The Eco Showboat is a project by The School of Looking, founded by artists Anne Cleary and Denis Connolly.
The School of Looking focuses on the eye and visual perception to create innovative multi-disciplinary art projects bringing together science, technology and people.
The aims and objectives of the ECO Showboat are
- To fit out a historic barge – the 48M – as a zero carbon floating arts infrastructure.
To undertake a series of expeditions over three years on the rivers, lakes and canals of Ireland’s inland waterways. - To develop artistic responses to climate change in collaboration with the scientific, creative and wider communities they meet during their
- To create a greater understanding of the beauty, the possibilities and the problems of fresh waters
Clare Arts Office, with the support of Creative Ireland, has commissioned artist Paul Berg to work with the ECO Showboat on The Crannóg Ceoil (Musical Island) in Mountshannon.
In conjunction with the Eco Show Boat he plans to construct a range of low sounding, free floating pipes that can be played on the island and on any harbour wall where the raft will be moored. All artwork created will be a mixture of recycled materials, steel and timber.
In addition to this the island will be planted with three varieties of willow and he will construct floating planters around it for indigenous species of water plants.
It is envisaged that the project will occur in Spring 2022 subject to Covid restrictions.
