Blue Funk  n.. Inf., chiefly Brit. A state of great terror.  1989-1993

Blue Funk was formed in 1989 by seven artists based in Dublin who had
recently graduated from the National College of Art and Design. The
founding members were: Evelyn Byrne, Valerie Connor, Brian Cross, Tom
Green, Brian Hand, Jaki Irvine, Kevin Kelly.

The group stated the following as its mission in 1990:
"Media Art is becoming widely recognized as one of the most exciting
and accessable areas of the visual arts.. Such a practice, through a
flexible and innovative use of live performance, assemblage and
installation work, has the capacity to be issue-based and
site-specific. Through the use of media such as film, video sound etc.
artists have recognized the potential for an expanded communicative
practice. This is reflected in the increasing access artists have tot
television networks and in the  growing number of media events and
exhibitions. In establishing BLUE FUNK, we are committed to the making
and exhibition of media artwork in Ireland. We intend to open a studio
with film, video, photography and performance facilities both for
ourselves and other artists who wish to work experimentally with these
media. This initiative by BLUE FUNK is unique in the South as there
are no other studios already in existence which cater for the
production of mixed-media and time based artwork. BLUE FUNK is
committed to exploring interface between art and politics. It is the
intention of the groups to address statutary and folk myths generated
by questions of identity in gender, class, and nationality against an
historical background. Throughout the history of the state, the debate
surrounding art and politics has rested primarily in literary fields.
BLUE FUNKaims to enter this debate through exhibitions and approaches
to questions about the interrelationships of art, the artist and
contemporary Irish society.