Powerful queer art initiative RFR launches at IMMA

The RFR: Revising the Rainbow initiative kicked off yesterday, March 23, and runs until Wednesday, April 13 2022.

Split screen of various images from the RFR exhibition at IMMA
Image: Instagram via @rewindfastforwardrecord

IMMA has just opened its doors to the ambitious new queer art programme, RFR (REWIND<<FASTFOWARD>>RECORD), where it has found a home for the next three weeks.

Aimed at engaging with LGBTQ+ community groups “to uncover queer histories and expand their retelling and relevance through artistic interpretation”, this initiative includes a series of public talks, tours, workshops, personal accounts and performances, all geared towards this ethos.

“We created RFR as a way to engage with local communities to explore and expand historical and contemporary narratives in a queer context,” said Han Tiernan, RFR Programme Manager and GCN Editorial Assistant.

“We both come from an artistic background and understand the value of expressing and addressing complex issues through artistic reflection. The project’s ethos is simple, ‘by better understanding our past, we can create a more visible and equal future’”.

Coinciding with OUTing The Past: The Festival of LGBTI+ History 2022, REWIND<<FASTFORWARD>>RECORD was born in response to IMMA’s exhibition The Narrow Gate of the Here-And-Now Chapter One: Queer Embodiment. The works on display were developed over a six-week programme of workshops in collaboration with the Fatima Groups United (Out South Central LGBTQ+ Group), in which participants reflected on personal representations of identity and responded to queer histories to produce new and powerful pieces.

“We are delighted to launch the initiative at IMMA, we have had amazing support from Dublin LGBTQ+ Pride and the Arts Council of Ireland to realise the project,” Han went on to say.

Working alongside IMMA and Han to bring RFR to life are Brendan Fox (Curator, Workshop Deviser) and Aoife Banks (Assistant Curator, Project Administrator). Their project will form a national touring exhibition that will evolve to reflect the experiences of LGBTQ+ communities in a local context.

“RFR is an exploration of queer identity; past and present, and aims to connect us with both our history and our community.”

© 2022 GCN (Gay Community News). All rights reserved.

Support GCN

GCN has been a vital, free-of-charge information service for Ireland’s LGBTQ+ community since 1988.

During this global COVID pandemic, we like many other organisations have been impacted greatly in the way we can do business and produce. This means a temporary pause to our print publication and live events and so now more than ever we need your help to continue providing this community resource digitally.

GCN is a registered charity with a not-for-profit business model and we need your support. If you value having an independent LGBTQ+ media in Ireland, you can help from as little as €1.99 per month. Support Ireland’s free, independent LGBTQ+ media.

0 comments. Please sign in to comment.