Performing Peace, 2018
Research project on creative peace-building initiatives in post-conflict Northern Ireland

The Boney and Badges, Flags and Emblems both emerged from a Carnegie Mellon University research project, entitled Performing Peace (2015-2018), undertaken by myself and 2 colleagues, Professor Jennifer Keating (English) and Professor Illah Nourbakhsh (Robotics). As well as teaching a class each year, Art, Conflict and Technology in Northern Ireland, we embarked on several research visits and student field trips, to meet with creative practitioners, community workers and stakeholders, striving to build a peaceful future in post-conflict Northern Ireland, since the Good Friday agreement of 1998.

The Boney, 2017
Double-sided printed vinyl banner; 72” tall x 42” wide

Bonfires are built in Protestant/Unionist/Loyalist communities in Northern Ireland on the eve of the annual 12th July parades and celebrations of the victory of the Protestant King William III over the Catholic King James II, at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. This victory contrived Protestant ascendancy on the British throne.  The bonfires are draped in Catholic/Republican/Nationalist paraphernalia (such as flags, effigies and election posters), which all go up in smoke, when the fires are ignited at midnight, amid raucous partisan revelry.

Badges, Flags and Emblems, 2017
30 refrigerator magnets in a steel frame; height 14” x width 11”

The magnets depict symbolic iconography from both sides of the religious/political divide in Northern Ireland. These images would not normally share the same public space. The work came directly from a teaching scenario. It emerged from an interdisciplinary class at Carnegie Mellon University entitled Art, Conflict and Technology in Northern Ireland. The work was conceived by student Jake Klingensmith (2014) for his final class project, but he was not able to complete the project prior to his graduation. With Jake’s permission, my colleague Professor Jennifer Keating and I finished the work based on his original concept.