Tag: art

  • The 70-year wait: Dublin embraces the birth of abstract art with Hilma Af Klint: Artist and Visionary

    The 70-year wait: Dublin embraces the birth of abstract art with Hilma Af Klint: Artist and Visionary

    For decades, the origins of abstract art have been heavily credited to an abundance of male artists. However, Swedish artist Hilma Af Klint (1862-1944) predates these painters as she had completed a collection of visionary works long before her male counterpart had even began experimenting with abstraction.   

    Now considered one of Europe’s most renowned abstract painters, Af Klint’s talent has made its way to the National Gallery of Ireland for its first major exhibition dedicated to her work. The six-week-long display is titled Hilma Af Klint: Artist and Visionary and is set to run from 15 October 2026 to 7 February 2027. It also features early portraits and landscapes, some of which have never been publicly exhibited before. In fact, at her own request, Af Klint’s works were sealed away from the public eye during her lifetime and for 20 years following her death. Her distinctly vibrant works were profoundly ahead of her time as they tested the boundaries between art, science, and spirituality and were largely unknown outside of Sweden.

    Photo credit: Emma Jones

    The Dublin-based exhibition, developed in collaboration with the Hilma Af Klint Foundation, unfolds less like a traditional exposition and more like a navigation into a visual system of a vibrant mind. Upon entry to the gallery,  visitors are met with a custom painted staircase painted in a vivid homage to Af Klint’s Altarpiece No. 1.


    Photo credit: Emma Jones

    Initially, rooms 6-10 displayed her early works of landscapes and botanical illustrations, the safe and conventional pieces that paid her Stockholm rent. Once you turn that corner, the rooms are now suddenly illuminated with massive vibrant masterpieces such as The Swan (1914) or The Altarpieces (1915). Suddenly, you are confronted with the concealed birth of abstract art, which was once locked away in the dark as Af Klint felt as though the world wasn’t ready to experience her spiritual work just yet.  

    Photo credit: Emma Jones

    The exhibitions curator Janet McLean told TheCity that she has been in discussion with the Hilma Af Klint Foundation regarding an Irish collaboration since 2021. Five years on, that persistence has grown into a confidence that Irish audiences are finally ready be faced with her work, following a hesitancy about “connecting abstract art and the land”. “We all feel a longing for connection, for goodness, solace, and consolation. Af Klint was very interested in looking away from conventional religion and towards spirituality, theosophy, and anthroposophy. So, I think this is something the Irish are very much in tune with,” said McLean.

    McLean also highlighted the spiritualism within Af Klint’s paintings, explaining that “these great bodies of work were never intended to be made for exhibitions in the art world in museums and galleries, they were made with a sort of higher purpose”. “She didn’t make art to be known or to have her own reputation. There was no ego involved, it was never about her,” said McLean, “it was always about the spiritual message to communicate to the viewer as if her spiritual art was coming through her as if she was an instrument or a conduit.” 

    Photo credit: Emma Jones

    Roxie Gillespie, a final-year paint student at NCAD felt as though Af Klint was “ahead of her time”. “I think it’s very important to see a woman’s hard work in this current climate,” Gillespie said. “It’s quite profound to have something that is inherently discovered by women, explored by women, and made by women.”

    Reflecting on Af Klint’s decision to leave her work for future generations, Gillespie was struck by the intention behind it. “I found that everything felt very intentional, I love the existentialism in her work and I think it is interesting to make something not knowing who is going to be viewing it in the context of a future society, when you’re not around yourself to see the reaction to it.” 

    Photo credit: Emma Jones

     

     

     

     

  • Then the Concrete Came

    Then the Concrete Came

    Photo credit: Shareef Sarhan

    After his home and studio in Gaza were destroyed by Israeli forces, Mohamed Abusal lost trust in art – now he feels a duty to start again. 

     

    Mohamed Abusal talks to his cactus. He speaks to them all, in fact. In Gaza, he had 400 of them growing on his rooftop, but they’re gone now. Today he settles for five, all contained in small pots on the outskirts of Marseille, two thousand miles from home. 

