World-renowned artist to showcase ‘LANDMARK’ exhibition at Ned’s Point Fort

Roberto, who was born in Colombia in 1974, uses his ‘LANDMARK’ series of exhibitions to focus on how the colonial past or violent historical events persist through time in architecture and urban landscapes.

Previously living in Dublin, Madrid, Amsterdam and Cartagena de Indias in Colombia, Roberto currently lives and works in Germany where his ‘LANDMARK’ exhibitions have featured in Berlin’s Tempelhofer Feld and the Alexander Koenig Museum in Bonn.

Roberto says that he is delighted to be collaborating with organisers Artlink on the project and that the coastal location of Ned’s Point Fort works perfectly with LANDMARK. He also draws parallels with its military past and wars or conflicts around the world including in Ireland, Colombia and Germany, and hopes that his exhibition will help to engender ‘dialogue and reflection’.

“When I came to study in Dublin in 1996, the law and order climate was similar in both Ireland and Colombia – there were moments of great violence” he said.

“However, the Irish peace process, coupled with other factors such as the consolidation of the EU in the early 2000s, have meant that the realities today are very different.

“Living in Germany and seeing how engaging in a dialogue about a violent past makes me understand that working on the wounds that a society suffers is a task that concerns us all – especially artists who must ensure that the memory of those who tend to be forgotten by history remain somehow present in our lives – even if only at times and in a transitory way.

“For example, I am working on a larger piece that started after reading a small press article in Colombia that talked about how an indigenous community in La Chorrera (the Colombian Amazon) celebrates to this day the birthday of Roger Casement – an Irishman who exposed to the world the abuses of which the indigenous people of Colombia were exposed as a result of the exploitation of rubber in the Amazon.

“For this exhibition (in Buncrana) I am bringing some pieces that have already been in a previous exhibition in Bonn, there are others that have been produced specifically for Ned’s Point Fort and there are some parts of the building that will be temporarily intervened making it possible to tell from a distance that something is going on inside!

“It has also been important to me that the LANDMARK exhibition is accompanied by a talk about the building’s past, the memory and the role that exhibition spaces play in maintaining a healthy dialogue about our past, especially that which we tend to hide (a difficult heritage).

“In this respect, I hope that when LANDMARK disappears from Ned’s Point Fort the Buncrana community and future invited artists will also find within its walls a space for dialogue and reflection.”

Artlink Project Co-ordinator Rebecca Strain said it is a privilege to be working with Roberto Uribe Castro and she hopes the LANDMARK exhibition will draw local and global attention to Ned’s Point Fort:

“Our relationship with Roberto began in lockdown when galleries were closed and artists were testing out alternative venues to present artworks” she said.

“Roberto was introduced to us by Adriana Valderama who is a PhD researcher at Ulster University who we formed a friendship with through our base at Fort Dunree.

“LANDMARK was going to be another ‘remote’ based exhibition but we really wanted to bring Roberto here to see the local architecture and be inspired by our built heritage. Roberto visited in February 2022 and fell in love with Ned’s Point Fort!

“Donegal County Council who manage the space were happy to accommodate us to install LANDMARK here.

“It is a privilege to have such a renowned international artist choose to work here in Buncrana. We also hope that LANDMARK will draw local and global attention to Ned’s Point Fort, its history and its potential.”

The official launch of Roberto Uribe Castro’s ‘LANDMARK’ exhibition and his subsequent talk will take place from 6–8pm on 6th May 2022 – with refreshments provided.

For health & safety reasons the gates to Ned’s Point Fort are locked – and therefore future viewings of the exhibition will be by prior appointment only.

For further information visit artlink.ie email [email protected] or telephone 0838696513 / 0864532428.