Skin Deep
Aoife Dunne, Waterford Institute of Technology

‘Skin Deep’ tells the story of a modern, high-flying woman who falls in love with a laidback, slobby man. The woman is consumed with vanity and strives for perfection. Her plastic appearance is a complete contrast to that of her dirty, unshaven boyfriend. But love has blinded this unlikely couple.

These photographic composites capture the eccentricity of the couple in a mundane setting: as they carry out their weekly trip to the supermarket, the unruly boyfriend eats and opens products he shouldn’t, while the face and body of the woman lack emotion and expression.

Aoife Dunne has used more than four separate images to create each composite in the ‘Skin Deep’ series, by utilising her skills in photography and Photoshop.

The Common Senses Project
Mark Larkin, Joanna Ryder & John Lawlor, Dundalk Institute of Technology

The Common Senses Project is based on the five senses: sight, sound, touch, taste and smell. The Project aims to highlight how the senses can be manipulated, tricked and fooled into believing that something may vary from its true meaning. We all share ‘common’ senses, which is why this project can resonate with anyone.

Vesta-Healthcare System
Daragh Manning, National College of Art and Design

‘Vesta’ is an innovative, proactive system that assists healthcare professionals in the prevention of lifestyle-induced illnesses such as high cholesterol, diabetes and stroke. The four modules in the system passively collect vital health data from a user and – via an interface – both the user and his/ her physician can act in proactive manner to prevent the onset of chronic illnesses.

The modular system of ‘Vesta’ can provide a household with independence and easy access to health services.

Apestory
Cóilín Rush, National College of Art and Design

The story of an ape who acquired language skills and immediately began to lie amused the artist, Cóilín Rush. He used this story as inspiration for a short video piece, which focuses on the process of storytelling.

Cóilín believes that all means of communication have their inherent flaws: video is a simultaneous truth and deception – light and sound are recorded by different means and then represented as one singular occurrence. Microphones are placed at intimate quarters while cameras keep their distance. Cameras record separate events made distant by time and then marry them together as one instance of cause and effect.

Cura
Martina Moyne, National College of Art and Design

‘Cura’ is a clean and sophisticated watch-like device with analogue and digital watch and date settings. In addition to serving as a watch, it uses micro-needle technology to administer medication through the skin. It has the potential to record and store essential medical information regarding the wearer, thus potentially enhancing communication between doctors, hospitals, pharmacists and patients in the event of an emergency.

The device’s trans-dermal drug delivery system ensures wearers adhere to their daily prescription, with no risk of forgetting to take their medication. Its elegant but simple design allows it to be worn comfortably by all generations.

Virtual Home
Maria Treacy, National College of Art and Design

‘Virtual Home’ was created in an attempt to describe the particular type of environment inhabited by a dedicated user. During a virtual excursion, one concedes to the magnetic quality of the screen. The user temporarily abandons the physical rules and preconceptions of a tactile reality in order to travel through a realm of existence that allows them to have virtually unlimited control over their digital terrain and ethereal bodies. Technology continues to develop and we become ever more reliant on it as a reflection of ourselves.

DigiFilm & TV Course
FAS Group, The Digital Hub

In late 2008, 15 aspiring filmmakers were selected to participate in the first ever DigiFilm & TV course, an innovative full-time training course in digital filmmaking and television, delivered by The Digital Hub in partnership with FÁS.

During the 10-month programme, which commenced in December 2008, the participants were mentored by industry professionals and completed a range of modules, including Digital Film Production, Film Analysis, Digital Editing and FX, Digital Sound Recording and Post-Production, and Drawing. A key part of the DigiFilm & TV course was the production of two digital short films: ‘Innocent Hand, Guilty Glove’ and ‘Tracksuitable’.

Innocent Hand, Guilty Glove
A tongue-in-cheek, post-modern dark comedy / horror B-movie, ‘Innocent Hand, Guilty Glove’ is a trashy chic showpiece that follows the tale of one man’s desperate attempt for success and his ultimate humiliating demise.

Tracksuitable
Declan is trying to cope with the recent death of his mother and the sudden end of his football career. All he wants to do now is to get a job so he can save up for a football managerial course. To do that, he must first change his attitude - and his choice in attire.

The Thin Pink Line
Fiona Curran, Irish School of Animation - Ballyfermot College of Further Education

Fiona Curran’s short film follows a couple waiting on the results of a home pregnancy test they have just taken. The couple have very different thoughts about their situation, as they each hope for the result they want.

'The Thin Pink Line' was Fiona Curran’s final-year project at Ballyfermot College of Further Education and is her second traditionally animated film.

Rat Race
Aoife Doyle, Irish School of Animation - Ballyfermot College of Further Education

Aoife Doyle’s funny, colourful Flash film is about two neighbours, Mr. Blue and Mr. Green, who pride themselves on being great businessmen. They are friendly towards each other until their competitive side kicks in. On being called to the boss’s office, each man imagines himself getting promoted. The climax of the film sees Mr. Blue and Mr. Green enter the boss’s office only to discover that they are both being let go.

‘Rat Race’ was inspired by the current economic climate and the recession. The look of the film was influenced by 1950s animation, and it has a jazz soundtrack.

The Old Guys
Alex Sherwood, Irish School of Animation - Ballyfermot College of Further Education

Alex Sherwood’s short film is set in the television room of a home for the elderly. At the beginning of the film, the first character, Hesper, sits alone watching TV. Soon the second character, Eeber, is wheeled into the room by a male nurse, who then proceeds to grab the remote from Hesper and give it to Eeber. When the nurse leaves the room, the two characters stare at each other with disgust. What ensues is a battle for the TV, with each character trying to better the other.

Cerebral Space Junk
Aisling Conroy, National College of Art and Design

This video came from an idea the artist had about a fictional invention called a ‘Dream Trap’: a device worn on one’s head while asleep, which records dreams so that they can be watched through a monitor upon wakening.

‘Cerebral Space Junk’ is a video piece describing the artist’s vision for the ‘Dream Trap’ invention. It shows the practicalities of how the invention works and also the obscure possibilities that the subconscious mind may construe.

@ Home with Virtual Strangers
Margaret Byrne, Dublin Institute of Technology

The internet has made tourists of us all. We are used to surfing the web, but how well prepared are we for surfing a stranger’s couch?

This body of work explores the online phenomenon known as couchsurfing by documenting the various users who requested to surf the artist’s couch through the website, www.couchsurfing.org.

With information exchanged only through emails and ambiguous profile descriptions, how do people know what they are letting themselves in for when they open their homes to a virtual stranger?