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Posted on : By : kalleryan Posted in : Creation Station|Lovebomb|Spark in the Dark

OUR CUP WILL BE FULL AGAIN

A few weeks ago, my friend Gary Dunne, who curates an incredible artistic slate for the London Irish Centre asked me to contribute a poem to their online season. Gary and the staff of the LIC do incredible work for the Irish community in London and they have been very good to me down the years – they hosted the London premiere of Three Men Talking About Things They Kinda Know About, and I have also showcased sketches with The Brownbread Players there too. It’s always a warm, giving audience that finds a connection through a shared tribe in a generous welcoming environment. So I was honoured to be asked, and frankly, I was happy to have a creative project to focus on in the rare moments I had to myself during this uncertain time.

The theme was HOPE which really spoke to me, and the image of a paper cup delicately dancing on a wave is one that has been with me for decades, but never found a proper home in a piece of writing. As soon as I sat down to write the poem I knew that this was where it had been drifting towards all along. It came together relatively quickly (thank goodness because time is a rare commodity these days) and it allowed me to marry it to a piece of music I wrote many moons ago that had also never found a creative home (unsurprisingly, the music was also written around the same time the image of the cup first washed into my brain). I also knew that the focus should be on the words but have a strong simple visual to guide it, so I went down to the sea by my home to film the waves but they just weren’t right. I resigned myself to using what I had and then serendipitously my friend Jim posted a short video that day on Facebook of the Irish Sea, that connects this island of Ireland to the UK, and I simply knew that it was the perfect accompaniment. Jim graciously allowed me to use it, and I lent my rudimentary video editing skills to piece it together. The end result feels ever so slightly imperfect but absolutely right, and I am immensely proud of it.

I hope it resonates with all of you, and I would be grateful if you shared it onwards with anyone in need of a message of hope right now.

Solas Creation #1

As part of our new Solas Season, we are commissioning Irish artists to respond to a theme. In Solas Creation #1, poet Kalle Ryan responds to 'hope'.

Posted by London Irish Centre on Wednesday, May 13, 2020
Posted on : By : kalleryan Posted in : Spark in the Dark

A new poem & film coming this week

Delighted to announce that I have written a new poem in response to these remarkable times we find ourselves in (and created an accompanying little film to go with it). It will debut later this week as part of the London Irish Centre’s new curated series entitled SOLAS. Stand by…

Posted on : By : kalleryan Posted in : Creation Station|Spark in the Dark

Roll out the barrel

Over the past few weeks in quarantine, myself and the kids have been working on an ambitious, colourful art project. We took this old whiskey barrel that my dad got from his days as a biochemist in Irish Distillers (and subsequently housed his dreadful elderberry wine) and sanded it down, primed it, and then spray painted it graffiti style with vibrant colours. It is such a burst of brightness and joy in the corner of our garden. Adds some much needed light during this darkness. Art is good for the heart

Posted on : By : kalleryan Posted in : Inspiration|Spark in the Dark

The greatest podcast episode ever?

I have mentioned the podcast Reply All on here before, and I’ve bored many a friend about its brilliance. In short, its my favourite podcast, and the latest episode might just be their best ever. It has all the hallmarks of their great storytelling, with a unique perspective on the oddities of life in the age of the internet, and, best of all, it has a proper little mystery at its core. Rarely have I been so swept along in a story, and I wont spoil it for you, but like all good tales, the ending is terrific. Anyway, have a listen, it will bring you joy. And don’t just take it from me, The Guardian reckons it might be the best podcast episode ever. Like, ever, of all podcasts.

Posted on : By : kalleryan Posted in : Inspiration|Spark in the Dark

International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day is always such an important day in our household. My mother worked tirelessly for equality and social justice throughout her short life. She was a product of the Swedish socialist system and believed deeply in fairness and human rights for all, something she imbued everything she did with. I remember her vividly in those formative years living in Waterford being at the heart of campaigning for women’s rights in Ireland, being part of the International Women’s Day celebrations, later joining and being a driving voice on the Council for Status of Women (CSW) and a devoted member of the epic campaign that ultimately saw Mary Robinson elected as Ireland’s first female President. She showed me and my sister that empathy, integrity and equality are fundamental to an inclusive society. In this photo she was merely at the start of her journey, and she burned bright, hard and true in a just a few decades. She was a hero and friend to so many. And to me too. I was lucky to have her as a mother and a role model. Remembering her today and knowing the work she did must continue for a better, fairer society

Posted on : By : kalleryan Posted in : Inspiration|Spark in the Dark

Hitrecord – Life is a wonderful dream

Love this. Hitrecord.org is such a cool example of creative communities coming together and collaborating in the internet age, simply because everyone on there believes that making beautiful new art together is awesome. So much respect for Joseph Gordon-Levitt for building this online sandbox for artists of every discipline to share and create

Off Camera with HITRECORD | A Collaborative Music Video

The HITRECORD community turned a sweet little guitar riff from Joseph Gordon-Levitt into a full-fledged song (and that song is, dare I say it, a bop). Creative collaboration can turn the smallest wisps of ideas into something much bigger. That's what it's all about 🙌

Posted by hitRECord on Thursday, March 5, 2020
Posted on : By : kalleryan Posted in : Inspiration|Spark in the Dark

POP

Pop by U2 just turned 23 years old. I remember the day the record came out and how the eclectic set of tracks were equal parts surprising, arresting and inspiring. Achtung Baby and The Joshua Tree were always firm favourites, and still are, but this was such an eye opening, ambitious record that transported me to somewhere utterly magical and new. The band themselves later said it felt unfinished to them, as they were up against a time crunch with their touring deadline, but to me it has everything and has possibly become my favourite of them all (even if many other fans I know don’t hold it in high regard) It took weird turns, wasn’t afraid to fail, had vibrant arresting playful artwork, took lyrical and sonic leaps, and most of all had an authentic musical heart at it’s core that they always have had. Spinning the record tonight and I’m reminded of the magical possibility in all creativity and art. Take big chances. Try new things. Go to new places. And an audience will find you. Sometimes it takes 23 minutes, sometimes 23 years. And even if they don’t, that creative leap can lead to new ideas and avenues that continue to pop (pun intended) and echo long afterwards in ways you can’t imagine.

Posted on : By : kalleryan Posted in : Artchive|Spark in the Dark

HOZIER, FATHER TED AND ME

Many moons ago, when I was gigging more frequently and reciting poems and performing sketches, I was lucky enough to be part of a regular night called the Monthly General Meeting, which was a showcase for the most inventive and willdy wonderful creative minds in Ireland. On one of the particular shows, I was on the bill with soon-to-be global musical phenomenon Hozier, as well as Arthur Mathews, the co-writer of Father Ted (possibly the greatest sitcom ever). I recall the gig itself was in the unusual and interesting surroundings of a newly refurbished Georgian building in Merrion Square (it has since become an office building of some sort) For a while Shane (Diet of Worms) and Nial (delorentos) who ran the night, produced a terrific series of podcasts entitled The Weekly General Meeting focused on creativity, and I featured on the debut episode. Take a listen to the episode and I urge you to listen to the entire back catalogue, every one of them a snapshot of a golden age in Irish creativity, amiably hosted and curated by two great artists.

Listen to the episode here