POP UP PIANOS

Art project puts pianos on the streets of New York

Vincent Murphy reports on a new public art project in New York which aims to bring music to the masses

http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0627/morningireland.html

Michael Noonan: The Man in the Hot Seat

Ireland's new Finance Minister Michael Noonan talks to Vincent Murphy about the bailout, his first 100 days in the job, and how the Irish overseas can help the recovery

“I’m on my third Taoiseach, you know,” laughs Michael Noonan, when I ask him how he’s coping with the toughest job in Ireland right now.

“I was there with Garret Fitzgerald and I was there with John Bruton. And I’m now there with Enda Kenny. So I’ve held a number of ministries. And I’m glad to be given the opportunity again to make a contribution.” Fine Gael has not been in government for a long time – but in their new Finance Minister, they have a wily pair of hands. Noonan has been around the block – several times.

And now the Limerick man is facing his biggest challenge – taking over the reins at the Department of Finance as Ireland struggles with an unprecedented debt and banking crisis. “Things got into a crisis in Ireland, and all I can say is I’m going to work every day to get us out of it,” he says.

In many ways his hands are tied as Finance Minister, with the State effectively locked-in to the IMF/EU/ECB rescue package agreed by his predecessor. The day before we meet, during an interview, Noonan re-opened the debate on burning senior bondholders at Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Nationwide. He said, as Anglo was no longer a bank in any real sense, he believed losses should be imposed on the bondholders. His comments were front page news on the Financial Times in Europe next day, alongside reports of the escalating crisis in Greece.

And as a result, he was trying to dampen the fire, when we met, arguing that his comments had been given a weight they didn’t deserve, because of what was happening in Greece. “We are saying publicly that everything that has been given to us as a country, or has been given to us in our banking system, that we’ll repay to the last cent. And that’s our commitment to the senior bondholders everywhere,” he said. He added that, while his comments were accurately reported, he wanted to frame them in the context of the continuing review of the rescue program.

There is estimated to be around €3.1bn in the relevant Anglo bonds and around €600m in Irish Nationwide bonds. “Everybody knows about Anglo,” he says, “I mean, Anglo is Anglo. And all I’m saying is there are issues that haven’t been fully resolved but that we are not going to make any kind of unilateral move. We are going to discuss these issues with the IMF, European Commission and European Central Bank. And the discussions aren’t imminent either. You know, this is something for the Autumn. So we are not even looking for meetings on these issues at the moment.”

It was a fascinating snapshot of the kind of pressure the new Finance Minister is under, and how careful he has to be with the words he chooses, and how the global financial markets hang on his every utterance.

"We have been working day and night on it, you know,” he says, “I’m hardly seeing home, or hardly seeing the constituency"

Noonan was in New York and Washington last week for over 16 meetings with business leaders and opinion makers. His message was simple – the new government in Ireland is sticking to the terms of the bailout deal. “It’s like a contract,” he explains, “where there are literally dozens of conditions, and when you fulfill the conditions on a timeline, you are allowed to draw down money. You can draw down money to pay the day-to-day needs of the State, whether it’s the health service or paying the teachers or the Gardai, and then there is another side where you can draw down when you need to capitalize the banks. So I was confirming that we’re committed to the program, we’re sticking by the program and we’re going to see it through.”

US Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and the top officials at the IMF were among those who took time to meet the Minister during his visit to Washington. Noonan was also keen to draw attention to the differences between Ireland and Greece, as the world’s attention is focused on Athens. “We keep saying Ireland is not Greece, and people understand that, but when it comes to issues like this, the international financial media tend to box us together,” he says.

Whatever happens to Greece will have a major impact, not just on Ireland, but on the whole Eurozone. But Noonan knows Ireland is not in any position to direct events. “In the real world, it’s the stronger nations in Europe that will make the decisions about Greece,” he explains, “Now, the definition of the stronger nations are the Triple A countries – those that have a triple A credit rating. Finland is one of those even though it is a small country, Slovenia is one of those even though it’s small.  Ireland won’t have a very strong voice in designing the solution, and our primary interest is to ensure that any solution arrived at doesn’t damage us.”

