The Hopeless End of a Great Dream — Centre culturel irlandais — Exhibition — Slash Paris

Past: September 16 → October 30, 2016

CCI has collaborated with Temple Bar Gallery + Studios, Belfast Exposed and Trinity Creative to commission a major new film work by Declan Clarke. Using Trinity College Dublin as a backdrop, the film takes a number of forgotten episodes in Irish history as its starting point. Clarke grounds these episodes in the political present, so that they function as commentaries on the causes, effects, and ongoing ramifications of the current political climate in Ireland. Visually and thematically referencing the tropes of post-war European cinema, Clarke blurs real and fictional stories to create a complex palimpsest of narrative development, compelling characters and mysterious events.

Declan Clarke is an Irish artist, now based in Berlin. Over 15 years, he has developed an impressive oeuvre of film work focusing on themes of modernity, conflict and the human stories behind major upheavals in 20th-century history. He is particularly interested in post-revolution societies and uses a personal viewpoint to tell complex historical narratives. His work has been shown at Tate Britain, Home Manchester, and Serpentine Gallery London, among many other places. He has been awarded residencies at MoMA/PS1, Saatchi Fellowship and IMMA. Three newly commissioned film works are currently on show in a major solo exhibition at Dublin City Gallery, The Hugh Lane.