yay.ie

Yes, you read the subject right. Fake Movie Posters in an exhibition. Starring some of Kilkenny’s best known miscreants, Ross Costigan is showcasing his work at the Watergate Theatre from 8 December to 13 January. This promises to be interesting.

Ross (photographed above) doesn’t want any of the posters shared before launch (the clever fella) so all I can do is share the press release from Kilkenny Arts Office with you.

Given though the success he’s had commercially and artistically and the quality of some of the photos over on his website, this exhibition promises to be something different, unique and worth seeing.

OFFICIAL OPENING ON THURSDAY 8 DECEMBER and the show continue until January 13 2012.

Watergate Theatre Opening Hours: Monday–Friday 10am–7pm, Saturday 2pm–7pm

Earlier this year and as part of their Empty Space initiative Kilkenny County Council Arts Office commissioned Ross Costigan Photography to create a series of fake movie posters.

After months of hard graft, unpredictable models and a vertical learning curve the posters have arrived. The exhibition will showcase a series of Kilkenny-based Hollywood-style fake movie posters, shot against a green screen with a large cast of Kilkenny actors and familiar faces including Jack O’Leary, Alexandra Christle, Ken McGuire, Brendan Corcoran, John Morton, Ruth Phelan, Aoibhín Murphy, Thomas Flood, Sara Begley, Gemma D’Alessandro, Sarah Dreeling, Alan Dawson and Thomas Donoghue.

The Empty Space project is an initiative of Kilkenny County Council Arts Office looking to activate the temporary use of vacant spaces for arts, cultural and community activity.

The presence of cultural activity underpins and contributes to local strategies and sustainable arts development. Vacant and derelict units degrade the visual quality of our streets, which has a significant impact on remaining properties and trade. The role that arts and culture can play in economic regeneration is vital. It improves the look and feel of our shopping areas and can essentially revive and breathe new life into districts.

The revitalisation and vibrancy created by such initiatives generate local pride, in turn deterring vandalism and encouraging further positive activity. The occupation of empty spaces creates new and stimulating experiences for shoppers and passers-by. Basically it is one of the best means of animating our neighbourhoods during the downturn, i.e. using the arts to make places attractive and vibrant. It also maintains the standards of the premises in question improving their worth in terms of new tenants.

Arts and cultural activity offer escape and comfort in tough times and they have the power to play a key role in our recovery from recession. These types of activities have proved themselves successful on many counts including, the improvement of the quality and viability of an area, garnering positive publicity and increasing footfall to an area thus benefiting the surrounding businesses.

The current climate offers us a prime opportunity to invigorate and revitalise Kilkenny. We already have an abundance of creative talents to offer and we should be able to provide the space and support to this creativity and to enhance and complement current activity. This opportunity can turn this time of supposed hardship into a time of positive opportunity and prospects.

Providing work spaces such as these are invaluable and will enable practitioners to develop. It will also complement greatly to the creative industries already currently based in Kilkenny, in turn further enhancing Kilkenny’s reputation.

• www.rosscostiganphotography.ie
• www.facebook.com/rosscostiganphotography 
• www.twitter.com/rosscostigan