     

    He’s protective of them, and hides them away if a friend with a bad aura comes to visit. In his experience, one look from someone like that can kill. “It’s energy,” he said, furrowing his brow and squinting his eyes, “once someone looks at something [like this], it becomes a bad situation,” 

     

    “Sometimes I feel this plant is not satisfied being beside this plant,” he said, gesturing with his hands. “A very tall plant next to a small plant – they are not satisfied, so I make them [go up] step-by-step.” 

     

    “I don’t know, maybe I’m a crazy one,” He agreed that after 50 years on this earth, a little bit of crazy is a good thing for any artist. 

     

    Abusal was sporting thin-rimmed black glasses, a deep maroon t-shirt, and a Zappa-esque soul patch when I spoke to him. 

     

    His two young children were playing behind him, and on a few occasions, he told them to be quiet. They can be forgiven for wanting to have fun in what is still a relatively new environment for them, having only moved to France in late 2024, after being displaced from Gaza five times. 

     

    Abusal spoke fondly of his own “simple and minimalistic” childhood in Palestine. He recalls the agricultural region where he grew up near the Gaza Valley wetlands, the lemon farms and their requisite greenery, and the donkeys roaming freely around his village. 

     

    “I remember Gaza without the checkpoints,” he said, “without the war, without the army… life was very nice.” 

     

    I asked him to cast his mind back. When he thinks of his earliest years – what does he see? “The people, the faces, the life,” he said, “this was important.” He grinned then, and lit up like a schoolboy: “I cannot forget the sound of people selling handmade candy in the street.” 

     

    “[But] the farms disappeared step by step,” he said, “and then the concrete came.” 

     

    It was the third anniversary of the beginning of the genocide when we spoke. 

     

    Abusal’s parents were not originally from Gaza: they were expelled from central Palestine during the Nakba – a period of mass, violent displacement of Palestinians in the late 1940s to create an Israeli state. 

     

    They always encouraged his earliest artistic inclinations; his mother loved to draw, and made traditional Palestinian tatreez embroideries (she even made him one for his wedding day, depicting two shining birds).  

     

    When he was five years old, they moved to Saudi Arabia – a change that would come with unique challenges for the young artist: “In Saudi Arabia, we felt like foreigners – like strange people.” It took him a long time to make friends and find his place there; his small green village now traded for a sprawling, rapidly modernising, oil-booming city. 

     

    Abusal returned to Gaza at 17, and even now after resettling in France, he places huge importance on maintaining a connection to his people. He and a few other Palestinian artists have formed their own small collective in Marseille, and get together to discuss how to work as an artist outside the inner workings of the cutthroat French art world. 

     

    Abusal communicates with at least one person from back home every day – his brother, his sister, his friends – take your pick. 

     

    As part of the artist collective Eltiqa (currently showing in IMMA), he got to travel widely, and upon returning to Gaza, he would bring boxes filled with pamphlets, art materials, and publications for the younger artists.  

     

    Abusal spoke passionately about this mentor role: “Every day I’m helping [them] to build a portfolio, write a statement… we try to find opportunities for them,” 

     

    “We were messengers,” he said, “transferring voices from Gaza [to the] outside.” 

     

    To ask an artist what their favourite piece of work is, is as sacrilegious as asking a mother which child she loves most – but I did it anyway. Abusal beamed with pride as he spoke about his 2012 project Metro in Gaza, a reimagining of the tunnels under his homeland.  

     

    They were first created in a desperate attempt to break the siege, but during an artist residency in France, Abusal envisioned a world where these tunnels were a metro system. He enlisted the help of several people to make it happen, and they drove through the desert with their Parisien-style metro signs, planting them at 150 stops, and handing out maps of the concept to the public. 

     

    It was difficult for them to take photos of the project, as the Israeli army were suspicious of the group planting large metal poles in the sand across Gaza and the West Bank.

     

    They even captured a photo close to the Salah al-Din Axis, the southwestern stretch of land between Gaza and Egypt.

     

    I spoke to Palestinian curator Yazan Khalili before I sat down with Abusal. “I met [Abusal] for the first time in Kassel,” he said, “sadly, we lived 90 kilometres away from each other, but we could not meet because access between the West Bank and Gaza is closed,” 

     

    Khalili told me how Abusal’s cactus series was especially meaningful to him. “His work touches me a lot because it’s a documentation of a life,” he said. 

