From celebrating film costumes to iconic department stores, international sculpture and portraiture, there is visual inspiration aplenty this month, plus an exciting competition for emerging artists …
175 Years of Brown Thomas, Dublin
Since opening in 1849, Brown Thomas has been synonymous with style, elegance, quality, and customer service, and in the process it has shaped the retail landscape in Ireland. To mark its 175th anniversary, the Grafton Street store has a retrospective exhibition on the 4th floor, which runs until June 3. This immersive exhibition presents an interesting tapestry of memories, from vintage advertisements to newspaper editorials and celebrity visits, such as the unforgettable scenes from Princess Grace’s visit in 1961. The design inspiration for the exhibition is inspired by the artistic legacy of Irish artist Norah McGuinness. Known for her association with the modernist movement and her window dressing from Paris to London to New York, she designed the window displays for Brown Thomas for over 30 years, from the 1930s onwards. Peruse the exhibition and afterwards enjoy a coffee in the specially created gallery café or pick up a commemorative present. These range from limited edition prints by Jando and Orla Walsh, to a Duffy notebook, La Bougie candle, Foxford Woollen Mills throw, as well as a tote bag, featuring an illustration of the store. www.brownthomas.ie
Hilary Heron: A Retrospective, IMMA
Hilary Heron, (1923 – 1977) was a Dublin-born sculptor who co-represented Ireland at the 1956 Venice Biennale alongside painter Louis le Brocquy (1916 – 2012). This new exhibition, opening on May 24, brings together 60 of her works from national and international collections, including carvings, welding and castings. Heron was a master welder, a practice highly unusual for an Irish artist, let alone a woman in the 1950s. Her work broached themes of gender, relationships, history and religion through impressive, varied mediums including stone, lead, steel and wood. As the first major retrospective of her work since 1964, the exhibition seeks seeks to correct the way her work has been overlooked in Irish and international histories of modern sculpture. www.imma.ie
Fault & Fold exhibition, Ed Kelly, Outset Gallery, Galway
Characterised by bold colours, patterns and hard edges, this exhibition reflects Ed Kelly’s experience as a graphic designer. Kelly’s artworks are influenced by themes of psycho-geography, geological phenomena, folk history, and the synthesis of superstition and music making. “Fault & Fold” is not only a visual journey but a sonic experience, echoing Kelly’s dual identity as an artist and musician. Having contributed to Dublin’s music scene with bands like Cap Pas Cap and Thread Pulls, this exhibition is an interesting exploration of form, colour and sound. www.outset-galway.myshopify.com
Art and Soul, Castlemartyr Resort, Co Cork
Works by Salvador Dali, Andy Warhol and Damien Hirst, will be hosted by Gormleys at Castlemartyr Resort from May 25 to June 23, in an impressive outdoor exhibition of 90 large sculptures and installations set throughout the 220-acre grounds of the 17th-century manor estate. The exhibition coincides with the Blackwater Valley Opera Festival, (from May 27 to June 3) which includes an open air lunch time recital at Castlemartyr on June 2. The exhibition promises something for every age and enthusiasm with some artists’ talks, daily guided tours, art-themed afternoon teas and a special Art + Soul Visit and Stay offer from €379 per room. www.gormleys.ie / www.castlemartyrresort.ie.