While Europe is dealing with the Greek crisis, Ireland’s attempts to have the terms of its bailout deal reviewed will have to wait. The government is keen to have the interest rate it is being charged reduced, but is facing some opposition from France and Germany, who are looking for changes to Ireland’s low corporate tax rate in return. That’s non-negotiable as far as Noonan is concerned: “It’s part of our industrial relations policy, and we will not negotiate it away under any circumstances.”

While in the US, Noonan was also keeping a close eye on negotiations over the sale of Anglo assets here. These are properties worth up to €11 billion – a mix of hotels, shopping centers and apartment blocks, mostly in the North East, from New York up to Boston. As part of the wind-down of Anglo, the government hopes to sell these assets. “These are very good assets now. These are not impaired assets at all. All this stuff is leased or rented and is generating income. So these are very attractive on the market. We’re trying to reduce the size of the banks by disposing of their assets abroad.”

By coincidence, it’s exactly 100 days since the new government was formed on the day we meet. I ask him to rate how he believes he’s done. “Very busy,” he says, before listing off what he’s undertaking since taking up the position.

“We totally restructured the banking system in accordance with the program. We did that in the first three weeks and made all the necessary announcements and we’re implementing that now with a view to making the banks fully recapitalized in line with the new stress testing by the 31^st July.

“We’re looking for private money in Bank of Ireland. We’ve commenced the legal merger of EBS and Allied Irish Bank, we are talking to people to sell off the insurance arm of Irish Life and Permanent.

“On the bondholders, we have gone to court and made arrangements and offers, for subordinate bondholders and we had the first success in that two weeks ago when we got agreement from 86% of the bondholders in AIB to accept the discounts offered. That’s worth, by the time the second tranche comes through, almost two billion to the Irish taxpayer.

“And we’re proceeding the same way now with Bank of Ireland. We want to see if we can arrange debt for equity swaps there. We’d like to keep Bank of Ireland as a publicly quoted bank, with majority private ownership. And then we’re moving on to EBS and Irish Life and Permanent.

“So we have, not only made the initial announcements about the structures, we are systematically implementing them and that’s a huge quantity of work in the first 100 days.

“The second thing we did then was we renegotiated the program that had been agreed by the previous government and we got some major concessions on it. Particularly, room to implement the jobs initiative because we had to change things around on the program to get that implemented.

“We also, on NAMA, got an agreement that assets below €20m in value would remain in their parent banks and wouldn’t be switched to NAMA which was very important.

“And we’ve got a review build in after 2012, and we got an extension on the time for the bailout, so it’s getting the deficit down to 3% by 2015 now.

“And of course, for the jobs initiative then, we had to put a Finance Bill in place. And we had to implement that.

“So systematically, we are ticking the boxes and we are meeting the commitments in the program on a timeline.”

“I hope that most of the decisions we make will be good ones and that the ones that aren’t good ones, we’ll have the sense to admit it early and change”

It’s a thankless and tiring job.

“We have been working day and night on it, you know,” he says, “I’m hardly seeing home, or hardly seeing the constituency – that work is being done with the help of other people. But it’s Dublin all the time in the Ministry doing the job that’s required.”

He says the new government is very conscious of how difficult it is for young people to find work in Ireland. But he argues that things are still not as bad as they were in the 1980s. “Back then there were only around 900,000 people at work. But this week’s figures have 1.8 million people at work – it’s nearly double. So even at the bottom of the cycle - and it looks that unemployment has bottomed out now - there’s 1.8m at work. And they’ve gone up the skill chain as well, the people who are at work.”

He said foreign direct investment is strong in Ireland, with the IDA successfully attracting companies, particularly form the US. Exports are booming, and he expects a Balance of Payments surplus this year. And he’s also targeted tourism as a key sector for recovery. The numbers visiting Ireland have declined 30% over a three year period, and Noonan sees regaining that lost ground as a priority. With that in mind he has an appeal to Irish Americans. “You know, people often say to me: You have trouble at home. What can we do? We feel that the crisis is too big and we can’t make any contribution to the solution,” he says. “Well my message is, if you can convince one friend to visit Ireland this summer, do. There’s a lot of Irish abroad, and if they can convince one person to come, it will swell the numbers.”

Noonan says he believes things are beginning to build up again in Ireland.  “I hope that most of the decisions we make will be good ones and that the ones that aren’t good ones, we’ll have the sense to admit it early and change,” he says. “We’re very conscious of building morale and confidence. We’re moving on. So far, so good.”

