Mayo film Silent Moves nominated for top artwork of 2015

SILENT Moves - Mayo’s Ignite commission - has been nominated for the top artwork of 2015.

If successful, the piece will become one of the 100 most important artworks of 100 years of Ireland.

Silent Moves is a film made through collaboration between visual artist Aideen Barry and artists from Western Care’s Scannán Technologies and Ridgepool Training Centre.

The project was made possible through an award to Ballina Arts Centre, who hosted and managed the Mayo Ignite project. Ignite is a new platform designed to generate Ireland’s most ambitious showcasing of talent from people with disabilities, led by international and Irish artists and performers with disabilities.

The project took place over a period of eight months in Ballina. The project focused on developing skills in stop motion animation, film, script development and performance techniques.

Irish dance artist and choreographer Emma O’Kane worked alongside Aideen Barry as the group developed their ideas and story boards. The collective talents of the 30 group members with the lead artists created this wonderful, moving and hilarious film.

The world premiere of Silent Moves took place in Ballina Arts Centre on November 28. Emily Logan, chief commissioner for Irish Human Rights & Equality Commission, launched the evening, which had all the glamour and excitement of a Hollywood event. There were two packed screenings and overwhelmingly positive audience response to the film.

Mayo Ignite was awarded the Ignite Touring Award 2015, and the film was toured and screened in Galway, Dublin, Cork and Castlebar.

The series Modern Ireland in 100 Artworks, a collaboration between The Irish Times and the Royal Irish Academy, is a transverse section of Ireland’s struggles with modernity since 1916. Learn more at www.irishtimes.com/culture.