Upon stepping into Glenkeen Garden, the initial impact is predominantly a visual one. The captivating interplay of colours and shapes beckons the eyes, enticing them to roam from side to side, attempting to encapsulate the sheer magnitude of its beauty. Carefully crafted over two decades by photographer, psychologist, and philanthropist Ulrike Crespo (1950—2019) along with her partner Michael Satke, this garden, nestled on the shores of Roaringwater Bay in West Cork, has welcomed artists since 2021 for an artist-in-residence programme, facilitated by the Crespo Foundation.

Under the title ArtNature/NatureArt, the garden has been a temporary home for artists working across various media, immersing themselves in this distinctive environment and the unique and welcoming social tapestry of West Cork. A specific emphasis is placed on scientific collaboration, facilitated in cooperation with the Environmental Research Institute at the University College Cork and Frankfurt’s Senckenberg Research Institute.

The Glenkeen Variations is an exhibition and event series focused on the artists’ return to Ireland. Across events at the Goethe-Institut in Dublin, the UCC’s Glucksman, and the Working Artist Studios in Ballydehob, the former residents present their work to a broader audience and continue their discussions with research and community partners.

The series is curated by Ben Livne Weitzman.

‘Disquieting Frequencies’ kicks off in March with works by artists Moritz Fehr and Marcus Maeder. Both Fehr and Maeder enter Glenkeen Garden through paths unseen. By directing their focus toward wavelengths imperceptible to the naked eye, the artists expand our spectrum of perception, exposing underlying currents that course through our surrounding environment.

In Dublin, artist, researcher and composer Moritz Fehr presents his captivating video piece, ‘Plant Stress (SPF 50)’. It navigates the concept of Plant Stress — a term borrowed from scientific discourse, denoting unfavourable conditions or the impact of substances that disrupt the metabolism and growth of plants. The culprit in this instance is excessive UV radiation, a prevalent factor in environmental pollution. At the Working Artist Studios in Ballydehob, Fehr presents a stereoscopic video installation entitled ‘Foreshore Act (Landscape Study)’. It considers the use and privatization of the tidal coast in Ireland and is composed of infrared images and spatial sound recordings he created during the residency.

Setting his attention on the sonic, artist, researcher and electronic music composer Marcus Maeder presents a glimpse into his extensive project ‘Imeall an Chosta’, (coastline) in Irish, which he developed in Glenkeen over the past two years. The project undertakes a dual scientific and artistic exploration of climatic changes along the Roaringwater Bay. Focusing on the impact of a changing climate on aquatic and terrestrial fauna, with particular emphasis on biodiversity, the study listens in on the intricate relationships shaped by microclimatic conditions and exposures in local communities within the context of shore ecology. Employing acoustic methods, automatic audio recorders and sensors strategically placed in transition zones from water to land capture the local soundscape at intervals, providing insights into the temporal and spatial dynamics of biodiversity and the weakening of the Gulf Stream (Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation). This ecoacoustic investigation provides new ways of understanding the changes occurring all around us. All recordings and data collected are accessible online.

Goethe-Institut, Dublin
Exhibition: Moritz Fehr and Marcus Maeder
Opening Thu., 07.03.24, 6:00pm
08.03.—06.04.24

The Glucksman, University College Cork
Panel discussion: Moritz Fehr with Prof. Marcel Jansen
Fri., 08.03.24, 1:00pm

Working Artist Studios, Ballydehob
Presentation: Moritz Fehr
Sat., 09.03.24, 4:00pm

In May and November, the next artists will return to Ireland to share their works with the public.