A STUNNING array of works were submitted for the annual 1FT SQ exhibition hosted by Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, which for the first time in its 13-year history is taking place virtually via Strule Arts Centre s Facebook page. Having opened on December 4 with a virtual event live-streamed from the Strule Arts Centre in Omagh via the Council s YouTube page, the exhibition runs until January 9. A Council spokeswoman said: This is the 13th year of 1FT SQ exhibition – an event that has grown annually and attracts artists of all genres and creative backgrounds, both locally and further afield. There was an excellent response to the open call to the arts community in November from 39 artists, who are showing 117 works of art in a variety of mediums, including photography, porcelain, ceramics, oil, acrylic, pencil, mixed-media and prints.
Bradford Museums and Galleries
The moment in June 2020 when John Cassidy s statue of Edward Colston was torn down and trundled through the streets of Bristol to meet its watery end in the River Avon has been endlessly on my mind. It was a profound moment of collective action aimed at reimagining who and what is celebrated in our public spaces by questioning the objects already within it. For so long in Britain, we have struggled to acknowledge the impact of our colonial history, despite its visible legacies across the country.
At this juncture, when the Black Lives Matter campaign has brought this into sharp focus, it is a timely opportunity to re-examine aspects of British history which often go unrecognised. Art is a rich place to start, as many artists have been working through these histories long before the conversation became mainstream. Many inspirational artworks have emerged as a result.