Damien Hirst

Golden Thread Gallery</a>, Maria Fusco and <a target="_blank" href=https://www.mutualart.com/Exhibition/Damien-Hirst/"/Artist/Margaret-Salmon/BF177405ABF94E89">Margaret Salmon</a> present History of the Present, an exhibition based around the critically acclaimed work of the same name, History of the Present (2023). This 46-minute experimental opera-film was made collaboratively by Fusco and Salmon, featuring new compositions by Annea Lockwood, libretto by Maria Fusco and improvisational vocal work by Héloïse Werner.</p><p>History of the Present is an intersectional, intergenerational feminist work which forefronts working-class women’s voices to ask: who has the right to speak, and in what way? Layering sociological, cultural, and political themes from the recent history of Northern Ireland, the work exercises voice, breath and field-recording composition through a range of film techniques and operatic articulations, to amplify marginalised stories.</p><p>Made on 35mm film and video on the streets of Belfast, in the Ulster Museum, and the Royal Opera House in London, History of the Present observes how defensive architecture defines movement to enforce intersectional histories and identities within daily experiences in conflict and post-conflict zones on an international level.</p><p><br></p>" />

German artist Joseph Beuys</a> gave a performance lecture, or ‘Action’, in the <a target="_blank" href=https://www.mutualart.com/Exhibition/Damien-Hirst/"/Organization/Ulster-Museum/91C7418DF45E87F3">Ulster Museum</a> Fine Art Gallery. As was his practice, he illustrated the lecture on blackboards that have been in the museum’s collection since that day.</p><p>Beuys proposed the idea of art and creativity being at the centre of all aspects of society. Presenting this as his concept of ‘social sculpture’ and inciting the potential for mass societal change through creative thinking.</p><p>The lecture became a key moment in the history of Belfast art. This exhibition takes the opportunity to look at the ideas discussed and their impact on the creative community of Belfast over the last 50 years.</p><p>In order to bring these ideas into the present the museum has worked with current practising Belfast-based artists. Taking the two primary focuses at the heart of Beuys work – performance and drawing.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p>" />

Yvette Monahan</a>, documenting the role of chemical-free flax from Mallon Farm in County Tyrone in local supply chains. Commissioned by We Feed The UK and exhibited at <a target="_blank" href=https://www.mutualart.com/Exhibition/Damien-Hirst/"/Organization/Belfast-Exposed/70A26F2BCC927FBA">Belfast Exposed</a> from 6 February to 22 March 2025, Yvette’s work forms part of a national storytelling campaign connecting photographers and poets with our most inspiring food producers, seeking to raise public awareness of positive solutions to climate change, wildlife recovery and social justice.</p><p>At the heart of The Clean Blue of Linen is the remarkable story of Mallon Farm in County Tyrone where flax farmers Helen Keys and Charlie Mallon are reviving chemical-free flax farming as part of a diverse, sustainable agricultural model. Their efforts breathe new life into Northern Ireland’s once world-renowned linen heritage, but their work is not solely a nod to heritage. It has been rejuvenating soil, waterways and wildlife as part of a shared endeavour to strengthen resilience in the Northern Irish food and farming system.</p><p>Growing a variety of crops as part of a rotation strengthens farmers’ resilience against ever-changing conditions, which has become more vital than ever in recent years. Farming for a diversity of needs, from food to fibre, even protected historic flax producers from the devastation of the potato famine.</p><p>Helen Keys said: “We started out because Irish linen was such a big piece of the heritage here, but we realised early on that the interest from people wasn’t just about the heritage but the fact that it was locally produced, sustainably produced, and could be part of a beneficial farming industry.”</p><p>Yvette Monahan’s evocative photography, commissioned by We Feed The UK, captures the beauty and significance of their work, showing how flax farming nurtures both the land and local communities.</p><p>Yvette reflects: “The most vital lesson from this project has been the undeniable power of personal passion in creating change. Helen and Charlie have transformed the land from a dairy farm into a biodiverse flax, food, and wildlife ecosystem. They have inspired a new generation of artists, designers, and makers and instilled in them a deep appreciation for flax as a natural resource, giving us hope for a sustainable future.”</p><p>Complementing the images is ‘The Opposite of Apocalypse’, a new poem by acclaimed Irish writer Abby Oliveira; an ode to flax farming’s potential to unite local communities and redefine what good farming looks like.</p><p>Growing a variety of crops as part of a rotation strengthens farmers’ resilience against ever-changing conditions, which has become more vital than ever in recent years. Farming for a diversity of needs, from food to fibre, even protected historic flax producers from the devastation of the potato famine.</p><p><br></p>" />