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Artist

Umha Aois

Title of Project/Exhibition 

'Umha Aois – The Bronze Age 4,000 Years On '

Opening Friday 28th August, 2009 at 5pm.

Summary

 "Umha Aois" (Irish for "Bronze Age") is an ongoing experimental project organised on a voluntary basis by a committee of artists and archaeologists. Through research and experimentation we are attempting to rediscover our Bronze Age ancestors' casting methods, and in the process empower the artists involved with unique approaches to working in bronze.

Statement

Formed in 1995, Umha Aois is a unique celebration of the Bronze Age. Using the ancient techniques of stone and clay moulds, artists and archaeologists collaborate to make new artwork and replicate ancient forms in a symposium context. Bronze is melted and poured in the open, using experimental charcoal-fired pit furnaces.

Project/Exhibition Statement

This year  Umha  Aois will hold its annual Irish symposium at the Leitrim Sculpture Centre. This follows a highly successful week-long event at the Lejre Centre for Experimental Archaeology near Copenhagen in Denmark from 11th-19th July 09.

At the LSC, artists, archaeologists and craftspeople will collaborate to push out the boundaries in our knowledge of Bronze Age casting and in the process reproduce ancient forms and create new and original artworks. Charcoal-fires furnaces will be constructed from a sticky mixture of clay and horse dung and will be used to melt copper and tin to make bronze.  

Examples of Work