In 1934, representatives from Universal Pictures were in talks with the family of executed Irish nationalist Roger Casement with plans to shoot a Hollywood biopic detailing the dramatic life and death of the man many still consider to be the world’s first ever human rights campaigner.
Awarded a knighthood for his work to expose the atrocities committed against rubber industry slaves in the Congo and Peru, Roger Casement was a mysterious figure who avoided the spotlight. After his arrest for conspiring to overthrow British forces within Ireland, scandal erupted when it was claimed that his personal journal, known as ‘The Black Diaries’, had been discovered, detailing illegal homosexual exploits. The journal is believed by some to have been the fate-sealing element in the decision to execute Casement by hanging at Pentonville Gaol in London, where he was being held after a muddled gun-running operation and his subsequent capture on Banna Strand.
Although Casement’s story was of enormous public interest, the proposed film was never made, its content banned by the censorship laws of the nations involved. The letters between Universal Pictures and Casement’s family have since remained in storage in the archives of the National Library of Ireland, and it is to this cache of fascinating correspondence that critically-acclaimed artist Simon Fujiwara was drawn.
Inspired by his findings, Fujiwara's latest work, The Humanizer, is a mesmerising exploration of how we might perceive the iconic figure of Roger Casement had the writers, directors and producers of today’s Hollywood gotten their hands on his story first. In the altered narrative, Casement is portrayed as a noble man trapped in the wrong era, his principles unshakeable despite the seeming hypocrisy of his treasonous acts.
Fujiwara enlisted the help of collaborators - including sound designers, actors and musicians, as well as screenwriter Michael Lesslie (Macbeth, 2015; Assassin’s Creed, 2016), Oscar-winning designer Annie Atkins (The Grand Budapest Hotel, 2014; Bridge of Spies, 2015), and historic handwriting specialist Jan Jericho (Valkyrie, 2008, Cloud Atlas, 2012) - to create The Humanizer, an exhibition consisting mainly of acted audio recordings. Set in four sparsely-decorated rooms enhanced with replica props and documents - including the controversial ‘Black Diaries’ - the experience is immersive, actively encouraging the audience to participate in the story as it unfolds and to visualise their own version of the film that never was.
Fujiwara’s exhibition is one of three major new works commissioned by IMMA to commemorate the centenary of the Easter Rising. It runs from May 20th to August 28th, with an Artist Discussion to be held May 20th with both Fujiwara and screenwriter Lesslie.
To book your place for the talk, see here.
To secure your free exhibition tickets, or to learn more about this and other programmes, visit IMMA online.
I 1934, bhí daoine as Universal Pictures i mbun cainteanna le teaghlach an náisiúnaigh Éireannaigh Ruairí Mac Easmainn a cuireadh chun báis agus é beartaithe beathscannán Hollywood a dhéanamh a thabharfadh léargas ar shaol drámata agus ar bhás an fhir a bhí ar an gcéad fhear ar domhan a bhí i mbun feachtais ar son chearta an duine.
Bronnadh ridireacht air de bharr na hoibre a rinne sé ag léiriú na hainghníomhartha a rinneadh i gcoinne sclábhaithe an tionscail rubair sa Chongó agus i bPeiriú; ba dhuine mistéireach é Ruairí Mac Easmainn nach raibh ag iarraidh mórán airde a tharraingt air féin. Tar éis a ghabhála as comhcheilg a dhéanamh chun treascairt a dhéanamh ar fhórsaí na Breataine in Éirinn, dúradh go raibh a dhialann phearsanta ar a dtugtar ‘The Black Diaries’ aimsithe, agus go raibh sonraí iontu maidir le gnásanna neamhdhleathacha homaighnéasacha. Creideann roinnt daoine gur mar gheall ar an dialann sin a rinneadh an cinneadh a chuirfeadh cor ina chinniúint agus Mac Easmainn a chur chun báis i bPríosún Pentonville i Londain, áit a raibh sé á choimeád tar éis iarracht gunnaí a thabhairt i dtír a chuaigh in aimhréidh agus tar éis a ghabhála ina dhiaidh sin ar Thrá na Beannaí.
Cé go raibh spéis mhór ag an bpobal i scéal Mhic Easmainn, ní dhearnadh an scannán a bhí beartaithe riamh, mar gur cuireadh na dlíthe cinsireachta i bhfeidhm sna náisiúin a bhí i gceist. Tá na litreacha idir Universal Pictures agus teaghlach Mhic Easmainn stóráilte riamh ó shin i gcartlanna Leabharlann Náisiúnta na hÉireann, agus is chuig an stór iontach comhfhreagrais sin a bhí triall an ealaíontóra chlúitigh Simon Fujiwara.
Fuair an saothar is déanaí ó Fujiwara inspreagadh ón méid a fuair sé amach, agus déantar iniúchadh draíochtach in The Humanizer ar conas b’fhéidir a bhreathnófaí ar phearsa suntasach Ruairí Mhic Easmainn i gcás go bhfaigheadh scríbhneoirí, stiúrthóirí agus léiritheoirí Hollywood an lae inniu greim ar an scéal ar dtús. Sa leagan athraithe a insítear, léirítear Mac Easmainn mar fhear uasal atá sáinnithe sa ré chontráilte, fear nach féidir a phrionsabail a chur ó mhaith in ainneoin an chuir i gcéill shílfeá a bhain lena fheillbheart.
Fuair Fujiwara cabhair ó dhaoine eile, ina measc dearthóirí fuaime, aisteoirí agus ceoltóirí, chomh maith leis an scríbhneoir scáileáin Michael Lesslie (Macbeth, 2015; Assassin’s Creed, 2016), an dearthóir Annie Atkins a bhuaigh gradam Oscar (The Grand Budapest Hotel, 2014; Bridge of Spies, 2015), agus an speisialtóir i lámhscríbhneoireacht stairiúil Jan Jericho (Valkyrie, 2008, Cloud Atlas, 2012) chun The Humanizer a chruthú, taispeántas ina bhfuil taifeadtaí fuaime le haisteoirí den chuid is mó. Tá sé suite i gceithre sheomra nach bhfuil ach maisithe go beag agus propanna macasamhlacha agus doiciméid curtha isteach iontu – lena n-áirítear na dialanna ‘Black Diaries’. Meallfar isteach thú, agus spreagfar an lucht féachana a bheith rannpháirteach sa scéal de réir mar a thiteann sé amach agus a leagan féin den scannán nárbh ann dó riamh a shamhlú.
Tá taispeántas Fujiwara ar cheann de thrí mhórshaothar a choimisiúnaigh Áras Nua-Ealaíne na hÉireann chun comóradh céad bliain Éirí Amach na Cásca a cheiliúradh. Beidh sé ar siúl ón 20 Bealtaine go dtí 28 Lúnasa, agus beidh Plé i measc Ealaíontóirí ar siúl an 20 Bealtaine le Fujiwara agus leis an scríbhneoir scáileáin Lesslie.
Chun d’áit a chur in áirithe i gcomhair na cainte, féach anseo.
Chun ticéid saor in aisce a fháil i gcomhair an taispeántais, nó chun tuilleadh a fháil amach faoi seo agus faoi chláir eile, téigh chuig Áras Nua-Ealaíne na hÉireann ar líne.