     

    Abusal’s cactus garden went much deeper than a mere love for botany. For him, and several other Palestinian artists, the cactus has come to symbolise their people – grounded, resilient, and prickly, firmly rooted in the land. 

     

    “I feel the plants,” he said, “it is a passion.” You can feel this passion when you admire his paintings. You can feel the Palestinian plight if you open yourself up to it. 

     

    “When I lost my home, it was a big shock,” he said, “I lost my hope, I asked myself, ‘why am I an artist?’ – I didn’t trust art, because art didn’t protect me.” 

     

    A cactus won’t save you from a bomb, but for Abusal it offers something enduring – proof that what is gone can always come back. “When the cactus is destroyed, it grows again because its roots are very strong,” he said, “it is the soul of the land.”

  • Celebrating Process Over Output: How Witty writer’s podcast inspires its audience  

    Celebrating Process Over Output: How Witty writer’s podcast inspires its audience  

    The Witty Writer’s anniversary workshop examines how music, art, and other visual forms fuel the craft of writing. 

    By Samuel Adeleke 

    The Witty Wicklow writers’ workshop, a workshop that aims to bring writers and readers together, celebrated its first anniversary on the 24th of March at the Arthaus Hotel in Dublin. 

    The idea started with Victor Vicente, a writer, who started hosting a podcast and invited his friend Jeroen Vandommele as a guest, where they review and discuss his written pieces. This has grown into a workshop.  

    Victor Vicente is setting up for the live broadcast on YouTube, ensuring that the session will be accessible for others and allowing a wider audience to engage with the workshop online. Photo credit:Samuel Adeleke 

    “Jeroen started to write in the main time, and I thought I could expand the scope of the podcast into a writing workshop,” Vicente said. 

    The YouTube livestream is fully set. Vicente introduced his co-host and outlined ­­the workshop agenda in detail, as they also took a moment to celebrate the milestone of their first anniversary.  Photo credit: Samuel Adeleke 

     The need for an editor for one of these written pieces led Jeroen to meet Maria Stavropoulou, who expressed an interest in joining the podcast at Vicente’s request. 

    “We have been doing it for a year, either online or live, and every month we have different topics,” Vandommele said. 

    Stavropoulou engaged the audience on the significance of the writing process, emphasising that the process holds much value as the final output itself. Photo credit:Samuel Adeleke 

    The Workshop has carved out ­­a distinctive niche in the writing community by offering something unique to its audience. “During the last online workshop, somebody noted that there have been a lot of podcasts about finished books, but not about the process of writing,” said Vandommele

     

    Vandommele speaks of how his mother inspired his writing through her art, which she passed on to him. Photo credit:Samuel Adeleke 

    “Until you get to finish writing a book, there are a lot of things that people writing books know that you can only discover yourself by going through the grind, failing, and trying different things,” Stavropoulou said. 

     

    Stavropoulou discussed her journey as a writer and shared the inspiration that has fueled her writing, using her personal experience. Photo credit: Samuel Adeleke 

    ­­­­­Although she has no written book, she said, “There are a lot of things to learn from being in the process of it instead of, oh, I wrote this book myself,” highlighting the value of the journey rather than just the end goal.” 

    Stavropoulou also highlighted the importance of attending a workshop like Witty Wicklow’s. “I was at the Ireland publishing show last week, where there was all the information and advice that it would have taken me years to find out in the writing process.  

    “Writing backwards was one of them, just have a point in your story and then ask yourself one question, how did we find ourselves here, what happened before that?” Stavropoulou said.

    This new but handy information helped Stavropoulou get out of her writer’s creative block after 3-4 months of being stuck. 

    The theme for the first anniversary is “How painting, music, poetry, and visuals influence writing.” This is aimed at exploring and encouraging attendees to find inspiration for their writing through various forms of art.  

    Additionally, as part of their regular practice during the workshop, each participant will share a reading and engage in discussions about what inspired or influenced their writing, making this the centerpiece of the evening. 

    Vicente is reading from his book, which is inspired by the literary work of Harry Kernoff. Photocredit: Samuel Adeleke 

     “This is a book that I published in October 2023, inspired by Irish British printer Harry Kernoff,It is a typical example of how virtual art and poetry work together, and I thought I could expand that idea with the team tonight,” said Vicente.  

