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Vanessa DawsWhat is a Lake? A Community Enquiry
UCD College of Science
When passing a body of water, be it pond, fountain, lake, river or sea, it’s hard for me to resist the urge to take a swim. Swimming, journey, encounter, conversation are the starting points for my projects. I use video, sound recording, drawings, publications, made objects and live events to create the work. I describe my process as ‘Psychoswimography’, a watery drifting and re-imagining of place.
What is a Lake? Offered the UCD community a chance to escape land temporarily and view their familiar campus from a new perspective. The boat tours created a chance to consider what a lake is and the value and role bodies of water play in our terrestrial world.
What is a Lake was the culmination of Vanessa Daws residency at UCD College of Science. During a day long event there were boat tours of the UCD Lake with an accompanying sound piece of stories about the lake that the artist had recorded throughout the year.
As part of the project, student Anika Babel from UCD School of Music wrote an orchestral piece called “I am a Lake” in honour of the UCD Lake.
“I am a Lake” was performed that evening by the specially assembled ‘Lake Orchestra” (and secret singers).
Following the student performance, the artists book “What is a Lake?” was launched by Prof Joe Carthy, Principal of the UCD College of Science. Dr Jennifer Mitchell a Microbiologist at UCD and Dr Caroline Wynne, Senior Freshwater Consultant, RPS Group Ltd, gave presentations on what a Lake means to them in their jobs as scientists and researchers.
Excerpts from the artists book 'What is a Lake?'
The recorded stories listened to on the boat tours
The talks during the evening perfomance
The music 'I am a Lake' composed by student Anika Babel and performed by her friends from UCD School of Music
For more information on Vanessa Daws;
vanessadaws@mac.com
Photos©Brian Creegan
A message from Vanessa Daws
Thanks to everyone who helped with this project:
The UCD Community who I interviewed throughout the year and pestered for Lake stories.
The boat tour team – The Raystown Boat Club and James Hamilton who provided the boat for the event, Rachel Ní Dubhghaill, Ulla Juske, Clíona Ní Bhriain, Deborah Madden.
Brian Creegan for taking photos.
Tom Shields who organised the group from the Dublin Model Boat Club to take part.
And to Emer O’Boyle who runs the Parity Studios at UCD that creates these amazing residency opportunities for artists.