This article first appeared in the Irish Examiner USA June 21st issue

VIDEO: New US Open champion Rory McIlroy and the Washing Machine

New US Open champion Rory McIllroy is set to become the biggest golfing sensation since Tiger Woods, after blowing the field away at the weekend at Congressional.

But he's been wowing audiences from a very young age.

Here is a video of Rory, appearing on Ulster Television's Gerry Kelly chat show at the age of just 12, showcasing the talent that would take him to Major glory by the age of just 22.

ACHTUNG SPIDEY! - FORGETTABLE FARE

REVIEW – SPIDERMAN: TURN OFF THE DARK

Oh dear.

As one of the few people reviewing Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark not to have seen the original version of the $75m musical, I thought I might be in a position to go a bit lighter on it than most critics.

Most reviews, which have compared the Julie Taymor version with the reworked Phillip McKinley one, say things have improved, albeit not by enough.

So I thought, by being able to focus strictly on the new version, I could be fairer to the much-maligned show.

In other words, I went to Foxwoods Theatre on Thursday night with an open mind, and actually in a mood to be generous.

And by the end of a beautifully-worked opening scene, my heart was lifted.

“Behold and Wonder” sung with haunting vocals from TV Carpio as the mythological spider-god Arachne, and sumptuous staging where cast members swinging from hanging drapes weave a dramatic pattern that covers the stage, was a joy.

But unfortunately, the insult to intelligence that unfolded over the next hour or so, meant that by the interval, it was almost forgotten.

Where to start?

The weak script? The all-too-obvious plot development? The one-and-a-half dimensional characters?

An early number, “Bullying by Numbers”, where Peter Parker’s geek credentials are established - is one of the worst songs I’ve ever heard on a Broadway stage.

The scene where Peter Parker gets bitten by the venomous spider – one you would think is so crucial to the plot that it would demand special attention – is completely lame and over in the blink of an eye.

Likewise, in what should be an exciting moment as Peter begins to discover his new powers – a nicely imagined staging is let down by a sub-par song “Bouncing off the Walls”.

And the less said about the scene where Peter takes part in a boxing match against an inflatable muscle-man the better.

The only saving grace for Act 1 is that it contains the standout song from the entire show.

“Rise Above” is a soaring ballad sung with gusto by Reeve Carney in the title role, and TV Carpio as Arachne, and is the only number from Spiderman that you could imagine making the cut on a proper U2 album.

After 45 minutes, when the first of the much-vaunted flying sequences takes place, it’s actually not as exciting as it could be, had any momentum or tension been built up through earlier scenes.

Act 2 is actually much better – but it’s hard to tell whether or not that’s the result of expectations dropping so low by that point.

There are still huge problems.

Some of the villains Spiderman is forced to take-on look remarkably cheap for a production that has spent $75m.

One brings to mind the Mexican Bumble Bee character from the Simpsons.

Another is a ringer for the toy dinosaur in Toy Story.

But at least Act 2 proceeds at pace, and the more regular flying sequences distract from the continuing weaknesses of the plot.

There are two beautiful moments – first Mary Jane’s love song “If the World Should End”, sung with tenderness by Jennifer Damiano, a talented actress who could do so much more given the right material.

And another fantastic Arachne (TV Carpio) song, “Turn off the Dark”, which includes a flying sequence, that is gentler and more effective than most of Spidey’s jaunts across the theatre.

When the final confrontation takes place between Spiderman and the Green Goblin, it is staged thrillingly, with a fantastic replica of the Chrysler Building on stage, and high-paced acrobatics above the audience’s head.

So at least the whole enterprise ends on a high note.

But it’s not enough to erase the memory of all that went before.

For the most part, the cast emerge relatively unscathed from the mess, and it’s to their credit.

Reeve Carney, as Peter Parker/Spiderman, is handsome and winning, with a very good voice, Jennifer Damiano as Mary Jane sings beautifully, and Peter Page hams it up as the Green Goblin to crowd-pleasing effect.

But they are all struggling with music and lyrics by Bono and the Edge that are not only forgettable, but seriously below standard in places.

Whatever revisions have been made to the script and plot have either been too little or too much – because it’s just a colour-by-numbers telling of the familiar Spiderman story.

And intriguingly, the best performance of all comes from TV Carpio as Arachne, whose every scene is far more interesting than what came before or after.