    Vicente presents a painting from one of the pages of his book, sharing insights into how art possesses the ability to inspire writing.  Photocredit: Samuel Adeleke 

    “I think it is good to bring some art together because today we are all somehow united, and we can all benefit from learning from each other,” he added. 

    “All arts influence writing, and with the piece I am going to bring tonight, it’s about my Mum, who was an artist, musician, and a singer, all those things, are what she kind of gave to me. 

    “There is a cross-pollination between all arts, and you can learn from different artists and different music genres, and it can bring something to you and definitely inspire you to write,” said Vandommele.

     

    Vandommele’s reading for the night explored how his mother’s different forms of art were a great influence on his writing. Photocredit: Samuel Adeleke 

    “I don’t think there is one single art that is dry, and it is about the self. You get inspiration from your senses, and from other people,” Stavropoulou said. 

    “You can’t take the visuals out of the writing, and you can’t take the writing out of the visuals. It is when different things meet that you have the best result,” she added.

     

    Stavropoulou emphasised the importance of community belonging as a powerful source of inspiration to delve into and explore the craft of writing. Photocredit: Samuel Adeleke 

    Stavropoulou highlighted the podcast’s impact on her personality. “Since I started being a part of this podcast, I have become way more curious, I have met more people, and I have been more motivated,” she said. 

    “I would like this to be a job, I enjoy doing it, and I enjoy talking to people about it,” she added. 

    Not only has the podcast had a big impact on her personally, but has also been a source of inspiration to others. “We’re building a community where people are being motivated to write, and it is really beautiful, I won’t be here if I wasn’t motivated to,” Stavropoulou said. 

    “Normally, I like reading books, and I have read Victor’s book in Portuguese, and I like it so much. I joined this community because it is very interesting, and getting to know people’s perspectives on things is great,” said attendee Judani Bijah. 

    Participants at the workshop listened attentively as the speakers shared valuable insights. Photocredit: Samuel Adeleke 

     Vicente expressed excitement about the growth of the writers’ community, mentioning the numerous upcoming workshops, magazines, and writers’ conferences they have planned for the year and going forward. 

    “We didn’t expect to be here a year ago, and we are here a year later. We will keep the podcast going because it has a huge number of listeners. 

    “People have reacted really positively to the podcast, and people are coming out to say I have been writing secretly at home, and I want to do it more,” Vandommele said. 

  • A match made in TUD: When flowers are no longer enough

    A match made in TUD: When flowers are no longer enough

    Technological University Dublin’s African society Valentine’s event represents love beyond just romance and serves as a medium for promoting cultural integration.

    By Samuel Adeleke

    Photo credit: Samuel Adeleke

     With Valentine’s Day around the corner, a time often seen as a period to show and express love, TUD African Society brought the celebration early by organizing a Valentine’s event on 10th of February, at Bst259 Bolton Street.

    For Sharon Ojuade, President of the TUD African society, the theme of ‘A match made in TUD’ was not chosen for love and romance alone.

    “With this event, we aimed to create a relaxed and comfortable environment where people from the same background, different backgrounds, and experiences gather in one room, enjoying the atmosphere,” said Ojuade.

    In organising the event, the committee also sought the support of student entrepreneurs who offered services or provided freebies to participants in an African style.

    This included DJs, photographers, MCs, and the types of foods to be served.

    “Events like this give people a sense of belonging and serve as an avenue to promote student entrepreneurs from Africa and allow them to thrive,” said Ojuade.

    “Before the world loves you, your community must also love,” she added.

    The committee has experienced a record number of ticket sales for the event. For the president, it is inspiring to see that they live in a country with a strong sense of community.

    “Just because we live here doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have fun moments; people should still pursue what they need to pursue outside the community,” said Ojuade.

    Although it is an African society gathering, the event is open to other nationalities. “The first person to get a ticket for the event is an Asian. He reached and said he wanted to be part of it.” said Ojuade.

    According to Divine Nebo, the social director of the society, “the event is not just about finding love, it is about finding people who are like you to bond with on a different level.”

    And by extension, the theme of the event, ‘A match made in TUD’, is to show that love can be found anywhere, not just in school, but in environments like this, outside of social media.

