To mark a century of James Joyce’s Ulysses, Ulysses 2.2 is an ongoing year-long engagement of responses by artists to the book’s 18 episodes, curated and produced by ANU, Landmark Productions and MoLI.
So far, there has been responses from Limerick rapper God Knows, playwright Marina Carr, writers Emilie Pine and Anne Enright, musician Matthew Nolan and Adrian Crowley, journalist Fintan O’Toole, activist Sinéad Burke among others.
Many are public performances and some have been filmed separately.
For musician and artist Fehdah, a regular around these parts, you can now watch a video of her contribution, Inspired by the Sirens of Ulysses, and drawing on her Irish and West African heritage.
For the performance, Fehdah composed and curated a selection of original and traditional pieces.
Together, these pieces constitute a reflection of the crossroads between cultural identity and Joycean thought patterns. Using alluring and fragmented soundscapes, they express Odysseus’s or Bloom’s dilemma of needing to belong, but resisting being subsumed by a narrow identity. ‘Amhrán Mhuínse’ was filmed and recorded in collaboration with Suntou Susso at the Old Physics Theatre in MoLI – the Museum of Literature Ireland earlier this year.
Ulysses 2.2 | Episode 11: Overture to the Quietus by Fehdah | Amhrán Mhuínse:
You can watch God Knows’ here also, and see more at www.ulysses22.ie
Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005 . He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Cara Magazine, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, founder of Lumo Club, club promoter, event curator and producer of gigs, listening parties & events in Dublin.
