Less Stress More Success
12 September – 24 October 2020
Kilkenny Arts Office Gallery, 5 Dean Street, Kilkenny
Eimear Murphy
Laura Fitzgerald
Saidhbhín Gibson
In an Irish context, the phrase “Less Stress More Success” evokes an immediate, and dreaded, memory of stacked study aids for the State Examinations. These publications were designed to condense and organise information with a purpose to make “those study hours really pay!” A shortcut to success, assuring the most productivity in the least stressful manner. On leaving school and entering working life, this mantra for achievement seems to be quickly abandoned.
Now, more so than ever, it is evident that the profession of the artist in a capitalist society is maintained by stress success. The artist becomes a hyper worker, surviving on a rotation of grant applications and pressing deadlines that often dominate over artistic practice. This gig-based employment equates to periods of high productivity and unpredictability in work. The result sees the boundaries between life and work blurred and collapse into senseless multi-tasking. This unsustainable approach leaves an art community anxious, exhausted and envious.
This exhibition invites reflection on the concept of stress success. Curator Rachel Botha invites artists Eimear Murphy, Laura Fitzgerald and Saidhbhín Gibson to interpret stress success from varied perspectives.
This exhibition raises questions concerning our strive to achieve, its conditions and impact, both as artists and humans. What does the concept of success mean? How is success achieved? Must the journey to success be stressful?
This is the first exhibition of the Kilkenny County Council Arts Office’s ‘Emerging Curator in Residence Programme 2020’. This programme has enabled Rachel Botha to gain direct experience in the field of curating exhibitions for the Arts Office Gallery at 5 Dean Street, Kilkenny. This opportunity provides Rachel with the platform to further develop her career, expand her artistic networks and avail of a mentoring programme with curator Eamonn Maxwell.
→ Exhibition Handout
