Fad Magazine — MARGARET R. THOMPSON

CAIM at Slane: An Artistic Legacy Continues

CAIM at Slane intervenes into Ireland’s arts model, the majority of it made up of publicly funded arts organizations. CAIM means ‘sanctuary” and creates an artistic sanctuary dialoguing with Ireland’s rich history and landscape. Bringing the international art market to Slane is a first step in putting a spotlight on Ireland’s rich artistic talent. Alex Conyngham, 9th Marquess Conyngham of Slane Castle, speaks of the way he sees CAIM, saying: “It (Slane Castle) is a blank canvas for a wonderful kind of juxtaposition between 18th century heritage and contemporary art. I like that relationship, because these houses always evolve. So Slane is not stuck in time.”

Standout artists include Margaret R. Thompson, whose work is hung in the Great Hall, in conversation with the symbols embedded in the neo-classical plaster works by Wyatt and Johnston. Her process starts by drawing a circle in the ground, creating a haven for her creativity in relation to the natural environment. A stag on the crest on the opposing wall, seems to wink at a doe in Thompson’s vibrant painting. The crest has the family motto “Over Fork Over,” which can be traced to the family’s origins in 1100’s Scotland.

It was then that a Conyngham farmer risked his life to shelter an on-the-run rebel prince Malcolm in the family’s hayloft, while he was fleeing Macbeth’s troops. That act of bravery was rewarded when Malcolm eventually became King Malcolm II of Scotland and gave the family lands and an armorial. Today, you can spot the pitchfork in the family’s crest. To Alex, CAIM is a unique opportunity to live in the spirit of family’s motto “Over Fork Over,” sharing that, for him, these words speak to “the constant need to evolve with a spirit of standing up for what you believe in and a streak of rebellion.”

He goes on to explain…

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