    With students outside the African community feeling the pull of the event, Divine said, “the event is not only about Africa, but expressing the depth of African culture to non-Africans to see what African culture is about, beyond what social media portrays.”

    John Ologunlola, the event manager, also collaborated and highlighted the potential of the event to serve as a platform for non-Africans to experience African culture.

    “Even though they might not fully understand the African culture in its entirety, it is a valuable learning process,” said Ologunlola.

     Ologunlola mentioned that, as a Nigerian, he is learning more about the African culture and finding expression in the community alongside other African nationals, including Ghanaians and Congolese.

    With students like River Rogers, who is half Irish and half Polish, the intentions of the TU African society executive came to light.

    “It is my first time being in an African event,” Rogers said. “I am not African, but I can still attend and make some new friends,” he added.

    Not only did Rivers find the Afrobeat songs being played amusing, but he also left with the intention of trying an African dish. “I definitely need to try the African jollof rice,” he said.

    Mark Ologunlola, a former executive of the society, commended the event as a brilliant way of promoting cultural pride.

     “Events like this help people develop real relationships, and give people a picture of what love is,” he said.

     Ologunlola expressed excitement at seeing other people at the event, “no matter what part of Africa or the world you come from, we are all one body.”

    While the event promotes communal love, in a friendly society that helps people socialise, Nicole Okerikre, an African national from Nigeria, who participated in the event as a contestant, said, “This is a period of love, but people should find love in themselves first.”

    Denoting that self-love is non-negotiable.

    For Jaeson Jang, an Asian, ‘A match made in TUD’ was not just a Valentine’s event, but an opportunity to find expression among people of other cultures.

    “The African culture is amazing, I feel like family, I feel welcome. Everyone is enjoying themselves; no one feels lonely,” Jang said.

    Jang’s experience underscored the aims of the TU African Society to promote an atmosphere where joy, laughter, and love are shared without identity being a barrier.

    “Everyone can integrate into every culture; you only have to do it respectfully,” said Jang.

    By the end of the night, a match was indeed made in TUD as the event ended with Jaeson Jang from Asia and Nicole Odunsin from Africa emerging as winners.

    It was a reminder that love in its most powerful form goes beyond just being African or giving flowers; it is in identifying with people from other nationalities and embracing a sense of community.

     

  • Peter Willis – a designer with flair

    Peter Willis – a designer with flair

    An independent designer with flair for colour and texture

    Peter Willis is a multi-disciplinary artist who graduated from Belfast Art College with an Honours degree in textile and fashion design, specialising in weaving.  After graduating he worked for the National Trust as a textile conservator for two years. He then received a scholarship to go to business college in Canada to learn how to run a business in textiles.    From there he went to Guatemala and worked with an artisan association in conjunction with Oxfam Trading. Guatemala inspired him to work with textiles and pottery.   When he returned to Ireland, he worked as an interior designer for twenty years and has always believed in connecting people with their places. He enjoys working with ceramics.  He also has a love of fabrics and colour and uses many different types of materials in his work. His masks are inspired from his time working with indigenous cultures. He says he has now come full circle and works as a muti disciplinary artist mainly in textiles and fashion.  Peter works from home when not at fashion shoots and exhibitions.

    For more information, contact Peter @peterw_illis

    Navaho Shawl

    This piece was inspired by the Navajo First Nations people – and the shawl was made in the shape of a dream catcher and made with alternative bands of textural yarn. One of them is a very soft chunky, fluffy yarn, and the other, a bright fluorescent pink, is more a flat yarn so each band when knitted up with different size knitting needles creates different textures.

    Alien Monkey Fantasy Head Mask

    A mask with a verdigris lustrous glaze which is quite a technical procedure. Layers of other glazes were applied, and a wax resist was finally applied. Patches of the eyes and cheeks are applied in several different layers. Then masked over which gives the textured effect. 

                                       

    Using the leftovers – Multi coloured hand knit scarves

    Give peas a chance

    A pun on “give peace a chance.”  This is a shoulder piece; part of a costume made for a green party event. There was also a bag made from a pack of frozen peas which completed the ensemble. The green balls were made from pom poms.

    The Head Piece

    Head piece modelled in a fahion shoot for Culture Night  in Gallery X, Hume Street

    Neck and shoulder piece together

    Moon in the Man

    The mask represents nature within us.  We are nature.  The moon is in us.

