Community group ‘The Useless Project’, founded by Geraldine Carton and Taz Kelleher, launched their first art exhibition over the weekend. The ‘We’re New Here’ art exhibition celebrated a variety of “emerging artists who are new to Ireland’s art scene, and new to its shore”, according to the community’s Instagram.  

The exhibition was premiered in The Dean Art Studios, an eclectic creative hub located on Chatham Row, in the heart of Dublin city centre. The exhibition ran from Friday the 25^th to Sunday the 27^th of November, with complimentary wine and music offered on the launch night. 

Crowds of people arrived at the exhibition’s launch party on Friday night, in support of the new up-and-coming artists and to admire their talented pieces.  

Photography from Richie O’ Sullivan (bottom left) and David Hannon (top left), was also featured. The acrylic painting (top middle) was created by Joe Moon and named, ‘Sunset’. Whilst the middle portrait was done using oils by Kamile Catala and titled, ‘Exist for Love’. The two paintings to the right were Rachel Brownlow (bottom right) and Naomi Zanardo (top right). 

All the pieces featured at the exhibition were for sale, with 50% of all sales proceeds going towards MASI, a movement for Asylum Seekers in Ireland.  The event also held a raffle competition to raise funds and awareness for the movement. 

Co-founder of The Useless Project, Geraldine Carton, also had one of her own original paintings displayed at the exhibition. Titled ‘Careful Application’, the piece sold for €1,400 on the launch night. 

The up-and-coming artists included, Ciara Maher a recent graduate of genetics from Dublin. Her piece ‘Visionary Woman’ which is featured above, was hand drawn using a range of coloured pencils. Ciara’s passion is in capturing details of people through realism portraits and abstract human bodies. 

Catalogues were handed out on the night to credit the artists and explain their background and passion in the artistic field. 

This Incredible piece titled ‘The Waitlist’ was created by Shirani Bolle, using acrylic paints. Shirani is the daughter of a Holocaust survivor and a Sri Lankan immigrant, and it is the unlikely union of these two narratives that informs her work. 

Not only did the exhibition feature drawings and paintings, it also included 3-D work such as this cardboard based Diorama. The piece constructed by Grace Cuny, a Texas born dancer, consists only of food packaging, tiny found objects and general waste material. 

The exhibition was an exciting opportunity to see the talent of up-and-coming artists. The Useless Project stated it had pieces ranging from “recent art graduates to asylum seekers, frontline healthcare workers, hobbyists and creative geniuses”. With music provided by Sing Along Social DJ on the launch night, which created a fun and energetic atmosphere.