In the late hours of Friday, 21st of November, Trinity Arts Festival (TAF) lit up the GMB. TAF is the largest student-run arts festival in Ireland and aims to highlight young Dublin-based artists. With the focus on celebrating art in all of its aspects, TAF showcased everything it has to offer at the Leave Logic at the Door themed takeover.
This year, under the directorship of Inés Menendez, TAF collaborated with an array of societies ranging from French Soc to DUDJ, to create a truly unforgettable night of mayhem. The encouraged dress code of “Come as you aren’t” was met with a myriad of cosmic and whimsical looks from the attendees. The GMB itself was almost unrecognisable – ties hanging off the ceiling and headless mannequins adorning the rooms. The unique installations, produced by TAF’s Installations Officer Querida McFall, embellished the GMB in all of their bizarre and experimental fashion.
Trinity Orchestra kicked off the night, followed by a dance performance from Marta Russell. Trinity FM’s very own Top Floor Music joined by Chris Sheridan and Plum Texes gave a show of an iconoclastic mix of psychedelic and surrealist numbers. The evening also saw performances from DUDJ and Trad Soc.
While the upstairs room was screening the 1951 Alice in Wonderland, various Trinity societies hosted their workshops under the neon lights of the GMB. French Soc’s impressionist painting, Vinyl painting with DUAMS, DUMusic synesthesia session, DUGES storyboard wall, and surreal poetry workshop from LitSoc were only some of the activities available to the attendees. TN2 Magazine also encouraged the students to anonymously share their secrets at their confessions box, the best of which will be divulged at TN2’s upcoming launch party.
Speaking with The University Times about GMB’s transformation, TAF’s Productions Officer Riin McClave said: “The GMB is the place that’s used for debates, it’s a very official space, but tonight is really special because it showcases all the artistic talent in Trinity.” The GMB, home to the Phil and the Hist, rarely sees the artistically-minded side of the student body. Exhibiting student art in such a big, renowned space grants the artists exposure and celebrates their hard work. “It’s a really pure-spirited, exciting event,” she states.
The GMB takeover is only a prelude to the annual week-long event celebrating the College’s cultural scene set to take place later in the academic year.
