Visual Arts

You Are Made of Stardust

George Bolster

Solstice is delighted to present George Bolster, You Are Made of Stardust, an exhibition of new and recent work by New York-based Irish artist George Bolster. This exhibition features new works which will be exhibited for the first time as well as recent large scale works that were developed during his residency at the Search for Extra-terrestrial Intelligence Institute (SETI) and subsequent research with the Kepler Mission scientists from NASA Ames in Northern California. Two important works in the exhibition are You Are Made of Stardust (2019) a suspended mobile that echoes a cosmic array appearing above the heads of the viewer, and Our Life Mirrored by Two Suns: Kepler 16b (2018), a panoramic tapestry in the form of a three-metre-high enveloping circle.

In 2020, following the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing, Bolster questions what that “giant leap for mankind” means as well as the philosophical implications for historic forms of belief and superstition.

George Bolster was born in Cork in 1972. His recent solo exhibitions include: Towards A Universal Sublime, Bratislava, Slovakia (2018); Amazement Insulates Us All, Memento Vivere, The Lab, Dublin. (2015); Un/natural History: Drowning Captiva, Nuit Blanche, Toronto, Canada (2014); High on Christ, Chung King Projects, Los Angeles, California, USA (2009); and sociodesic: a space for the three great loves, Galway Art Centre (2010).

DOWNLOAD EXHIBITION GUIDE

Gallery Opening Times

Tuesday - Saturday 11:00am – 4:00pm
The gallery closes for 30mins at lunchtime.

Supported by

Accompanying Events

ARTIST TALK AND EXHIBITION OPENING

Saturday 8 February, 2:30pm

Admission free, no booking required. To mark the opening of the exhibition, join George Bolster for an informal chat to discuss the ideas and inspiration behind his work.

Associated Events

THE GALLERY AS A CLASSROOM (CPD FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS)

Friday 21 February 2020

Primary school teachers are invited to explore our You Are Made of Stardust exhibition by George Bolster and participate in a Continued Professional Development workshop led by artist Jane Fogarty. Teachers will enhance their artistic skills through discussions on art and a hands on printmaking workshop, experiencing the potential of the gallery context as an educational resource for the primary school curriculum, and how this can be applied to the classroom context. This workshop is suitable for teachers of all primary class years and has links to the print and drawing modules from the visual arts curriculum.
No prior art experience is necessary.

CONTACT (1997) CINEMA SCREENING

Thursday 27 February

Jodie Foster and Matthew McConaughey star in this gripping adaptation of Carl Sagan’s story of a radio astronomer who receives the first extraterrestrial radio signal ever picked up on Earth. Foster’s character is based on Jill Tartar, a former director of the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute (SETI), where artist George Bolster developed large scale works that are on display in our Level 3 Gallery from 8 Feb – 20 March 2020.
This exhibition will be open 1 hour prior to screening for informal tours for those attending the film.

PRINTS OF STARDUST

Thursday 5 March (Secondary School Workshops)

This practical print workshop stimulates critical thinking and creativity by encouraging students to explore some of the themes evident in George Bolster's work, including our origins as a species and the possibilities of life outside our solar system. Following a 'Visual Thinking Strategies' tour of the exhibition questioning how Bolster expresses these themes artistically, students will respond by creating a panoramic textile panel using relief printmaking techniques. Facilitated by artist and educator Jane Fogarty this workshop is curriculum linked, promoting skills in print, drawing and design as well as critical thinking and expression.

PLANETARY PIONEERS

Wednesday 11 March (Primary School Workshops)

Kepler 16b, the double-sunned planet that George Bolster has imagined in this exhibition is one of the Earth-like planets where life could be sustained. What if in the future you could travel to Kepler 16b? In this workshop students become the next generation of innovators and explorers, working together to design and build a shelter and communication devices to contact home from this mysterious planet! Exploring a blend of science fact and science fiction, this fun workshop with visual artist Anne Cradden uses recycled materials and combines practical activities such as collaboration, design, engineering, and construction with the imagination of storytelling and drama.

Group Tours

Please contact Visual Arts Facilitation & Public Engagement Officer Deirdre Rogers (deirdre. rogers@solsticeartscentre.ie) to arrange free gallery tours for school or public groups. Learning resources for Primary and Secondary groups are created for each exhibition and available on request when you visit or to download below

School Resources

Leaving Certificate

This learning resource is designed to assist Leaving Certificate students and teachers interested in opting for the gallery question in Section III of the History & Appreciation of Art paper. This resource can be used in conjunction with a visit to our gallery to view any of our exhibitions throughout the school year and this document highlights our current solo show by Irish artist George Bolster entitled ‘You Are Made of Stardust’.

Primary School

The Primary School Visual Arts Curriculum emphasises ‘the importance of both making art and responding to art’. This printable resource is for children and their teachers as they explore the gallery, encouraging them to look, draw, think and respond to the artwork on display, and allowing them to reach a deeper understanding and appreciation of our local and international exhibiting artists. This document highlights our current solo show by Irish artist George Bolster entitled ‘You Are Made of Stardust’.