Emmet Condon of Homebeat introduces IMMA's Summer Party, Continuous Patterns, which takes place on the grounds of the Irish Museum of Modern Art on the 15th and 16th of July...
As a programmer, event producer and promoter - it is almost impossible to divorce yourself from the politics of space, especially at this moment in Ireland. In Dublin we are forced, continuously, to compare ourselves to cities like Berlin, or London even - where, despite all the ubiquitous and universal forces of gentrification existing in even greater volumes, the availability of space to create events which sit outside traditional venues still seems a more organic and less difficult prospect that it is within our own small city.
The groove of this record is so worn out so as to be almost in audible at this stage - but as we watch the relentless march of the Hotel all around us in Dublin, those of us who ply our trade in these spaces are faced with an increasingly barren landscape to work with and in.
This, amongst many other reasons, is why institutions such as IMMA are increasingly important in this sphere. These ring fenced cultural bastions have (hopefully) enough insulation around them to withstand the pressures of rampant development, and hold within their walls a degree of gravitas and prestige for events which happen amongst their shadows - lending a certain air of cultural confirmation to proceedings.
These are safe and celebrated spaces for art and creativity. A rarity in modern Ireland.
The IMMA summer party has always been a special event in Dublin's summer calendar - a moment to be invited to share that wonderful space in perhaps a more casual way, a moment where the gates to the museum are opened to the broad swaithe of the public to feel the grand and elegant order of its courtyard, and the gentle majesty of the formal gardens on a lithe mid-summer evening, and a moment which unlines the institution’s commitment to a broader remit of arts programming, beyond art itself and towards its more popular focused cousin music.
Continuous Patterns emerges from a series of small, late Pandemic events in IMMA last summer called Emerging Patterns - an expression of that very particular moment when we tentatively moved beyond COVID’s heavy glare, and began to re engage with all of those pieces of life that were so suddenly placed at an indefinite distance during the lifetime of the restrictions.
As we still continue that process, Continuous Patterns leads directly on from that moment - an indication and reaffirmation that culture did not die, or go away; and a celebratory expression of the vibrancy of our contemporary music & arts scene, which is, despite all the challenges it faces, going through a multi genre golden age that I would say has never been seen or felt on these shores before.
A whole new generation of wildly talented, worldly, humble and vibrant artists are making incredible music and art here - and for Continuous Patterns we have tried to distill a flavour from each element of this explosive melee across two elegant and distinctly different mid summer evenings in the grounds of IMMA.
Friday June 16th presents an evening of future focused music, a brash collection of the here and now that is headed only in one direction - forwards - with art folk from Aoife Nessa Frances, future-focused R&B from Éfe, Negro Impacto and Jar Jar Jr , the spectacular combination of classical ensemble Glasshouse X the power art-pop of Ae Mak, and a full blooded dance from one of the nations best electronic producers R.Kitt (Live), with celebrated DJs and radio personalities Donal Dineen and Claire Beck on DJ duties throughout.
Saturday July 16th is a more gentle day by design, a day of heart felt contemporary folk and uplifting sounds led by a beautiful collaboration between Ye Vagabonds and composer Gareth Quinn Redmond, the hushed vocals of Landless, some uplifting brass from Stomptown Brass, sets from rising folk stars Aoife Wolf & O Deer and a performance from The Rathmines Ukulele Society (Rugs) and summery soundtracks from DJs Emmy Shigeta and Desert Island Sounds. We also welcome a live art piece from Artist in residence Robyn Cary, food, a full bar... and all the wonderful atmosphere of The RHK on a summer’s evening.
The IMMA Summer Party is on Friday 15th and Saturday 16th July 2002 - find out more here.
