Sara Dowling
Currently lives and works in: Limerick, Ireland
Areas of interest: Curatorial or socially engaged practise, arts and exhibition programming
Why are you a part of MagiC Carpets: I was selected by Matt Packer (Director, EVA International) as the first Irish Emerging Curator during the pilot year of MagiC Carpets. At this time, I held the role of Curatorial Scholar with EVA International, Ireland’s Biennial of Contemporary Art, while undertaking an MA by Research in Curatorial Studies by Practise.
MagiC Carpets projects (your role): Over 2 years with MagiC Carpets and EVA International, I managed the curatorial selection, residency accommodations and assistance for the following international artists, who spent time researching and developing works in Limerick, Ireland.
Vera Mota (Portugal)
Residency: 2017
Practise: Visual arts, music, cinema, literature, nature.
More information in here
Bora Baboci (Albania)
Residency: March 2019 & August 2019
Practise: Architecture, drawing, installation, performance.
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Anca Benera and Arnold Estefan (Romania)
Residency: August 2019
Practice: Installation, video, performance
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In addition to their residencies in August 2019, artists Bora Baboci, Anca Benera and Arnold Estefan all featured their work in some way as part of EVA’s 2020 39th Biennial Exhibition.
Past projects you are proud of (before MC): I have previously held roles as international selector for Athena Standards Residencies Athens, member of the Student Forum at the Douglas Hyde Gallery at Trinity College Dublin, and co-founder/curator of the independent platform project PeakShow Exhibitions (2018/9), among several other curatorial projects and exhibitions catering to emerging artist and recent creative graduate opportunity. I was also an artist-in residence at Mudhouse Residencies Crete, and exhibited in many group shows both in Ireland and abroad.
For more information in here
After my time with EVA International and MagiC Carpets, I became the Vice President for Postgraduate Affairs with the Union of Students in Ireland. I now hold a public engagement role at Limerick City Gallery of Art, having recently completed the Creative Europe Womarts Training Programme and Online Contemporary Curating: Curating & Money, course hosted by Zurich University of the Arts.
Why have you chosen to be a curator or why has curatorship chosen you? I enjoy researching and working cross-collaboratively. I also truly believe in the power of knowledge share, aiding in the realisation of conceptual ideas and exchange for a diverse range of practitioners. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, I think curatorial practise plays an important role in exploring new and adaptive ways of supporting and engaging arts communities, now more than ever.
Contact information
EVA International www.eva.ie
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