A state of neutral pleasure. Byrne's investigations range from the politics around sexuality to the production and display of the art object. The installation reinterprets discussions about sexuality and eroticism held in the '20s by the Surrealists.
Renowned for his films installations which re-enact conversations from specific historic moments, Irish artist Gerard Byrne’s (b. 1969) work explores the way we understand the present through revisiting the past. Always diverse, his subjects have included the Loch Ness monster, the possible location of Samuel Beckett’s play Waiting for Godot and the history of Minimalist art.
For this exhibition, Byrne’s investigations range from the politics around sexuality to the production and display of the art object. Premiering in the UK is A man and a woman make love (2012). This multi-screen installation reinterprets discussions about sexuality and eroticism held in the 1920s by the Surrealist group of artists and writers, including André Breton, Jacques Prévert and Yves Tanguy. A thing is a hole in a thing it is not (2010) borrows its title from a statement by sculptor Carl Andre and re-examines seminal moments from 1960s debates around Minimalism.
Admission free
Gerard Byrne Events Programme
17 January Discussion: Gerard Byrne
31 January Kodwo Eshun: Rock My Religion
9 February Talk: Big Ideas: Lytle Shaw
13 February Crib Notes: Kirsty Ogg on Gerard Byrne
14 February I'll Go On... with Beckett & Byrne
28 February Gallery Talk: Kirsty Ogg on Gerard Byrne
With BSL interpretation
A man and a woman make love was originally commissioned by dOCUMENTA (13). A thing is a hole in a thing it is not was co-commissioned by Glasgow International Festival, The Renaissance Society and Lismore Castle Arts. Organised in collaboration with Bonniers Konsthall, Stockholm.
Gerard Byrne is supported by Culture Ireland as part of Ireland’s EU Presidency Culture Programme 2013.
Opening: 17 January 2013
Green on red gallery
26 Lombard Street. Dublin
Hours: Monday Closed
Tues-Wed and Fri-Sun 11-6pm, Thurs 11-9pm
Admission is free