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Presenting disability in the digital age

International artist Simon McKeown has taken on his most ambitious project to date as he puts disability in the spotlight with a stunning mix of digital technology and animation.

Simon, a Reader in Animation and Post Production at º£½ÇÖ±²¥, will bring a riverside building to life as his work is projected in front of an anticipated 10,000 strong audience as part of Cork Ignite later this month. He has collaborated with people with a range of disabilities, including Down’s syndrome, autism and deafness, who all helped to inform and inspire the piece.

He also worked closely with a team of engineers so that the projections accurately reflect the historic building brick by brick.

The 30 minute live art projection also features disabled actors and bespoke musical scores created by disabled musicians.

Focusing on the history and landscape of Cork, intertwined with imagery to evoke people’s perceptions of disability, Cork Ignite will be shown on the evening of Friday 18 September as part of Culture Night, which will see hundreds of events across Ireland and overseas.

Simon creates art which draws from his own personal experience having been born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta, a condition causing extremely fragile bones. His work is a reflection of his interest, knowledge and experience of disability and in particular society’s view of ‘normality’ and ‘difference’.

Commenting on the Cork Ignite commission, Simon said: 'My aim was to create, in collaboration with different groups, a hugely exciting body of work in Cork and for this work to be seen as a fundamental stepping stone in the perception and production of art which touches on, or considers disability. Partnership and collaboration are key to what I do.'

Simon has over 25 years of professional creative experience and is committed to working with artists with disabilities as contributors or co-creators of his work. His Motion Disabled Unlimited project - a stunning digital installation which used animation to show how disabled athletes move - was shown all over the world and was an integral part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad.

Simon’s Cork Ignite project is one of three Ignite commissions and represents Ireland’s largest ever investment in the arts and disability sector.

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