Full house for premiere

A full house gathered at the Black Mills, Roscrea, for the Irish premiere of Rootstock: The Making of The School of Hibernia (after Raphael) 2024. Organised by Damer House Gallery, the special screening formed part of this year’s Tipperary Bealtaine Festival.

Rootstock, directed by Therry Rudin, documents the Irish feminist art collective Na Cailleacha as they create their ambitious largescale project The School of Hibernia. The film follows the artists as they reimagine Raphael’s renowned composition through a contemporary female lens.

In this recreation, the male figures of the original painting are replaced by leading Irish women from diverse disciplines, while Raphael’s spatial design and narrative structure are carefully preserved. The result is a striking reenactment that challenges historical perspectives and asserts a powerful female vision at a moment when women’s rights continue to face pressure. The music for the work was composed by acclaimed jazz pianist, saxophonist, lyricist, and arranger Carole Nelson.

Speaking at the opening, Kate Walsh of Damer House Gallery said she believed that The School of Hibernia 2024 will go into the canon of art history, adding that it will undoubtedly become part of art history studies in Ireland and abroad. She noted that future students will be grateful to Therry Rudin for documenting the making of the work, capturing interviews with the artists, photographer, and all those involved in the recreation. Kate expressed her thanks to Therry and Carole for attending the screening, and to Tipperary Bealtaine and the Tipperary Arts Office for their support.

The screening was followed by an engaging conversation with Therry Rudin and Carole Nelson, with many questions and observations from an attentive and enthusiastic audience.