Leisure Seekers - Harold Offeh

“Bray's relationship with leisure is complex and multifaceted. The construction of identity and the projection of desire play a significant role in the town's relationship with leisure. Leisure is closely intertwined with work, and access to leisure is often determined by class and economic factors. The concept of "Leisure Seekers" captures the desire for pleasure and the projection of desire onto the seaside resort landscape.”   Harold Offeh

Leisure Seekers is a multi-media installation emerging from artist Harold Offeh’s research visits to Bray over the past 18months, where he has explored the town’s history as holiday destination.

Working with local stories, fables, communities, families and sea swimmers, Offeh explores aspects of this rich history of Bray as a place for fun and leisure through the ages.

The title of the installation speaks to the promise of enjoyment offered by the traditional ‘fine day out’, considering the complexity of who has access to leisure, and why.

Embracing his role as a stranger and visitor, Offeh delves into Bray's history and politics of leisure. The film work Bray Bathers sees him taking a dip with all-weather bathers Bray Sea Swimmers and meeting long-term members of the vibrant Bray Rowing Club, while a participatory family workshop earlier this summer resulted in the jewel-like fantasy buildings displayed in Bray Future Follies.

The imposing structural work Bray Head mirrors the topographic profile of the distinctive landmark, covered with images of suburban plants taken by the artist during his visits.

A seating area in the gallery invites visitors to sit and contribute to the exhibition by making their own work from slotted cards and rubber stamps.

This evolving body of work will grow further when a new work by Wicklow native and guest artist Michelle Doyle reveals work commissioned by Offeh mid-way through the exhibition.

Commissioned as part of Mermaid Arts Centre’s 2024 LEISURE visual art programme, a series of new works exploring sites of leisure, rest, care and fun, drawing on Bray town’s history as a ‘fine day out’ and holiday destination.


Artist Biography
Harold Offeh is an artist working in a range of media including performance, video, photography, learning and social arts practice. Offeh is interested in the space created by the inhabiting or embodying of histories. 

He employs humour as a means to confront the viewer with historical narratives and contemporary culture. He has exhibited widely in the UK and internationally including: Tate Britain and Tate Modern; South London Gallery; Turf Projects, London; Kettle's Yard, Cambridge; Wysing Art Centre; Studio Museum Harlem, New York; MAC VAL, France; Kunsthal Charlottenborg, Denmark; and Art Tower Mito, Japan.

He studied Critical Fine Art Practice at The University of Brighton, MA Fine Art Photography at the Royal College of Art and in 2020 completed a PhD by practice exploring the activation of Black Album covers through durational performance at Leeds Beckett University. He lives in Cambridge, UK and is currently a Senior Tutor in Fine Art MFA at The Ruskin School of Art, Oxford University and a Reader in MA Contemporary Art Practice at the Royal College of Art, London.

Commissioned as part of Mermaid Arts Centre’s 2024 LEISURE visual art programme, a series of new works exploring sites of leisure, rest, care and fun, drawing on Bray town’s history as a ‘fine day out’ and holiday destination.