The character was a central part of Julie Taymor’s vision, but has been significantly reduced in the new more 

mainstream version, which is a real pity, because I would have liked to see more of her.

The set design is deliberately cartoonish, reminding audiences at every opportunity that the source material is a comic book.

Sometimes it works well, at others it doesn’t.

The costumes are similarly purposefully garish.

The flying sequences are certainly enjoyable, but the harnesses and wires are so visible, they contain little magic.

And Spiderman flies, for the most part, wearing his mask, which makes it difficult for the audience to connect with him for those scenes.

For all the talk of the new version being more fun than the original, I can only recall one scene (involving the Green Goblin making a phone call) where I actually laughed out loud.

Bizarrely, music from U2’s back catalogue appears briefly on a number of occasions, serving no obvious purpose, other than to remind you of Bono and the Edge’s involvement.

If I was them, it’s not something I’d be shouting about.

** (2 out of 5 stars)

- Vincent Murphy

Thumbs Up from Clinton, Thumbs down from Critics as Spidey 2.0 opens

Former US president Bill Clinton has given U2’s Spiderman musical on Broadway the thumbs up after attending its star-studded gala opening on Tuesday night. But Bono and the Edge, who wrote the music and lyrics for Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark, woke up on Wednesday to find once again that newspaper theatre critics were left decidedly unimpressed.

President Clinton and his daughter Chelsea sat alongside Bono at the Foxwoods Theatre off Times Square for the show’s official premiere. Behind them sat the Edge with composer Andrew Lloyd Webber. They were joined in the audience by a who’s-who of Bono’s celebrity friends, including rocker Lou Reed, rapper Jay Z, actors Robert De Niro, Matt Damon, Liam Neeson and Steve Martin, supermodels Cindy Crawford and Helena Christensen, tennis legend John McEnroe, TV stars Barbara Walters and Jimmy Fallon, and New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg.

“What an amazing and historic night on Broadway. New York has never seen anything like Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark,”said Bill Clinton. “And I am very proud of them for not giving up, it was fabulous.” However, most of the critics, who were reviewing the reworked version of the show for the first time since director Julie Taymor was replaced in March, did not agree.

While the reviews have not been as savage as those of the original version published in February, they were still damning in whatever faint praise they gave. Most felt that while the revisions had improved the show, it was now basically a very expensive piece of children’s entertainment.

America’s most influential theatre critic Ben Brantley of the New York Times said the show had gone from “jaw-dropping badness to mere mediocrity.” “This singing comic book is no longer the ungodly, indecipherable mess it was in February. It’s just a bore,” he wrote, adding that he would only recommend it if he knew a “less-than-precocious child of 10 or so, and had several hundred dollars to throw away.”

Peter Mark, writing in the Washington Post, said the show was “a definite upgrade” but “still situated a wide canyon’s distance from good.” Entertainment Weekly’s Thom Geier gave it a C+ rating, saying “It may be an admirable work of revision, but it’s an unsatisfying meal, like one of Mom’s end-of-the-week casseroles made of leftovers she couldn’t bear to toss away.”

The kindest review came from Elysa Gardner writing in USA Today, who said producers had clearly heeded critics and fans, and the new version was “more of an overt crowd pleaser”. It certainly pleased the invited guests at Tuesday night’s opening, where the audience leapt to their feet to give the cast and crew a standing ovation at curtain call. Producers Michael Cohl and Jeremiah J Harris came out on stage, followed by Bono and the Edge. The new director, Phillip William McKinley then introduced the woman he replaced Julie Taymor.

There was loud applause from the audience and cheers from the cast and crew as Taymor walked on the stage to embrace Bono and the Edge, and the other producers who ousted her just two months ago. Bono took the microphone and paid tribute to her creativity, adding “By the way, you’re looking hot, Julie.” Taymor was gracious despite an ongoing dispute with producers over the payment of royalties, and thanked the cast and crew that she had spent years working with on the show.

Bono, who recently admitted that he would never have become involved in the musical if he knew how much time it would take to get it up and running, said he was proud of the work. “It’s quite a moment for us to finally be able to stand behind this, stand proudly behind it. It is a wonderful, wild ride of a night out,” he said. “We knew that that show had the makings of something great,” added the Edge, “so we felt that if we just pushed very hard and persuaded our producers to go again, we could get there. We feel we have.”

