WEEK5 A CASE STUDY: EVERY VERSION BELONGS TO THE MYTH
Every Version Belongs to the Myth, curated by Tessa Giblin and Argentine artist Amalia Pica, explores the layered nature of myth and its multiple interpretations. Featuring artists from diverse backgrounds—Maria Barnas, Michael Fortune & Aileen Lambert, Felix Gmelin, Mahony, Gareth Moore, Pavel Pepperstein, Amalia Pica, and Elizabeth Price—the exhibition presents films, artworks, artifacts, collections, and stories, examining how objects become vessels for personal meaning.
TROPHY 2000-2009 by Elizabeth Price, a sculptural artwork featuring engraved exhibition details.
Inspired by Claude Lévi-Strauss’s structuralist view that myths remain alive through constant retelling and transformation, the exhibition challenges the idea of an “authentic” myth. It also draws from the Irish tradition of the Seanchaí, traveling storytellers who intertwined myth, history, and contemporary events.
What can I learn from this?
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Multiple perspectives: The exhibition emphasises the multiple interpretations of myths in different contexts, suggesting that when planning my personal project, I could invite multiple artists to interpret the same theme from their own unique perspectives, enriching the exhibition’s sense of hierarchy.
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Diverse artistic mediums: Through a variety of mediums such as film, artwork, artefacts and storytelling, the exhibition demonstrates the diversity of ways in which myths can be expressed. I will consider incorporating different art forms in my personal project to present the theme in a multi-dimensional way.
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Interactivity and participation: The exhibition’s If Things Could Talk workshop with the National Museum encouraged audiences to touch and discuss objects, deepening their understanding. This inspired me to design sessions with Folklore Scotland artists or host poetry and book readings on mythology.
I also aim to pose thought-provoking questions: How do transformation and adaptation shape our understanding of myth and history? Can we sense the relationship between nature, industry, and heritage in these works? By prompting reflection, the exhibition experience becomes more than passive observation—it becomes an evolving dialogue.
References
e-flux. Every Version Belongs to the Myth. e-flux Announcements. Accessed February 19, 2025. https://www.e-flux.com/announcements/37585/every-version-belongs-to-the-myth/.
Project. Every Version Belongs to the Myth. Accessed February 19, 2025. https://projectartscentre.ie/events/every-version-belongs-to-the-myth/.
