BLACKOUT An exhibition by Nua Collective International Tour Exhibiting in the Green Sheep Studio, Friar Street, Thurles, Co. Tipperary. Opening August 2nd 2024 at 7pm BST Running until August 23rd 2024 #nuablackout | www.nuacollective.ie/blackout Featured Artists: Robert Jackson Carol Healy Caoimhe Heaney Anne Martin Walsh Luke Hickey Eamonn B. Shanahan Katrīna Tračuma Josh Stein John Murray Paul McMahon Maria Markham Christina Geoghegan Saoirse O’Sullivan Scattered around the world, Nua Collective are a group of professional visual artists that collaborate together to create, share and support one another in their journey as artists. BLACKOUT marks their first physical exhibition and they are delighted to continue their international exhibition, returning to Ireland after touring to Latvia, Estonia, UK and Connecticut USA. Presenting the works of 13 Nua Collective artists, the Blackout series looks at climate change through a particular lens—blackout. Or the loss of self security that comes from our reliance on unreliable energy. The works wrestle with our human responses to the insecurity inflicted by the anthropomorphic blackout. This exhibition of lino prints that are unique and in their creation and processing have already travelled the globe. Exhibition Response: “This exhibition faces one of the biggest challenges of our time, and that’s climate change…It’s an exhibition that prompts us to wake up, sit up, stand up, and make a difference in whatever way we can for the planet and for humankind…The Blackout exhibition will bring the message and the pending climate disaster to a wider audience, and hopefully together Nua Collective’s message will be heard, understood, and acted upon by go all those who are fortunate enough to see it as it makes its way around the world.” Cllr. Barbara Anne Murphy, Wexford “From Ireland and with the rest of the world, I know here in Estonia, just as much as in Ireland, across Europe and across a huge part of the world, there’s a question of how we all have a responsibility to try and respond properly to climate change, to try and manage situations so that we leave the world in a reasonable state for the next generation and the generations to come, that’s not a simple question, but it’s a conversation we need to keep having. I’m very welcoming of the fact that Nua Collective are playing a real role in trying to continue that conversation here in Estonia. I’m really blessed to see so many people here. Friends of Ireland I know from our community, from our artistic friends here and others I have yet to make friends with.” James Sherry, Ambassador for Ireland in Estonia “Today, seeing that we will be talking about energy, about energy problems, I would like to say that energy really begins in each of us. Therefore, I would like this energy, which is both in us and in our fellow human beings, to be used for the creation of positivity. We also cannot forgo mentioning today what is happening with our neighbors, what is happening in Russia – that Russia is attacking Ukraine as an aggressor, and that is bad energy…” Andris Raviņš, Jelgava City Mayor Today we are talking about climate change, about energy challenges, about challenges that cannot be solved without the cooperation of states, municipalities, and each and every one of us. I will allow myself to quote Mr. Rāviņš, that energy begins within each and every one of us. The state, local government and artists can create an environment so that each one of us as an individual can make a decision on how to act. And art, especially that of artists with their contemporary perspective – their works do not require translation, they cannot force us to change our opinion. Thank you to Ireland for the opportunity to see their diverse culture. May there be new challenges, artistic challenges, creative challenges! Jeļena Šaicāne, Director of the Department of Social Integration of the Ministry of Culture There are lots of fantastic relationships being built between Irish and Latvian people and they’re what we should celebrate because Irish people, we understand what it’s like to leave our country and to go and make our way in the world and I think Latvians understand that too. And seeing an exhibition like this come together because of both of you and all the other artists that you’ve brought together in the collective is an absolute perfect symbol of that relationship, of bringing people together, of creating something new, of looking at the challenges in the world and making something from it and making something positive to make us think. Eimear Friel, Ambassador of Ireland to Latvia The artists of the Nua collective direct our attention to the growing concerns of climate change and the energy crisis. Therefore, I wish that this exhibition inspires and encourages us all not to be afraid to take bold steps towards a more sustainable and harmonious future. Ilga Grasmane, Head of the Jelgava Regional Tourism Center www.nuacollective.ie/blackout