Lucy McNeill, OUTPOST Steering Committee member and Members Show 2021 exhibition organiser in conversation with Cecelia Graham and Jen Alexander, Directors of Catalyst Arts, Belfast on Wednesday 18 August 2021.

Lucy McNeill - How hard was it for you to select the contents of the show without being able to come to the gallery to see the space due to COVID restrictions?

Cecilia Graham and Jen Alexander - The selection was an organic process that involved long listing, short listing and then deciding how the selected artists’ works fitted together in the gallery space. For us it was very interesting to see the OUTPOST archive of members work. The members archive contains artists’ material covering years in some cases and it was engaging to see how some of the artists had developed their work over time. We feel the OUTPOST members archive is an asset to the organisation. Catalyst Arts members do not contribute to an archive in the same way but this may be an avenue we explore in the future. We would have liked a person to person interaction with the selected artists themselves but due to COVID this wasn’t possible.

LM - What criteria did the committee members have for making their selection?

CG and JA – as selectors we spent a lot of time playing with the gallery space and thinking about how the artworks would inhabit the gallery. We selected artworks that dominated their form. The Board took time to read what the artists said about their work. We were particularly keen to show artworks which are progressions; these are artworks that have evolved and will continue to evolve in the future. By an osmotic process these evolving artworks naturally worked their way out of the archive and into the show. The pieces that were loved by the Board members were selected for display.

The Board chose artists whose work was tactile. The selectors felt that lockdowns had deprived people of the joy of seeing tactile works. We deliberately chose work that used colour. We feel that the use of colour is very important and not to be underestimated. The online world has made art more accessible in digital format but it is still important to be able to see colourful works in a gallery space. After 18 months of being unable to see works of colour in a gallery space we selected works which would bring colour to the fore and visitors would feel the impact of the variety of colours in front of their eyes. As selectors we are delighted that the palette of colours provides a visual feast for viewers.

Sophie Giller, Who is She, Model D (2021) — Sophie Giller, *Who is She, Model D* (2021)

LM - Did you consciously choose the artists ensuring a wide variety of media would be showcased in the exhibition?

CG and JA - It was important to us that a variety disciplines were represented. Audio as a medium in group shows that is underrepresented. Audio work is often separated and given space away from and outside of an exhibition. At Catalyst Arts we feel it is important that audio is incorporated into the main body of an exhibition. We are delighted that visitors will be able to use the senses of hearing and seeing in the one space.

LM – Will you continue to look out for the work of OUTPOST members in future?

CG and JA - We are sorry we couldn’t pick more artists to be showcased. What we have done is pass on the names of artists to the current Board to watch in the future. Sharing their work with the current Board was important to us. We are keen to see how these artists develop in the future.