In 2002, visitors at the Guggenheim were taken aback as they observed a couple expressing their affection openly by kissing. Such ostentatious displays of emotion, particularly love, are seldom seen in galleries. This show of love in New York struck onlookers as something bizarrely forbidden, voyeuristic, and highly personal. Some spectators even defied instructions and took photos. Meanwhile, during the same year at the Venice Biennale, a museum guard could be heard singing ‘This is propaganda, you know you know.’ This intriguing incident was the work of Tino Sehgal, who was introducing something new, odd, and fascinating. The couple’s kiss humanised the marble and canvas relics that perpetually depict erstwhile models locked in an embrace, while also portraying the couple as some alien entity – a reflection of art itself.
Fast forward 10 years to London’s Tate Modern; the Turbine Hall was brimming with visitors, as it typically does, when suddenly 70 of those visitors turn into a flash mob, indulging in what appeared to be a running game. Engaging in running games is usually deemed unacceptable in galleries, much like passionate kissing. An individual then breaks away from the group and engages in a conversation with an unknown person, followed by another, and then another. This bizarre occurrence was Sehgal’s These Associations, a work of art that would earn the Berlin-based, British-born artist a nomination for the Turner Prize. Although Sehgal did not clinch the illustrious award that year, he would go on to win the Golden Lion at Venice, and collect a plethora of other awards internationally.
As I watched in the Tate gallery, I waited for my turn to become part of the intriguing story. I listened to the quiet tales being woven around me – tales that were bizarre yet personal. I was eager for my interaction, but it never came – much like how I often feel at social gatherings, attracted yet repelled by the crowd. This conflicting pull-and-push within me was starkly evident.
“Apologies,” Sehgal comments on the mishap during our Zoom call today, “Mistakes happen. There’s no concrete reason for it.” I rationalised that looking back, I didn’t mind the mishap. The unexpected personal epiphany that the artwork gifted me was worth it.
Attendees of the Cork Midsummer Festival will be offered the unique opportunity to experience one of Sehgal’s exceptional works firsthand at the City Hall this month. His art was previously featured at the Irish Museum of Modern Art in 2013, which was temporarily located at Earlsfort Terrace. However, he now finds the potential subconscious rituals associated with midsummer and the cognitive wealth of festivals profoundly engaging. Sehgal refers to his exhibitions, installations, projects, presentations – or whatever one may call them – as “constructed situations”, which is extremely challenging to encapsulate in words. The artist would prefer that people interact with his art directly rather than through secondary sources like interviews, hence the absence of official recording or photography.
Despite his unconventionality, engaging in a conversation with Sehgal proves to be insightful and intriguing. His penetrating intelligence, abstract thinking, honesty, humour and mysterious nature can be quite captivating. Chatting with him often feels like being carried along by a softly flowing stream of thoughts, uncertain of the direction yet not desiring to withdraw. His pausing to locate the appropriate choice of words or perhaps envision something novel, mirrors the experience one might find when interacting with his exhibitions.
His artworks are “alive” according to him, and this live component extends beyond the predetermined nature of theatre and concerts. He prefers his art to develop spontaneously within specified constraints, which is often determined by the observer’s involvement. This approach brings to mind the words of the late artist from Roscommon, Brian O’Doherty, about his creative process, in particular his rope drawings: the viewer’s presence finalises them. He once confessed to me, “Without the observer, the work lacks existence”.
Sehgal, a notable figure in the art world, has always been fond of his fellow Ballaghaderreen-born art superstar, James Coleman, whom he recognises as a close friend and a guiding figure. Sehgal particularly admires Coleman’s commitment to his work’s framework and execution style, including his avoidance of interviews and strict control on how his pieces should be experienced. An integral element of this style, according to Sehgal, is the prevention of the creation of what he refers to as ‘material residue’. Sehgal firmly believes that it is entirely possible to create something that doesn’t fit the conventional definition of visual art, a principle he adopted from Coleman. He aspires to generate art that doesn’t physically exist, but resonates in people’s minds and memories. This approach evokes an intriguing debate on the value and significance of physical possessions and the actions we take throughout our lifetime.
Born to a German mother and an erstwhile British India-born father, Sehgal’s accent reflects both his German upbringing and English influence. The concept of not wholly belonging to a single place transforms a person into a mix of an observer and a conformist, according to Sehgal. His upbringing in a town driven by industrial production discouraged him from creating tangible products himself. Describing the place as one with tremendous incoming and outgoing flow of materials and goods, he suggests that art should be an expression of strong personal feelings.
Sehgal found early inspiration as a skating enthusiast during his teenage years. This period made him realise that the intended function of objects could be altered and redefined. As a passionate reader of Taschen books about Marcel Duchamp and Yves Klein, he decided to pursue dance and economics concurrently. The decision to study economics though was far from pacifying worried parents; rather, it was to gain a deeper understanding of the economic foundations of society. His belief was that grasping the functionality of society was crucial should he wish to bring about any change. Summarising his philosophy, he refers to it as a ‘life art project’ adopting a hybrid German neologism.
Following initial exhibitions of his craft, it was clear to see how fast the copycats appeared. For a period, living mannequins acting out in stylised manners emerged overnight at the major international art gatherings. Even taking into account that an art fair is hardly the best environment to indulge in art, they felt awkward, void of purpose or substantial value. What special elements does Sehgal bring to create such a unique experience?