WHAT THE CRITICS HAVE SAID ABOUT SPIDEY 2.O:

The New York Times – Ben Brantley

“(The show) has become a straightforward children’s entertainment with a mildly suspenseful story, two-dimensional characters, unapologetically bad jokes and the kind of melodious rock tunes that those under 12 might be familiar with from listening to their parents’ salad-day favorites of the 1980s and ’90s. The puppet figures and mask-dominated costumes worn by the supporting villains still seem to have wandered in from a theme park.”

The Hollywood Reporter – David Rooney

"When a show is as misconceived as Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark, it’s more realistic to expect cosmetic improvements than miracles. That’s exactly what the new creative team has accomplished in this significantly overhauled but still terminally clunky reworking of the troubled mega-musical, now officially open after a record 183 previews."

USA Today – Elisa Gardner

"Essential elements of (Taymor’s) production remain, along with the flying feats and other high-tech visuals. But the new "Spider-Man" is cuter and more cautious than its predecessor ...  Clearly, producers heeded the critics and fans who hoped to see the title character represented more as he'd been in comic books and movies,"

New York Post – Elizabeth Vincentelli

“Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark”…tries very hard to be fun and accessible. After many upheavals and accidents, firings and rewrites, the show is closer than ever to the bull’s eye, but that’s not saying much: The target has been both broadened and lowered. The point of reference is Joel Schumacher’s family-ready “Batman,” not Christopher Nolan’s dark, arty one.”

Wall Street Journal – Terry Teachout

“If beauty were really only skin deep, then "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" would be the perfect musical. Every cent of the $70 million budget is visible…It's the best-looking mediocre musical ever to open on Broadway.

“The score, by U2's Bono and The Edge, sounds like a double album of B-sides ("Don't think about tomorrow / We've only got today"). Not only are the songs forgettable, but they never succeed in generating any dramatic momentum—all they do is get louder.”

Washington Post – Peter Marks

“What swings from the rafters, springs from the wings and bursts from the stage floor of the Foxwoods Theatre is a definite upgrade from the flailing behemoth on view in February...this effects-driven musical is still situated a wide canyon’s distance from good.”

Entertainment Weekly – Thom Geier

“Bono and The Edge's score is a mostly lackluster collection of forgettable tunes that play like U2 B-side…  It may be an admirable work of revision, but it's an unsatisfying meal, like one of mom's end-of-the-week casseroles made of leftovers she couldn't bear to toss…

"A lot of talent and money have gone into Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. But with great promise (and an even greater budget) comes the great responsibility of delivering. Though it's undeniably cool to see costumed heroes zip overhead, this Spidey just can't get off the ground.”

1916 EASTER RISING TRICOLOUR ON LOAN TO NEW YORK

A unique piece of Irish history – the tricolor flag that was flown above the GPO in Dublin during the 1916 Easter Rising – was handed over on loan to the American Irish Historical Society (AIHS) in New York last night (Wed). The flag will go on display at the Fifth Avenue headquarters of the AIHS, and will be a focal point for American celebrations in the run-up to the centenary of the Rising.

The treasured artifact, which is insured for $1m, is the only full-sized tricolor of the 1916 Rising in existence. The linen flag is accompanied by a note confirming its provenance. It reads “Captured by British Troops at GPO DUBLIN, April 1916 and given to Dr. George St. George by an old War veteran, Sergt. Davis” The doctor’s family later presented it to the family of John Sweetman, a renowned nationalist and one of the founders of Sinn Fein, who have had it in their possession ever since.

“The family are delighted to have this important icon of Irish history displayed in the AIHS in New York,” said Ian Whyte, of Whyte’s Auction House, who represented the family as the flag was formally handed over to President-General of the AIHS Kevin M Cahill in New York last night. “The other flag that flew over the GPO during the Rising is in the National Museum of Ireland, and it is fitting that this tricolour is now in the USA, home to over forty million people of Irish descent."

Chris Cahill, executive director of the AIHS said the society was approached by Whyte’s with a view to taking the flag on loan, after it failed to sell at auction in New York in March 2010, despite bids of up to $400,000. “We’re very proud to have it here,” he said, “In a different world, if we had the resources, we would love to own it. It would fit very well with other items we have on collection here, including an original copy of the Proclamation. If any of your readers want to purchase it and donate it to the Society, we’d be delighted to accept it!” he added.

