SAM’S EDEN (2020)
Contributors; Day Magee, Jennifer Mehigan, Padriag Regan, Yarli Allison, Richard Martin, Claire Biddles, Bassam Al Sabah, Phillip McCrilly, Michaela Razafima Nash, Ben Malcolmson, Dr. Richard O’Leary, Ruth McCarthy, The LGBTQIA Youth Steering Group [Natasha Manganaro, Charlie Beare, Ezra Pinkerton, Ellie Makem, Georgia Crutchley, Hannah Sharp, Jacinta Hamley, Kit Rees, Mark Cousins, Maxwell Courtney-Lee, Michael McConway, Rachel Hasson, Senenah Zitouni, Soso [Sorcha Ní Chealliagh], Holly Fusco and co-facilitator Clodagh Lavelle]
Publication designed by Shy Bairns
Editorial collaboration by Manuela Moser
Supported by Catalyst Arts, Arts Council of Northern Ireland and Art Fund UK
COVER IMAGE by Richard Martin [Chris Killip circa 1980-85 British Photography From The Thatcher Years, Susan Kismaric The Museum of Modern Art NY 1990]
SAM’S EDEN is a curatorial research project initiated in 2020 as a final project as part of the Catalyst Arts co-directorship in Belfast (NI). Taking inspiration from poet and pornographer Samuel Stewart, SAM’S EDEN looks features queer artists, writers and activists that work ‘within the marginalia’ outside of the traditional and normative creative structures.
Adapting this project to an exhibition in printed matter as a result of the covid-19 pandemic, SAM’S EDEN brought together four initial artist developed ways of collaborating across the restrictions in order to strengthen or devise new strategies of communication and resilience. Alongside these projects, SAM invited three new essays on queer experience that delve into the histories of queer culture.
The project also welcomed Dr. Richard O’Leary to close the project with an online story event entitled ‘Love Letters’ relating to the series of coded love letters he and his late partner used to correspond.
Alongside these commissioned works, a youth engagement panel was created as part of the Reimagine, Remake and Replay (Thrive and National Museums Northern Ireland) to engage LGBTQ+ youth in visibility and representation within the regions museums.
Below is a selection of the work produced, SAM’S EDEN is available to purchase via Catalyst Arts shop, Good Reads and via the artists contact page.
from Day Magee - The Garden of Jarman
from Jennifer Mehigan and Bassam Al-Sabah - A Paradise Out of a Common Field
from Phillip McCrilly, Padraig Regan - The Geographic Tongue (images by Ben Malcolmson)
from Yarli Allison - Methods of Root Propagation
from Richard O’Leary - Love Letters (image courtesy of the artist private archive.