Artist Vanessa Daws swims throughout the year in The Kings River, ‘The Three Sisters’ and in Waterford’s own Guillamene, meeting an array of swimmers en route. These swims, encounters and images taken, form the basis of her new exhibition Kings River to Guillamene, at Garter Lane Gallery.
Energy and her own individual ‘drive’ has been a theme throughout Vanessa’s art practice. She uses different mediums to create stories investigating where this energy originates, if we can control this energy and its effects on our actions.
“I live in Callan and the King’ River runs through the town. I would come down to Tramore most weekends to swim in the Guillamene so it made sense to combine them all.
The King’s River to Guillamene is literally the journey from Callan to Waterford, via the water. So that’s where I came up with the title and the idea for the show.”
“The exhibition is the result of 2 ½ years work, escalating each place I go to, so there is work built upon for this current show which was done in the Kilkenny Arts Office last year for my Three Sisters exhibition, using the Barrow, the Nore and the Suir. I add to my work as each show goes on.”
Wherever she goes, Vanessa initially connects with her location by swimming in the nearest body of water to form a sense of belonging.
