Fermynwoods Podcast 28 – Sarah Long

Fermynwoods Podcast 28 – Sarah Long

Author: Fermynwoods Contemporary Art January 25, 2025 Duration: 1:12:14

This episode of the Fermynwoods Contemporary Art Podcast features Tread softly because you tread on my dreams, by Irish artist and writer Sarah Long. While the title carries a tongue-in-cheek tone, much like Sarah’s broader body of work, it also captures a quietly sparkling sentiment of love, light, and the intertwining of bygone pasts and potential futures. Through its poetic and fluid narrative, this work invites listeners into the inner world of Mary, an autofictional character navigating her dreams and strange visions. Sarah deftly weaves these visions with the rich tradition of the aisling, an Irish poetic genre where the nation appears to the poet in a dream in the form of a woman. Mary’s dreams offer a critique of inherited language and storytelling systems, while highlighting themes and motifs that reverberate throughout Irish culture such as the impact of colonialism, Celtic mythology and an affinity with the land. Following the presentation of the work, Sarah engages in a fascinating discussion about her creative practice, inspirations, and the broader themes she explores in her work.

https://fermynwoods.org/fermynwoods-podcast-28-sarah-long/


Tucked away in the rural landscapes of Northamptonshire, an arts charity quietly cultivates some of the most intriguing conversations and sonic experiments you can hear. The Fermynwoods Contemporary Art Podcast extends that work directly into your headphones, transforming the medium itself into a gallery without walls. This isn't about recording traditional talks; it's an active, experimental space where contemporary art is both displayed and created specifically for audio. You might find yourself immersed in a newly commissioned piece of sound art one week, then dropped into an intimate discussion between artists the next, followed by a thoughtful audio essay that challenges how we perceive public space. By focusing on accessibility, this podcast ensures that innovative art isn't confined to a physical location, but lives and breathes from people's homes. Each episode is a curated experience, reflecting Fermynwoods' core mission of supporting life through art by commissioning meaningful engagements. It’s for anyone curious about the processes behind visual art and the potential of sound to frame new ideas. Listen and discover how a charity's remote commissions can resonate so personally, turning a private listen into a public encounter with the forefront of artistic practice.
Author: Language: en-gb Episodes: 33

Fermynwoods Contemporary Art Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Fermynwoods Podcast 1 - Sarah Gillett [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:08
Our first podcast episode is a talk between Fermynwoods Assistant Director Jessica Harby and Sarah Gillett, an artist and writer investigating the life of things across space and time, as well as across media. Sarah has…