Lets get visual: I like that. It sounds so enthusiastic, almost aerobic. The visual program is a small but mighty part of The Fringe, essential viewing to be true, and growing every year. This year I was lucky to get a sneak peak into the four exhibitions, leaving me all the more eager to see them in their fruition.

Where did I start? At One naturally ... Gallery Number One to be exact, a modern art gallery housed in the creative design offices of Ebow. What a place, unabashedly modern, a triumph of glass and slate in wonderful juxtaposition with the antiquated edifice Christ Church. The pillows have faces, the beanbag chairs are plentiful, and the exhibitions on display are often so colorful you wish you could eat them. True to form, the show for The Fringe promises to be a visual treat. New York urban graffiti artists Skewville will be transforming the gallery floor into a city and bringing their literally "off the wall" brand of street art to Dublin. Skewville, made up of twin brothers Ad and Droo, witnessed a change in the graffiti scene in NY, the media spaces were constantly full of posters, paper and advertising. They reacted by bringing their art off the walls and into the air, into windows, into the 3D world. Their signature piece, a pair of wooden sneakers, hand cut, laced and tossed over a power line, has been reproduced thousands of times and is working its way global. This will be their first gallery show in Dublin but don"t expect it to stay confined in the Gallery Number One space ... their canvas is limitless and they"ll be making use of our public spaces I"m sure. Eyes on the sky friends.

Next stop, science. I'm a huge fan of genre-mashing and I find the art/science combo of the Science Gallery a real treat. Opened in February of this year, the gallery professes to be a place where ideas meet and opinions collide. It is the perfect venue for Douglas Repetto's "ArtBots", an international art exhibition for robotic art and art-making robots, who are in their 5th year. The ArtBot concept confused me at first. Isn"t art about expression, the revelation of creative energies? How could a robot articulate nonexistent feelings? The answer is to look outside the machines and instead, at their creators. Creating tools to create. This two-fold construction results in some fantastic work and the automatons themselves are as fascinating as their yield. What is a robot? What is art? The ArtBots international competition will certainly attempt to answer these conundrums. The best part is that it's very hands on; you get to meet the robots, meet their makers and watch them in action, all in the impressive Science Gallery. Excellent.

In a gallery across town, the Monster Truck Gallery, IMMATATE is a show being curated that pokes fun, crosses borders and boundaries. I love this gallery; its two rooms and sexy back garden feel like a home. I love their concept for the Fringe as well. Again the question pops up, what is art? But it is modern art on the table this time. Tickling the ribs of I.M.M.A and the Tate, MT has asked creative professionals from Ireland and the UK to step out of their everyday shoes and don some fine art footwear. The brief - "Paddy designer, Paddy architect and Paddy illustrator walk into a gallery ..." What will they come up with? If the gallery's erstwhile offerings are anything to go by, this show will be full of energy and verve, without doubt a must see.

And last but certainly not least, thisisnotashop has a treat for all the senses. It's a show titled "Wheels Beneath Toys" and is the brainchild of Jessica Foley and Elva Carri, two likeminded artists who share a love and interest in childhood games and activities, (ladies after my own heart.) Their show will be full of play, full of exploration, puzzles, questions, and altered spaces. Is the lark of children always as innocent and harmless as it appears? Why should we stop playing as childhood ends? The ethos of thisisnotashop is simple; it is strictly non-profit, supportive of emerging talent and with an emphasis on diversity and positivism. Where better to celebrate play?

I can't wait for the Fringe, this peek into the show has been a tease, and September can't come quick enough! Let's get VISUAL!!

Sarah Fox