submission details: Submissions are now being invited from artists working in all media and materials for this online publication. Interested artists may email a short artists statement (200 words max.) and 3 images (in jpeg format) concerning possible potential works that are, as yet, unrealised.

Participating Artists: Blaithin Quinn, Jessica Conway, Joanne Reid, Pamela De Bri, Conor Doonan, Gina Forde, Ronan Lawlor, Aoife Woods, Maria Makrai.

For further information, contact the Latent Curator & Designer Blaithin Quinn: Email: blaithin_quinn@ireland.com Mobile: 00-353-86-3820484 Web: http://sites.google.com/site/odradeklatent/