    Industrial Death Mask – Big mouth, no eyes

     Big mouth is a reference to big loud politicians.  An acknowledgement to indigenous cultures and how they lived a primitive life, but they were wiser in how they treated the planet. They lived in communities in relative peace without destroying the planet. Celebrating indigenous culture from all part of the world

    A hand knit gilet

    A colourful and practical garment worn over tunic with slightly heavier knit sleeves as worn by designer in first photo

  • The Picasso Exhibition Dublin 

    The Picasso Exhibition Dublin 

    By James Black

    A new exhibition celebrating the work of Picasso has opened at the National Gallery of Ireland. The exhibition spans several periods of Picasso ‘s   life, showcasing the evolution of his style and vision.

    The thoughtfully designed exhibition consists of four interconnected rooms arranged in an open plan that allows visitors to move freely between them.

    The first room shows Picasso’s early years and explores how he developed into the artist we know today.

    The remaining three rooms are arranged chronologically, tracing the evolution of his style across different periods of his life. Informative panels throughout the gallery explain how Picasso’s relationships and experiences influenced his art, making the exhibition engaging and accessible even for visitors unfamiliar with his work.

     

    Photo 1: This Picasso introduction is the first piece of information that visitors are greeted with as they enter the Picasso exhibition in the National Gallery. The piece provides background context to the artist and the works that are on display.

    Photo 2: One of the exhibitions most iconic works, this portrait of Marie-Therese Walter from 1937 was the chosen image for the exhibitions promotional run, given how symbolic it is; Picasso had been in a relationship with Marie-Therese Walter for a decade when he painted the picture.

    Photo 3: This standout piece displays Picasso’s change in style from portraits to scenes. Produced in January 1951, the image depicts a wintery view of Vallauris from Picasso’s studio. 

    Photo 4: This photo shows the layout of one of the rooms in which Picasso’s work is on display. The room is centered around a bronze statue of his, surrounded by other works of art from the same era with a video of Picasso discussing his works and creative process.

    Photo 5: This photo shows the range that Picasso had as an artist. The piece of art is positioned in the center of the room and is surrounded by different art works from the same period showing similarities and contrasts in his work.

    Photo 6: In this photograph we see the wide range of ceramics that Picasso produced during his lifetime. The image displays how his ceramics changed and developed over the late 1940s. He created over 1000 unique ceramic pieces between the years 1947 and 1948.

    Photo 7: In this photograph we can see people watching a projected recording of Picasso. In the video Picasso discussed both his art and what inspired him at various stages of his life. 

    Photo 8: This photograph displays another of Picasso’s paintings that he done during 1956 called Femmes E la toilette.

  • Hundreds line the streets of Nenagh to celebrate Shane MacGowan mural launch

    Hundreds line the streets of Nenagh to celebrate Shane MacGowan mural launch

    By Jason Quigley

    The wait is finally over for locals in the town of Nenagh, Co Tipperary, many of whom have watched and waited for the mural of the late Shane MacGowan to be completed. 

    The official launch ceremony took place at the gable end of a building at Emmet Place just off Mitchell Street. 

    Shane’s wife, Victoria Mary Clark and his sister, Siobhan arrived marking the launch with speeches about the famous song writer. The painting of the mural was proposed by members of Tipperary County Council and for artist, Neil O’Dwyer it was the opportunity of a lifetime. We spent the day at the mural event in the “Premier County” and spoke with some familiar faces. 

  • ‘We’re New Here’ art exhibition launches in aid of MASI

    ‘We’re New Here’ art exhibition launches in aid of MASI

    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.  

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    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 25th to Sunday the 27th of November, with complimentary wine and music offered on the launch night. 

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    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. 

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    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. 

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

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    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.

  • Vale Tudo exhibition by Nelson Jamal

    Vale Tudo exhibition by Nelson Jamal

    Abderrahmen Ben Chouchane presents the artist Nelson Jamal, an ex-MMA champion who decided to retire to pursue his artistic career. From a young age he was involved with art and sports. In his latest exhibition called “Vale Tudo”, which means everything counts, he demonstrates how sports and art work perfectly together to describe us.

