Barrens Exhibition

The Limestone Barrens Project

This exhibition is the culmination of a three-year project which was an interdisciplinary venture investigating links between three areas: The limestone cliffs and alvars of the Bruce Peninsula in Ontario , the Burren in Co. Clare and the limestone barrens on the northern peninsula of Newfoundland and Labrador .  These unique landscapes are similar in their sculpted topographic formations and the unique flora and fauna residing there. These links are explored through the disciplines of visual art, science, creative writing and music.

The project asked a number of artists, writers and musicians to explore one of these remarkable sites.  After having been briefed on each area’s specific historical and geographical background by scientists, conservationists and park rangers, the participants then created a series of works in response to their experiece of these hauntingly beautiful areas.  The resulting artworks form the basis of this touring exhibition, and examine themes such as survival, adaptation, interdependence, conservation, and immigration.

The exhibition features lens based work and includes black and white and colour photography, photographic installation, video installation and stereoscopy.  Orla Kenny and Liam O Callaghan are the two Irish artists who participated in the project, and their work will be shown alongside that of Marlene Creates and David Morrish (Newfoundland and Labrador); Har Prakash Khalsa, Kris Rosar and Greg Staats (Canada).  The show will also feature original music by the Irish composer Rob Canning.