TIDES, an exhibit featuring Northern Irish artists, opened on January 25 in the Regina Gouger Miller Gallery in Purnell. The exhibit is meant to represent the political changes in Northern Ireland and the affects they've had on the artists.

The relatively small exhibit features videos, photography, paintings, and installations from nine artists: Ian Charlesworth, Seamus Harahan, Michael Hogg, Mary McIntyre, Darren Murray, Aisling O'Beirn, Peter Richards and Alistair Wilson, and a performance by Sandra Johnston on January 26. All of the artists have been featured in Europe, but for many of them, this is the first time they have been able to showcase their work in the United States.

Peter Richard's photograph Take Two, Little Action really stands out in the exhibit. It is a collection of numerous photographs compiled into one large collage. With the photograph taking up a large portion of the wall, each face comes alive within the piece. Richard graduated from the University of Wales at Cardiff and completed his Master's degree at the University of Ulster at Belfast in 1998. His work has been featured in many solo exhibitions, including at Context Gallery, Derry; Studio Lipoli & Lopez, Rome; Cornerhouse, Manchester; and ZDSLU gallery, Ljubljana.

Darren Murray's painting Wailua Falls is also a must-see at TIDES. The seemingly Asian influence in his painting, including the small flowers and birds, makes for an interesting exhibit. The painting is filled with strong reds and blues, contrasting greatly with the other more subtle TIDES pieces. Murray graduated from the University of Ulster in 1999 and his work has been featured in solo exhibitions at the Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, Dublin; and the Context Gallery, Derry. He's been shown in group exhibitions at the 2005 Venice Biennale; the Ormeau Baths Gallery, Belfast; ARCO, Madrid; the Czech Museum of Fine Art, Prague; and the Proposition Gallery, Belfast.

However, despite these high points, for the amount of space the Miller Gallery has, the exhibit is rather empty. The several installations in the exhibit don't create enough of a presence for the large amount of space that they take up. The lack of cohesiveness between the pieces also made it difficult for the exhibit to flow together well. It seemed that each piece was very separate, as if in a museum and not in an exhibit with one theme. The political theme of the exhibit was unclear to the average gallery attendee. Perhaps a different set up or a better explanation of the installations would have made TIDES a stronger, more engaging exhibit.

The exhibit will be up at the Regina Gouger Miller Gallery until March 30. Gallery hours are 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday–Sunday. For more information, visit the Gallery's website.

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