Sehgal’s education includes dance and choreography, his time as a performer, and his investigation into economics and the concept of trade. The art, he insists, wasn’t conjured out of thin air, but rather emerged from his distinctive vision and rooted conviction that art can have powerful ramifications. “Where lies the strength of exhibition art or the museum?” Sehgal queries, highlighting that artists who may be overlooked in the present can shape and mold entire periods in the future. “This will become the past,” he’s declared; upon reflection, we do tend to recall the artistic trends more so than the political figures of the era. According to him, he’s an optimist and has encountered “considerable change”, for which he attributes working with the younger generation and his own children, now aged 14 and 16.
At the Cork Midsummer Festival exhibition, emphasis is placed on family relationships, specifically intergenerational nurturing. This exhibition, youiiyou, being displayed in partnership with the National Sculpture Factory, was initially commissioned by Fundación Botín and showcased at Centro Botín, in Santander, Spain, in 2023. It was created as a homage to the 1612 masterpiece, The Adoration of the Shepherds by El Greco, as Sehgal continuously finds inspiration from art history. Although the original painting won’t be seen in Ireland, what viewers will witness is a band of participants, from infants to the original Spanish team, along with a handful of individuals from Cork performing intergenerational caring roles.
Featuring a blend of vocal and kinetic performance, the artistic creations by Tino Sehgal are something memorable and nearly elusive, a trait that plays into Sehgal’s preference for people to see his work directly, rather than through indirect mediums such as interviews or captured imagery. Emphasising this, Sehgal states, “I intentionally opted for a medium that allows for interpretation – that’s an integral part of the creative process. Somehow, this freedom for interpretations tends to feel restricted when one begins conversing about it”. Let me assure you, this is something you don’t want to miss.
Cork Midsummer Festival is scheduled to take place from the 12th to 23rd of June. This Youiiyou, one of Sehgal’s works, is set to premiere at the Millennium Hall on Tuesday, June 18th and continue till the festival concludes. Both participation and attendance are without charge, and there’s no need to book in advance.
Here are some other must-see attractions of the festival:
Theatre for One – This Ireland: Walk into a custom-made cubicle where you can be part of your very own drama as a lone performer delivers 12 concise plays exclusively for you. Landmark Productions and Octopus Theatricals have collaborated with the festival and the Cork Opera House, showcasing works by seasoned playwrights who have mentored new writers. You can witness the creative results of Iseult Deane, Susannah Al Fraihat, Aoibhéann McCann, Joy Nesbitt, Ois O’Donoghue, and Aoife Delany Reade, who have been guided by Marina Carr, Stacey Gregg, Emmet Kirwan, Louise Lowe, Mark O’Rowe, and Enda Walsh. The event takes place at Emmet Place from June 15th to 23rd, is free of charge, and no tickets are required, although be prepared for a wait.
Night Dances: Renowned choreographer Emma Martin and her team at United Fall have created a homage to dance, spanning from competitions in clubs to cultural ceremonies. Expect passionate performances set to a pulsating live score courtesy of Daniel Fox from the Gilla Band, forming a fervent tribute to dance. Presented at Marina Market Warehouse from June 13th to 15th, tickets are priced €22/€24.
Sophie Motley, the newly appointed artistic director and CEO of the Project Arts Centre, has refreshed Schubert’s song cycle, Winter Journey – Winterreise Reimagined. This rendition will feature an amalgamation of different music genres, expressed in eight different Shandon venues. Participating performers include JFDR, Gavan Ring, Gary Beecher, Lina Andonovska, Outsiders Ent, Neil O’Driscoll, Peter Power, Rachael Lavelle, Ciara O’Leary Fitzpatrick, Johnny McCarthy and Bláithín MacGabhann, in collaboration with Islander and the festival. This event is scheduled for June 15th and 16th in Shandon, with ticket costs between €22 and €24.
Meanwhile, the artist Amanda Coogan, in partnership with composer Linda Buckley, will be accompanied by Alvean Jones, Lianne Quigley and Cork Deaf Community Choir for a unique opera entitled Possession. The story, rooted in a screenplay by deaf artist Teresa Deevy, illustrates An Táin from Queen Medb’s perspective, merging Irish Sign Language with experimental music arrangements. The opera will be staged at the Granary Theatre from June 20th-23rd, with tickets pricing from €15 to €25.
Tempesta, a play centered around true events by Deirdre Kinahan, features music by Steve Wickham of The Waterboys. The story tracks two Dubliners embroiled in the 1930s war, caught in a whirlwind romance that takes them from Dublin’s jazz clubs to Catalonia’s battlegrounds. The performances will run from June 16th-23rd at The Pav, with ticket prices ranging from €18 to €20.
Davey Moor has curated a distinctive blend of table tennis and art in the event, Wiff Waff Is Playing at My Gaff. Moor hosts spontaneous table tennis matches and introduces creatively designed tables by renowned artists like Elinor O’Donovan, Ella Bertilsson, Liliane Puthod, Prendergast & Moor, Dáire McEvoy, Tanad Aaron, and David Lunney. Experience a game on these distinct wiff-waff tables (an antique term for table tennis) and stay alert for surprise tournaments throughout the event. Admission is free, and it will run at the Crawford Art Gallery from June 14th-July 7th.