Bucolica, Mount Congreve, Co Waterford
There is a lot happening at Mount Congreve where a new initiative with Artform has led to the opening of an art gallery which will celebrate art in the gardens throughout the year. The debut exhibition “Bucolica” features work by artists Ciara Roche, Michael Wann, Bernadette Kiely, Zsolt Basti and Lee Welch, selected by artists Melissa O’Donnell and Anne Ryan. This is the first of other art-related events from masterclasses to art workshops. A new exhibition will launch every eight weeks. www.mountcongreve.com
Heavenly Flowers: the Hamilton Field Book of Hours, Chester Beatty
Books of hours were especially popular in Europe between the 13th and the 16th century. While no two are alike, certain volumes have emerged as particularly unique. One of these is the Hamilton Field Book of Hours, which dates from the early 15th century. Originally crafted in Paris, this manuscript is noteworthy for its rare full-page calendar illustrations depicting daily life, including agricultural tasks and aristocratic pastimes. While many other contemporary manuscripts had stylised borders, this manuscript features intricately adorned and realistic floral borders, featuring roses, strawberries, and columbines reminiscent of Italian artistic traditions. The Chester Beatty will launch “Heavenly Flowers: The Hamilton Field Book of Hours”, concentrating on this manuscript attributed to the Master of Walters 219, from May 24 to September 22. www.chesterbeatty.ie
INT./EXT, Francis Matthews, Molesworth Gallery, Dublin
Urban architecture is a perennial source of inspiration for Francis Matthews, who originally graduated in architecture before pursuing a career as an artist. He is particularly interested in mundane elements such as deserted street scenes which he energises with a sophisticated interplay of light and shadow. Matthews specialises in night scenes because he is interested in the dynamics of light – from the gleam of streetlights, to the beam from traffic headlamps, and the glow from domestic and commercial windows. There are no distractions from the urban landscape environment he projects; it is at once a subject in its own right, and a world presented for the viewer to imaginatively occupy. www.molesworthgallery.com
Memories of Home, Eugene Conway, Gormleys Dublin
Known for his realist and emotive approach to painting, Conway is renowned for capturing the essence of rural Ireland in his landscape paintings of Co Kilkenny. His main subjects – bridges, roads, farms, barns and byways – are what he describes as the unsung heroes of the Irish countryside. “A lot of the time they go unnoticed: old sheds, old walls, a wet ditch after the summer rain, or maybe the way that the light is hitting something, bringing out a lovely pattern,” he says. Conway’s paintings are quiet and contemplative scenes, they do not suggest any sense of drama, or dwell on the bucolic or the picturesque, but merely highlight the unfolding of ordinary rural life. “I love the old stonework and the structure of the building against the natural environment and the wildness of nature gradually taking over.” www.gormleys.ie
Lavery On Location, Ulster Museum, Belfast
If you missed this exhibition at National Gallery of Ireland, or want to see it again, pop into the Ulster Museum where “Lavery on Location” is on until June 9. The exhibition delves into Lavery’s impressions of the people and places he encountered during a life filled with travel. Key destinations include Morocco, Palm Springs and Lough Derg in Co Donegal. The exhibition also includes studies of Switzerland, France, Ireland and North Africa, as well as cityscapes of Glasgow, Venice, Cannes and New York. The exhibition includes over 70 works, many from private collections, and offers a rare opportunity to discover more about this area of Lavery’s work. www.ulstermuseum.org
Iconic Costumes of the Irish Silver Screen, The Museum of Style Icons, Newbridge Silverware, Co Kildare
In collaboration with The Irish Costume Archive Project, co-founded by Emmy-nominated costumer designer Eimer Ní Mhaoldomhnaigh, for film fans this exhibition presents 18 costumes from Irish film productions. These include pieces worn in The Banshees of Inisherin, Michael Collins, Braveheart, Normal People and many more. The exhibition runs for one year. www.newbridgesilverware.com
COMPETITION TIME !
NYX Hotel Dublin has announced a new “Art Lives” competition inviting emerging artists to submit their original artwork for consideration. A finalist shortlist will be selected by interior designer Suzanne Garuda of Garuda Design, who designed the hotel’s vibrant interiors. One of the standout features of the hotel is its collection of contemporary art from artists such as Shane Sutton, Niall Staines, Shane O’Driscoll and Janine Jordon. The winner will be chosen by the hotel’s guests. The prize includes a €1,000 cash prize and a one-night stay at the hotel, located at Portobello Harbour. Registration is now open and submissions will be accepted until June 7. To find out more visit; www.nyx-hotels.co.uk