The tricolor was one of two flags that flew above the GPO as Padraig Pearse read out the proclamation declaring the Republic of Ireland. The other was a solid green flag emblazoned with a harp and “Irish Republic” written across it in gold. That one is now on display at the National Museum of Ireland. Eyewitnesses reported seeing the tricolor flying above the GPO for several days after the surrender of the leaders of the Rising – possibly because British Forces were unaware of its significance at the time. It makes the flag particularly important historically.

The American Irish Historical Society, a centre for Irish culture, literature and learning founded in 1897, plans to put the tricolor on display immediately  on a temporary basis. It will then form part of several exhibitions planned between now and 2016.

Gaga and Your Body: Trinity's Science Gallery Opens Biorhythms show in New York

One of Ireland’s newest and most successful galleries has opened an exhibition in New York for the first time. The Science Gallery at Trinity College has attracted 750,000 visitors in the three years since it opened – far exceeding its target of 50,000 visitors a year. The gallery has a reputation or putting on exhibitions which make science more accessible to the general public.

“It was really a bit of an experiment by Trinity College,” explains Michael John Gorman, the gallery’s director. “Let’s find a new way for the university to engage with the city and to bring together science and the arts - to connect the Ivory Tower with all of the creative community around the university.”

One of those exhibitions was called Biorhythms: Music and the Body, and was seen by more than 60,000 people in Dublin last summer. It explores why our bodies react differently to hearing Lady Gaga and Beethoven. Now, it has opened at the Eyebeam Art and Technology Centre in Chelsea, Manhattan as part of the World Science Festival. It’s the first time that the Science Gallery has taken an exhibition overseas, and also the first time that the World Science Festival has ever invited an exhibition to participate in its program. “It’s a great honor to be the first one,” said Michael John Gorman, “For us, it’s exciting to be on the international stage.”

The exhibition is being supported by Imagine Ireland, the year-long promotion of Irish arts in the US by Culture Ireland.  “That’s a pretty great thing to be part of,” said Gorman, “It’s really thrilling to have the experimental mix between science and art suddenly being regarded as part of emerging Irish cultural activity.”

Singer Gavin Friday and composer Linda Buckley were among the curators of Biorhythm. Trinity Provost Dr John Hegarty travelled to New York for the launch last Friday, which saw a New York beat boxer and his band take part in a live experiment on stage, having their emotional and physical responses measured as they performed to see how music and the body interact. The exhibition runs until August, and the Eyebeam Art and Technology Center has planned a book launch, workshops and other events to run alongside it.

“It’s unusual for us to host an exhibition, but we were really excited about the possibility of this show” said Amanda McDonald Crowley, the center’s executive director. “We’re not a gallery for hire.  It wouldn’t make sense for us. We’re in Chelsea.  There are 389 galleries in a five block radius of us. We’re much more interested in the possibility for collaboration.”

The exhibition offers a chance to experiment with different kinds of installations. It includes the world’s largest research experiment on music and emotion, which is being conducted in collaboration with Queens University Belfast. “They’re actually using the visitors to the gallery as experimental subjects, and by attaching them to sensors for skin response and heart rate, they are testing how people respond to different types of music,” said Michael John Gorman. “And it’s a real scientific experiment, where they’re going to create this huge database. So one could imagine that being used for example in devising new sorts of musical experiences, which are tailored to your mental state, which is a next generation type of music.”

There are also a range of more playful installations – like a sonic bed which you can lie in and feel the music pulsing through your whole body, an acoustic armchair, a giant ear. There’s also the chance to create your own music and sounds. “I think what’s really interesting here is the combination – there’s a number of works that are really rather scientific in approach and there are some that are much more arty in their approach,” said Amanda McDonald Crowley of Eyebeam. “The idea of mixing up those works conceptually and thinking of sound in the context of both art and science, and where those ideas meet, that’s what’s really interesting for me.”

The Science Gallery hopes the event will lead to new links with international artists and scientists, with Dublin designated City of Science in 2012.

BIORHYTHM: MUSIC AND THE BODY at Eyebeam Art +Technology Center at 540 W 21st St runs til Aug6th. Open Tuesday-Saturday 12-6PM - admission free! CHELSEA