The Portraits
© By Amanda Dunsmore
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The ‘Portraits’ video installation of David Ervine, Martin McGuinness. Premiered at Void Gallery, Derry, 2005.
A work in progress, it is the artists’ aim to record a portrait of all the individuals involved in the Good Friday Agreement.
“Amanda Dunsmore made the most of having access to David Ervine and Martin McGuinness for her The Keeper Series. Both were filmed, individually, looking at a previous film of hers. What we see are static shots of both men looking intently ahead or , effectively, occasionally smiling ruefully or broadly, mostly serious. Their images are sited face to face, on monitors, so that it is as if they are trying to stare each other down. Between is the public space, between political opponents. It’s an impressive piece of work. It’s true that in Ireland, we have a poor record of taking ownership of that public space, and perhaps that is what has to change”.
Review by Aidan Dunne of The Irish Times, July 26, 2006