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Kathryn Maguire

September 19, 2010 — September 20, 2010

Hunter Gatherer

An Ephemeral Art Event

Sunday 19th September 2010 at 5pm

Find the work along the Grand Canal banks of Dublin, at Fishing posts 5- 7 near the Harolds Cross bridge

Thisisnotashop is delighted to present a new artwork by Kathryn Maguire entitled Hunter Gatherer, an ephemeral art intervention along the canal banks of Dublin. Please join us on Sunday evening for the swans release into city.

Artist Statement:

While walking along the Grand Canal in Dublin near the Harold’s Cross bridge area I noticed there were no swans. As I walked, pondering on the whereabouts of the swans, I found a lonely origami crane/swan on the grass. When I looked closer I realised it was made from a Tesco’s receipt.

Hunter Gatherer is a term coined for certain tribes who only gather foods when required.

According to Sahlins, ethnographic data indicated that hunter-gatherers worked far fewer hours and enjoyed more leisure than typical members of industrial society, and they still ate well. Their “affluence” came from the idea that they are satisfied with very little in the material sense.

Like the swans people have migrated to Ireland to improve their lives, bringing their different cultures, both culinary and behaviorally with them. There has been an increase in groups of people gathering along the banks of the canals. It is possible such a person created the solitary origami crane.

My idea is to create lots of origami swans/cranes and leave them strewn along the canal walk for others to find and also experience what happened to me. As they are made from receipts from my food shopping and consumerism, they are a thing of beauty, and also made from a banal material.

In Japan, a thousand origami cranes are considered to be very lucky.
Tsuru: The Japanese Crane

This event will happen on the 19th September 2010 at 5pm along the Grand Canal banks of Dublin, at Fishing posts 5- 7 near the Harolds Cross bridge.

BYOB & BBFB (bring bread for birdies)