On the Road with the Artnauts in Ireland
Rian Kerrane and Melissa Furness are creating site-specific, social impact works in Derry and Belfast
Alice Crogan | College of Arts & Media Jun 4, 2024
The Artnauts is a Denver-based artist collective that uses art as a tool for addressing global issues while connecting with artists from around the world. They travel the globe doing site specific art installations at places like the DMZ in South Korea and the Amazon in Columbia. As curator of Thus Far, Kerrane, an art practices professor, is drawing upon her own experiences growing up and attending university in Ireland. Although she has been in the United States for 30 years, she returns to Ireland often, drawing inspiration from her homeland, creating site-specific art works, and leading a CU Denver study abroad experiences.
As frequent collaborators, Furness, is traveling with Kerrane conducting on-location workshops at a part of Thus Far. In Derry, Furness worked with bread and peanut butter to patch holes in wall near former checkpoints to symbolize the desire for repair and healing.
While in Derry, BBC interviewed Kerrane and Furness about Thus Far and their inspiration and intentions. The interview highlights the mission of the Artnauts to blur the lines between art and activism, as well as Kerrane’s cultural perspectives as an Irish woman living abroad.
The interview begins at 34:50
You can follow the work and adventures of Kerrane and Furness on the Artnauts Instagram account: @artnauts .