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I originally invited Karl Burke and Lucy Gunning to develop an exhibition in conversation as part of The Complex visual art programme for 2026. However, following an unforeseen eviction by its landlords, The Complex found itself without a building. A generous and timely invitation from Paul McAree presented an exciting alternative for the exhibition, Lismore Castle Arts in Co. Waterford. In order to present the exhibition within the desired timeframe, we had to consider spaces beyond the already programmed Lismore buildings. This presented a challenging but productive shift in context, accompanied by some persistent questions:
How do we sustain artistic practice at a time when cultural space is becoming increasingly precarious and privatised?
Do we move outside?
Can we move outside?
Bright-eyed and eager, we examined a number of alternative outdoor sites at Lismore guided by Paul, mainly within the castle grounds and gardens, in search of zones for Karl and Lucy. The visit took place on the hottest day of the year. Navigating an unfamiliar landscape under severe heat, while attempting to document it extensively, caused a communal delirium that has bound us to specific zones in Lismore long after the visit.
Join us in Lismore Castle Gardens for the exhibition launch on Saturday, 12 September, 3 – 5pm.
Open every day, 11am – 6pm, 12 September – 11 October 2026. Last entry 5pm.
Curated by Mark O'Gorman.
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Karl Burke is an Irish artist and musician based in Dublin. Karl's practice is primarily concerned with perceptions, both emotional and physical, of the three-dimensional world, taking the form of sculpture, installations, photographs, video and sound. Logic and the scientific, interplay with nature to question space, place and perception. The work endeavours to draw out a certain in – between - ness in the potential in forms of space and place, to assert the present and make concrete the now. Karl is an assistant lecturer in the Fine Art Department at TUDublin.
Lucy Gunning is a London based artist born in Newcastle upon Tyne. Their practice involves installation and live event that juxtapose diverse material and spatial elements, often engaging with the complexities of a given site/context. Working with moving image, sculpture, found objects, architectural intervention. There is an ongoing interest in embodiment, temporality, architectural space, matter and the intangible. Informed by literature, feminist theory, and esoteric practice. They are represented by Matt’s Gallery in London, and teach at Chelsea College of Arts.
Mark O’Gorman was the inaugural Curator at The Complex (2018–2026), a multidisciplinary arts centre in Dublin’s north inner city. The exhibition programme commissioned site-specific work without predetermined themes, each exhibition developed through conversation. He has regularly guest lectured at the National College of Art & Design in Dublin and Technological University Dublin. He co-edited the publication Vertices with Paul McAree, published by Lismore Castle Arts. His writing has appeared in Paper Visual Art, The Visual Artists’ News Sheet, and various exhibition publications. He is currently a board member at The Centre for Contemporary Art, Derry.
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Images Courtesy Lucy Gunning.
