After POPA @ Electric Picnic 2024
POPA @ Electric Picnic 2024
Its hard to know where to begin, so i will start at the beginning.
In 2015 I applied for the Electric Picnic Art Trail with little knowledge of where it would all lead.
I enlisted the help of two artist friends Michelle Pando-Kelly and Martin Finnin. They were up for an adventure and a bit of craic along the way.
We had been enlisted to paint the surrounds of what they call the bleachers, which is the seating area at main stage. At the time ,we didn’t realise what a mammoth task it would have been and as luck would have it, the bleachers didn’t arrive on time.
As a series of potentially misfortunate events were turned to an advantage, the “Place of Picnic Art” was imagined.
I continued on as the artist in residence for two more years where I painted the wall as a solo show. Slightly bonkers, a lot of work ...but it was great fun to explore painting on the scale of 8ft x 12ft canvas boards.
I then decided it was too good not to share.
With the assistance of Electric Picnics Creative Production Managers, we developed the idea of a residency offer that would allow artists to collaborate and play on the Electric Picnics massive art stage.
It was to be a kind of a retreat that ended up as more of a hurricane than a meditation. I began to invite artists from all different walks of life from all over Ireland and further afield. The aim was to try to manufacture the first experience that the three initial artists had created.
For the last few years i have watched from the sidelines without taking part , curating and organizing from behind the scenes. I found myself being part of the experience and listening to the whoops of delight and smiles of success without fully understanding and in all honesty thinking that the artists were just being nice to me because i had got them golden tickets to a very fun weekend. I even felt a little envious seeing them lashing on the paint with both bravery and intrepidation.
Fast forward to 2024 and the 20th anniversary of Electric Picnic. I felt i needed to do something different.
One night over a cuppa tea Martin Finnin said he would like to give it another go, to see what it had become but only on the condition that i did it too.
It didn’t take much to twist my arm. I put together my dream team. One that meant i could organise and paint without too much stress. A cosy grouping of family, friends, teachers, students, emerging and established. Little did i know what the grouping that i had selected, with the hope of bringing an element of protection and safety, would bring the painting fire works that ensued.
Coilin Murray was my college lecturer. He had been hugely supportive of POPA through out the years, through encouragement and conversation. I believe i have asked him to take part almost every year since its establishment. Now in his 79th year i almost was asking as parr for the course and I was certainly not expecting a yes.
Much to my surprise, the timing was right and I got a YES.
Coilin and I arrive on site at the same time. When we finally got the technical stuff out of the way and our studio spaces at the ready. We began.
As we started we reached for the same colours, our strokes were in tune our energy compatable and our enthusiasm and whooping in sync.
The penny dropped as to what this man had given me in my time spent in his care. The realisation that this fiercesome painter had shared so much more than i realised throughout those many weekly life drawing classes at LSAD.
On one side of me a painting by my own mother Barbara Hartigan , with whom the similarities between us are obvious, even to those who dont know us.
Most impressive is her knowledge of traditonal art and mediums, her use of light and dark, the textures and mark making , the mastery of form and her beautiful story telling abilities. My first teacher and constant companion in painting and the best marketing manager anyone could ever wish for.
On the other side of me Coilin, my last formal teacher. For me, this had become mind blowing.What have i done ?
Just when we are getting a handle on the beast , in rocks Martin Finnin. An artist and friend that i have known since i was 15. Someone who has led the way and broken down barriers for Irish artists. A kind and generously giving person with a wicked imagination and a wonderful sense of humour.
Martin gets stuck in, creating layers and stories, moving paint with ancient paint brushes that look like an extensions of his arms . Taking the opportunity to dissolve his own and others pre-conceived ideas of who he is. With ease he began to playfully tell his own story with a universal glimpse of humanity on one of the biggest stages in Ireland.
The goose bumps were rising.
Day two kicks into cruise control as POPAs first emerging artists Oisin Hartigan, my first born, strolls into the arena.
Could this guy be any more casual about the creative space he has just entered .
I rang my own mum for a pep talk, showing her my own work and looking for guidance. The Mother in me had to leave and to just let Oisin do his thing.
I abandoned him into the company of these giants of Irish Art.
Slowly and steadily , free hand and in the moment, he began to build his painting with the confident voice of youth echoing the spirit that would soon fill the Electric Picnic arena.
I breathed a sigh of relief knowing i had done a good job as a daughter , a student, a friend, a mother and a curator as we told the story i wanted to share.
Special Thanks to my husband Gary Murphy for always being so supportive and to the wonderful Maria Finnin for the giggles and documenting with the most gorgeous photos.
