Antechamber: Mary McIntyre

Northern Irish Artist Mary McIntyre presents a new intervention for display in the Spotlight Gallery at Ulster Museum.

Mary McIntyre has explored different types of space in her work in multiple ways over the past three decades. In this new work, she presents the viewer with an image of a room which, at first, appears to be empty and unremarkable. Upon closer inspection, it reveals frayed and discoloured carpet tiles, stained walls and makeshift partitions – traces of occupation by unknown inhabitants.

Central to this image is a large-scale wooden panel, roughly painted and punctured with cut-out sections. This panel, replicated in the gallery, forms an unintentional and abstract composition. It is set alongside a work by Roger Hilton from the Ulster Museum’s collection, allowing the viewer to make visual connections to the abstract painting.

Activating the rooms that her photographs inhabit is key to McIntyre’s practice. The artist aims to inform the viewers by creating a surrounding environment that intensifies the act of looking in a multi-sensory way. Recently, McIntyre has become increasingly engaged in collaborative and cross-disciplinary practice, in particular as the founder of electronic record label TONN Recordings. This exhibition also debuts a new modular synth composition by Sean McBride of Martial Canterel, made in response to the artist’s photograph, which will play periodically throughout the day.

Antechamber: Mary McIntyre is on display in the Spotlight Gallery of Ulster Museum until January 2025. Free to visit, no booking required.

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