Type: installation
Year: 2019
Duration: 7’30 loop
Premiere: Kirkos Attrition at Farmleigh House, Dublin, 21st September 2019
Cross is an audiovisual work taking inspiration from a leading figure of the Irish Rebellion, Thomas Ashe.
In 1917 Ashe was imprisoned by British authorities for seditious speech. He was sentenced to two years hard labour, however refuted any criminal sentence and responded by going on hunger strike at Mountjoy Prison. He died five days later as a result of overly rough force feeding by the British authorities.
In 1916 while imprisoned in Lewes, Brighton, for his participation in the Easter Rising, Ashe wrote the song, 'Let me carry your cross for Ireland, Lord'. Cross is my response to Ashe's song and features solely his words and melodies
Cross was first exhibited at Attrition ж A Musical Tribute to a Lost Generation on 21st September 2019 at Farmleigh House. It originally was installed with each figure on a separate screen. This is an online version where the three figures are condensed onto one screen.
Performer: Sam Burton
Sound and video recording: Bryan Fleming