Turn me on deadman

18th August - 8th September 2006
The Basement Gallery, Dundalk.

The title of this exhibition refers to a reversed message embedded in a 1960's vinyl album, it could also be read as an elastic mantra applicable to varied factions through the ages. This body of work comprises of drawing, installation, video and sound. The drawing is a necessary device, used only to reference places and people from a past life accessed through hypnotic regression.

Though the work on exhibit is separated between different rooms within the space, (which used to be an old prison) it can be read as one piece, hence each of the works is numbered rather than given a title. Sound from individual pieces will sometimes overlap, this is intentional and alludes to a temporal slippage within various animist communications. All are part of the same narrative immersed in concepts of artifice, memory and belief.

Elements of the sound work include speaking in tongues, electronic voice phenomena, throat singing, keening, drug and trance induced attempts to commune with a spirit world.

This work explored facets of cultural phenomena such as hypnosis, glossolalia* and reverie and within this process Murnaghan acts as documenter, illustrator and in one case, subject. It is a research based project, engaging with many members of diverse spiritual and psychological practice, without their generosity it would not have been possible.

* See 'speaking in tongues' or psychology nonsensical or invented speech, especially resulting from a trance or schizophrenia.

Many thanks to Regressive Therapist Keith Kavanagh, for his assistance with this project.



Video No.9
index home contact

 

Video No.1
The first five thumbnails below are drawings taken from the
memory of a former life which was experienced whilst under hypnosis (click to enlarge).
In the exhibition these works are low-lit and drawn on mirrors, click below far right for a video walk through.

 

 
Wife Ann
Job
Deathbed
Daughter Cherrie
walk through installation.

Video No.2
In this image the 40 year old self attempts to visit the 16 year
old self through the process of superimposition. Special thanks to Mike
Murnaghan for shooting the original footage in 1981 and for the re-shoot in 2006.

 

Video No.3
A couple who have been married for nearly 50 years discuss their experiences
of telepathic communication, prediction, poltergeists, speaking in tongues
and being in the presence of malevolent spirits.