Alastair MacLennan
In 1997 Alastair MacLennan represented Ireland at the Venice Biennale with inter-media work commemorating the names of all those who died as a result of the Political Troubles in Northern Ireland from 1969 to date. During the 1970’s and 1980’s he made long, non-stop durational performances in Britain and America, of up to 144 hours each, usually neither eating or sleeping throughout. Subject matter dealt with political, social and cultural malfunction. Since 1975 he has been based in Belfast, N. Ireland and was a founder member of Belfast’s Art and Research Exchange. From 1975 until 2008 he taught at the University of Ulster and for 11 years ran the MA Fine Art programme there. Currently he travels regularly to Eastern and Western Europe, Asia and Canada, presenting Actuations (his term for performance/installations). He has been a member of Black Market International since 1989. MacLennan is currently an Emeritus Professor of Fine Art from the
University of Ulster, Belfast, N. Ireland, an Honorary Fellow of Dartington College of Art, Devon, England, and an Honorary Associate of the National Review of Live Art, Glasgow, Scotland.