This three-part work focuses on a collection of ancient and contemporary superstitions and beliefs from people living in and around the town of Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo filmed by Michael Fortune for the percentage for art programme supported by Mayo Co. Co.
Michael Fortune was born in Born in rural Co. Wexford, Ireland, in 1975. His artistic practice spans the formats of writing, video and photography. Working predominantly in video and photography, his work explores the circumstantial boundaries between art and culture, folklore and interpretation and fact and fiction.
Michael studied Fine Art, specialising in video and performance, at the Limerick School of Art, where he graduated with a First Class Honours Degree in 1999. On graduating, he became involved with the Real Art Project (RAP), a Limerick based artists-run initiative dedicated to providing opportunities for emerging and established artists in the city. During this time he worked as Projects Co-ordinator with the group and he was involved in co-coordinating shows such as ‘Eject, – Video Art Shorts III’, ‘In-transit’, ‘RAW’, ‘Infusion – Millennium Review of Live Art’ and ‘The Greatest Sound Art Album in the World…Ever’. He completed his time with the Real Art Project in 2000 after he co-founded Real Art Space, a project and exhibition space for the organisation.
On leaving Limerick he travelled to Australia, where he worked in PICA (Perth Institute of Contemporary Art), and returned to complete an MA in Screenwriting with Dun Laoghaire School of Film in 2004. Following the completion of his MA, he further establish himself as an independent practitioner based in rural Co. Wexford. From his studio in rural Co. Wexford he conducts numerous commissions, projects and residencies throughout the country.
He has been the recipient of many awards and commissions in the past. In November 2009 he won the Spirit of Darklight Award at the 2009 Darklight Festival in Dublin, as well as winning joint first prize at COE in Mayo for three years in a row. He has produced numerous public art and participatory projects thoughout the country which have been launched and screened at various locations from art spaces, village halls, ferry ports to handball alleys.
For further Information please contact the artist directly. Email at: micfortune@gmail.com
Phone 00 353 (0)53 92 56886
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