The exhibition programme at the Nerve Centre’s state-of-the-art gallery in Building Eighty81, Ebrington, which hosted the Turner Prize in 2013, includes:
Colin Davidson – Silent Testimony
23 June - 16 September 2018Renowned portrait artist Colin Davidson’s powerful Silent Testimony exhibition, in partnership with National Museums NI, which reveals the stories of eighteen people who are connected by their individual experiences of loss through the Troubles.
Speeches, Strikes and Struggles: Curating Conflict
04 October - 23 December 2018Speeches, Strikes and Struggles: Curating Conflict, in partnership with the Tower Museum, presents rarely seen collections highlighting the significant events and cultural heritage of the Troubles from 1968 to the present day. It is the first time the newly acquired Peter Moloney collection, which paints an incredible and holistic visual interpretation of culture and identity across Northern Ireland over the past 50 years, will be on display.
Troubles Art
19 January - 28 April 2019Troubles Art will feature art drawn from the Ulster Museum, National Museums NI collection. This exhibition provides a broad representation of responses to the Troubles by a range of artists such as Willie Doherty, Rita Duffy, Gladys McCabe, Mary McIntyre and Jack Pakenham.
Drum: Portrait of a Village – Kevin Fox
May - June 2019Drum: Portrait of a Village by Derry~Londonderry photographer Kevin Fox offers a unique photographic portrait of a County Monaghan village. The exhibition, in partnership with Gallery of Photography, Dublin, highlights the ways in which the community is meeting the social and economic challenges facing small towns and villages across Ireland today, and gives voice to the strong sense of history and cultural identity of the largely Protestant and Presbyterian village.
The exhibitions will be accompanied by events and creative programmes, including activities for families and young people at weekends. Funders include the Heritage Lottery Fund, Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade, and the European Union’s PEACE IV Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).
David Lewis, Director of Communications at the Nerve Centre, said: 'We are delighted to be able to launch a programme for the year ahead, with such strong partnerships with National Museums NI, the Tower Museum, and the Gallery of Photography.
'The gallery is the only climate-controlled space in Derry~Londonderry and a key civic asset. The exhibitions explore aspects of our recent troubled past, with a view to increasing mutual understanding and looking to the future. The fact that they are taking place in a former military base, now a shared cultural space, is a unique element for visitors.'
Kathryn Thomson, Chief Executive of National Museums NI, said: 'National Museums NI are delighted to partner with the Nerve Centre on this exciting and creative exhibition programme. It’s a wonderful opportunity for us to bring our collections to new audiences and we hope that Silent Testimony and Troubles Art, both incredibly poignant and powerful exhibitions, will elicit the same sort of thought-provoking responses from visitors as we have experienced at the Ulster Museum.
'These exhibitions, along with others in the programme, provide a platform for discussion and dialogue that makes a positive contribution to creatively dealing with the legacy of our past.'
Trishe Lambe, Director of the Gallery of Photography, said: 'Gallery of Photography Ireland is delighted to partner with the Nerve Centre. The Nerve Visual Gallery is a great space – providing an appropriate context for critical reflection on our shared past and the exploration of contemporary issues affecting communities in Derry~Londonderry, Northern Ireland and across the island of Ireland.'
Roisin Doherty, Curator at the Tower Museum, said: 'We are delighted to be showcasing the Speeches, Strikes and Struggles exhibition as part of the Nerve Centre’s programme. The programme explores some of the fascinating facets of our journey towards peace and reconciliation through art, archive, photography and collections, all of which are set in a historic setting, with its own story to tell.
'Our collections illustrate and highlight an important chapter in our path to peace. It’s fantastic to be able to utilise the space at Building Eighty81, where the first class gallery facilities provide the perfect platform for a wide range of cultural experiences, museum engagement and the opportunity for future exhibitions by major artists and collectors.'
Nerve Visual Gallery is at 80-81 Ebrington Street, Ebrington, Derry~Londonderry, BT47 6FA. Opening hours: Tuesday – Saturday 11am-5pm; Sunday 12-6pm.