  • Sorolla: Spanish Master of Light

    Sorolla: Spanish Master of Light

    By Ana Novais

    Doctor Aoife Brady is a curator of Italian and Spanish Art at the National Gallery in Dublin and holds a Ph.D in History of Art from Trinity College Dublin. Dr Brady is also the co-curator of Sorolla: Spanish Master of Light, an exhibition on Valencian painter Joaquín Sorolla.

    “This project came to me rather than me going to it,” said Dr Brady. “I have been working with Spanish art for a long time and Sorolla was on my radar for several years and his house was always on the list as a place to see. It is an incredible museum and Sorolla’s family home. I always knew about the artist and years later, I started to work for the National Gallery in London and that’s where I began this project.

    Dr Aoife Brady, Curator of Spanish and Italian Art, National Gallery of Ireland
    Photo: Jack Caffrey The Pimlico Project 2019

    “A year later and I got a job in Dublin and took the exhibition with me,” said Dr Brady. “The partnership between London and Dublin was already planned, so I ended up working for both institutions which made my work easier.”

    Since beginning her career, Dr Brady says that her passion for art has found her in some very surreal situations. None more surreal then when she met Prince Charles and the Queen of Spain went at the opening of the London leg of the exhibition. And now the exhibition has finally come to the National Gallery.

    So who exactly was Sorolla and what can art enthusiasts expect from the exhibition?

     “Sorolla was a Spanish painter during the late nineties. He was born in 1863 in Valencia,” said Dr Brady. “During his time, he was widely known in Spanish painting tradition, but he was unknown in Ireland and the U.K, which was an incentive to bring Sorolla’s work to Ireland in conjunction with the National Gallery in London and the Sorolla Museum in Madrid.

    Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida (1863-1923)

    “He was a member of the international movement of vanguard painters. They used oil to experiment with their painting. Their paintings were very free and very fluid and were usually painted outdoors.

    Dr Aoife Brady, Curator of Spanish and Italian Art, National Gallery of Ireland
    Photo: Jack Caffrey The Pimlico Project 2019

    “Sorolla often painted social things, things that he saw on the streets such as difficult subjects and I suppose that’s what made him so unique,” said Dr Brady.

    “During the exhibition, visitors can transport themselves to Spain, particularly with the range of works painted by the sea. He is out there in the elements painting from the light, painting from what he sees and the sea itself is often the subject. He eliminates the sky and land from certain compositions, and he focuses himself on the water.

    One artistic choice which distinguishes Sorolla’s work from many others is his striking use of colour and bright shades, which make his paintings appear illuminated.

    “Sorolla said that one of his lead scholars needed sunglasses to look at some of his paintings,” explained Dr Brady. “Most of the paintings are so bright that when we were installing the exhibition, we were putting the paintings on the wall and some of them needed minimal light, they all have their sort of luminosity.

    Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida (1863-1923)

    “His oldest work dates from the eighteen eighties when he was beginning his career, he moved from his house in Valencia to Madrid which had a better market for painters at the time.

    “When we look at the paintings first, we establish an easy-going and sunny scene,” said Dr Brady. “He made a painting of his eldest daughter Maria in El Pardo sitting down with a big bright umbrella over her. We look at it and we think that this was just a happy family snapshot but this was made during a period of convalescence of his daughter. She was very sick from tuberculosis and they brought her up to the mountains in the hope that the cool air would help her to recover.

    “Aside from this particular painting, there are other portraits of Maria looking very ill,” said Dr Brady. “In some paintings, she appears to have a very grey face, but this one is when her recovery hits a turning point and her cheeks get rosy again. Hence, he painted her with bright purple and yellow colours. We can see his happiness, but it is sort of a secret meaning in a way, because we can’t see immediately that this was a painting of a sick woman.

    Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida (1863-1923)

    “Sad inheritance is the most unique,” said Dr Brady. “It was a touchy piece, and Sorolla considers it a sacred image. He describes it as a portrait that awakens painful memories that he never wishes to go back to. The painting covers a sad scene of poor orphan boys. This painting was difficult to get because of its size and it took seven people to place the painting on the wall.

    “I think his work is incredibly important, when we consider that people have made art and looked at art for millenniums. It is not a modern concept idea of art being important, it’s a lot more than that.”