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KCAT exhibition explores real potential
WE were absolutely delighted and gob-smacked in the same time when accepting the gracious invitation and viewing the creations of the KCAT Art and Study Centre, which is on display at their premises, situated in the old Augustinian car park.
Their workshop, or should I say gallery, is so appropriately designed to serve both perquisites. The work is created in space that is the hand in a glove, or visa versa, in so far as the display facility is also serviced. The three-storied building is airy, spacious, appropriate, spotlessly clean, ornamental, with its walls, internally and externally, testament to its activities. Facing onto the ruins of the 15th-century Augustinian friary, and with the Abhann R (Kings River) rushing by its gables, the KCAT home has been up and running as a centre where those interested from all walks of life in theatre and art in all its forms study on a full-time basis.
At season’s end, the students present their creativity in whatever module they decided to specialise in, for their peers to view, appreciate and hopefully purchase. Presently there is a huge raft of creativity on display, and the exhibition will conclude on Sunday.
We spoke to Steven Aylin and Anja Terpstra, and they were absolutely euphoric about the work of their graduates.
We asked Steve, an English native, about our reasons for our interview.
“You are here to bear witness to the culmination of a year’s artwork by a great number of people who took part in a full-time and part-time art course in KCAT. We have been running the courses on a five-day and three-day basis for the past year, and all of our graduates are only too happy to display and hopefully sell their projects, whatever they may be to the viewing public.”
“From what walk of life are your students drawn from?” we asked Anja (the ‘j’ is pronounced as a ‘y’ in her native Holland).
“We have school leavers, people on a year-out break, old age pensioners, people with special needs and many more besides,” she told us.
On the assumption that the project is not remotely close to being a philanthropic society, Anja told us that the project is part funded by the Kilkenny VEC. It also gets funding from other national sources such as the Arts Council.
In the knowledge that KCAT has a far-reaching influence in the creative arts, this exhibition, I know from local knowledge, is not the first of its kind in Callan.
“KCAT has a very impressive history from its courses, and exhibitions both nationally and internationally,” said Steven.
Anja was keen to impress upon us the doctrine, for the need of a more appropriate word, of KCAT.
“Everyone has a talent, which is latent, unexplored, underdeveloped in many. KCAT helps them to seek it out, to explore its potential, and ultimately to produce it for general release in a sense.”
By way of an over-rider, she smiled.
“It works, you know. Have a look around you.”
I was dared to disagree with the smiling Dutch lady with the winning ways.
You could do a lot worse than take a leisurely trip out to the KCAT home, on the banks of the river in Callan, and dream away a few nice hours among the originals of heretofore unknown, undocumented, artists, who might someday hit the Everest of their chosen artistic acumen.
The exhibition closes on Sunday.
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Saturday 04 February 2012
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