A DOUBLE KNOCK!

About a month and a half ago I got  a call from Claudi Nir.
She was wondering if I was still looking for subjects for my project Leaving Dublin.
I told her although I was nearing the end of the first phase of the project(the parting shots), I was still shooting.
Of course I assumed that there was a friend of hers or a fellow graduate about to leave and she was making the inquiry on their behalf.
As the conversation continued on it turned out that the person leaving was Claudi. After 13 years she was about to go!


This sickened me and I spent the next forty minutes telling Claudi that she couldn't, shouldn't go.
When we met for coffee I had a long conversation with her that slowly brought me around to her way of thinking. The realist way!

You see Claudi Nir is one of those very rare types who possess a limitless supply of talent for getting things done and over the last two PhotoIreland Festivals she has outperformed herself as the festival Coordinator. Claudi and I worked closely on the final preparations for the Leaving Living expo in Meeting House Square and here,f or me ,she shone. I saw the huge depth to her talents as an orgainiser, troubleshooter, proof reader, copy writer and general high wire, high pressure artist.

Claudi did all this whilst in parallel she was completing a degree course at IADT Dun Laoghaire.
On completion of this course she felt it would be nice to work in the photographic industry here in Ireland but found it difficult to find full time paid employment within her profession.
And so she decided to look at a bigger marketplace, her hometown of Hamburg Germany.

Such is the state of contraction in our own small economy that the few roles that exist are neatly wrapped into the world of volunteerism, free internships and all tied  up with a job bridgie bow. We all have to find our own solution. Claudi received a national award for her endeavors at the PhotoIreland festival, and as a photographer she has found success as a contributor to this years R.H.A. annual exhibition, but now its time to build a career and the bridge to that will be a salary!
Unfortunately for all of us here that means Claudi is about to relocate to Germany.

I for one will miss her dearly as I have got to know her and her amazing hybrid Irish German personality with its resultant original sense of humor which is so refreshing.
As we recover it is people like Claudi we will need to return to help us achieve autonomy and success once more.
I just hope her head has not been turned forever by the call of her hometown!!
On the night Artur looked after all the tech stuff as I limped around the courtyard of IADT Dun Laoghaire, a place that Claudi holds dear to her and the place that has given her a profession to take away with her.
I wish her and her career all the success they deserve.
Two great losses to our now jaded society!