Colin Martin
Empathy Lab

The CCI is delighted to present this exhibition of new paintings by Colin Martin. The title ‘Empathy Lab’ comes from a dedicated area in Facebook’s EU headquarters in Dublin where employees can express empathy to various causes, through the use of technology. This body of work explores what the artist identifies as a prosthetic relationship between humans and technology and uses the genre conventions of representational painting to probe the digital age. It makes reference to science-fiction genres and previously-imagined futures that have now come to pass or even been surpassed. The artist depicts objects and entities that have become obsolete or reappraised such as computer museums, analogue recording equipment and modular electronic instruments. Pre-internet sites of surveillance are investigated, such as the Berlin Stasi Museum, as are spaces associated with the geneses of a surveillance culture and its particular version of capitalism. Colin Martin explores the blurring of boundaries between public and private, real and virtual. He reinterprets research and development of big tech such as Amazon, Facebook and Tesla to evoke the powerful synthesis of technology, culture and politics in our contemporary world.

On the opening night of the exhibition, at 6pm, a conversation between Colin Martin and the director of the Highlanes Gallery, Aoife Ruane (admission free, reservation recommended - in English).

Until 8pm, artists in residence Niamh McGuinne and Sharon Murphy present their work in the CCI studios.
At 8pm, after party with songwriter, guitarist and trumpeter Uly. A rising star on the Irish music scene, Uly plays sophisticated and luminous pop with subtle touches of soul and jazz.