James Joyce’s novel Ulysses, regarded in Britain in its day as morally outrageous, was first published a century ago this year. To mark this anniversary, over thirty Hastings artists are coming together in a group exhibition called ‘Yoolysees’, which will open at the Electro Studios in St Leonards-on-Sea on June 16. Among Joyce enthusiasts, June 16 is known and celebrated worldwide as ‘Bloomsday’, named after the main character in the novel, Leopold Bloom. 

The exhibition will be curated by Lucy Brennan Shiel, a Hastings based Irish artist who is passionate about James Joyce’s writing, and who has been undertaking work with reading and drawing groups in Hastings since 2017, based on Ulysses.  During covid her reading group connected online with groups all over the world. As Lucy says, “Ulysses is a difficult book to read alone, but is great fun when shared and read aloud with friends.”  

All the events in the novel are set on one single day in Dublin – 16 June 1904. Despite that, its themes are universal and its appeal continues to grow as more readers take on this challenging, beautiful and sensual book, renowned for its inventiveness and experimentation. And, of course, its brilliant subversion of conservative standards of the age. (The novel was banned for obscenity in Britain in 1922.)

Reflecting on the publication of Ulysses, revealed some interesting local discoveries. In a circuitous way, Lucy was introduced to Harriet Cole (nee Weaver) who lives in Rye, East Sussex. She is the great niece of Harriet Shaw Weaver, a major patron of James Joyce’s work. It is widely acknowledged in literary circles that without her financial support, Ulysses would not have been published. 

Harriet Shaw Weaver was born in Frodsham, Cheshire (1 September 1876-14 October 1961) and was educated privately. Denied her wish to go to university, she became a social worker. She later became involved in the campaign for votes for women and joined the militant Women’s Social and Political Union. Thereby being labelled a dangerous ‘suffragette.’ But fate took her on another course.  She suddenly inherited great wealth from her family, due to her brother’s death. And then later, she was introduced to James Joyce by Ezra Pound, the American poet. She became convinced of James Joyce’s genius and supported him financially throughout his lifetime, making the publication of Ulysses possible. 

It is thought that Harriet Weaver gave James Joyce the equivalent of £1.4 m (2019 figures) during his lifetime. She was indeed a remarkable ‘weaver of the wind of change,’ as Joyce mythologised her, because Ulysses changed the world of literature with its radically experimental text.

She also continued her allegiance to the memory of Joyce by acting as his literary executor and helping to compile The Letters of James Joyce. She died at her home near Saffron Walden in 1961 aged 85, leaving her collection of literary material to the British Library and to the National Book League.  

Harriet Shaw Weaver’s was the longest serving professional relationship in James Joyce’s life.  He wrote to her as “Dear Miss Weaver” and she always replied “Dear Mr. Joyce”.  

The Hastings band ‘Necessary Animals,’ working with Lucy Brennan Shiel, dedicated a track on their new album to Harriet Shaw Weaver. It is called Weaver of the Wind which is also a line from the first episode of Ulysses. ‘Necessary Animals’ new album ‘Playboy of the Western Word’ will release on Bloomsday. It is a treatment of improvised texts from Ulysses. The track, ‘Fox and Clock,’ was selected for Verity Sharpe’s Radio 3 programme, called ‘Late Junction,’ in 2020, during lockdown. 

‘Necessary Animals’ will also be involved in ‘Yoolysees’ at the Electro Studios; Keith Rodway their creative director will show a short film as part of the exhibition. The band will also do a closing set for the exhibition on Sunday 26 June. It should be quite an event. 

• For the full Exhibition programme, contact Lucy Brennan Shiel on lucybrennanshiel@icloud.com or mobile 07779 129924. Follow on instagram@ulysses100.uk