‘Waterford’s Bilberry Goats’ is part of a group exhibition that will open in the GOMA Gallery of Modern Art (William St., Waterford) at 6.30pm on 19th January.
This work is an interactive video installation and collaboration between artist Marie Lee and members of South East Makerspace.
Oil paint on glass animation. Interactive installation, video projections, Infra-red proximity sensors, arduinos, light-emitting diodes, 38mm pvc pipe, vinyl, dimensions variable.
Waterford’s Bilberry Goats
Waterford City has a rare treasure which is unique in the world, the last of an ancient breed of wild goat called the Bilberry Goats. They are a landrace and wild species which means that without the freedom to roam on their original habitat in the Bilberry area, which has particular minerals and vegetation, the goats will become extinct. Waterford’s majestic and beautiful Bilberry Goats who have lived in Waterford city for centuries are now an endangered species as their habitat is inadequate.
The videos are activated by sensors which register the warmth of the human body. By engaging and caring about the Bilberry Goats, the people of Waterford will protect this precious part of their heritage for generations to come. The video images are fleeting, referencing how precarious Waterford’s Bilberry Goats survival stands at present. Their original habitat has been reduced to a small piece of rented land which is not adequate for this wild goat species. This piece of land is highlighted in black in the light projection on the ground. The area in white is the remainder of the Bilberry Goats original habitat which they need to roam and graze on, in order to survive.
This work is a collaboration between artist Marie Lee, who painted the animations ([email protected]), and members of South East Makerspace (SEMS), Aileen Drohan, Paula Kenneally, Dave Kilkenny, Dave Kirwan and Podge Murphy, who have skills in digital art, coding, electronics, engineering and physics. SEMS is a club and shared workspace where creative practitioners usually with an interest in technology and computing, can meet to work on individual and joint projects. www.southeastmakerspace.org
Grateful thanks to the Bilberry Goat Heritage Trust for providing the information on this Waterford’s Bilberry Goats exhibition. www.bilberrygoatheritagetrust.com[email protected]
