A very special exhibition which celebrates 40 years of support for visual arts in the Gaeltacht opens in the gallery at Áras Éanna Ionad Ealaíne, Inis Oirr, tomorrow (Friday, August 5, 8.30pm).
Údaras na Gaeltachta, in partnership with Ealaín na Gaeltachta, is delighted to celebrate Gaeltacht visual artists by bringing ‘Dath an Dóchais’ to the smallest of the Aran Islands.
The exhibition curated by Úna Campbell and the team at An Gailearaí, will be launched in Áras Éanna , Inis Oírr tomorrow (Friday) and will be exhibited here until September 13. Open Tuesday to Sunday (11am to 4pm). Closed Mondays.
This exhibition was launched digitally last year at www.DathanDochais.com as Údarás na Gaeltachta, marked 40 years of supporting a vibrant Gaeltacht culture.
The renowned art historian, curator and critical writer Catherine Marshall worked closely with an Gailearaí as a selector on the challenging task of sifting through the rich well of Gaeltacht visual arts to select 40 artists who come from or have worked in An Ghaeltacht during the past 40 years.
“What is refreshing about Dath an Dóchais is the degree to which contemporary artists, native to, or migrants to the west of Ireland from all over the world, see it as their base but are neither confined by it or defined by the tradition that had so depended upon it,” says Catherine.
Úna Campbell, Director of An Gailearaí added that “the breadth of disciplines and the quality and expertise of execution are extraordinary. This exhibition clearly demonstrates the strength of vision and eloquence of each of the artist’s own visual language assembled here within the prism of the geography and spirit of the Gaeltacht.”
Many of the featured artists here at Áras Éanna are from the Connemara Gaeltacht, including Clare Cashman, Donnacha Quilty, Nuala Ni Flathúin, Padraig Reaney, Una Quigley, Aoife Casby, Dan Choil O Flatharta, Sean O Flaithearta, Lelia Ni Chathmhaoil, Sean Cathal O Coileáin, Bob Quinn, Alannah Robbins, Ceara Conway, Brian Bourke, and Brendan O’Sullivan.
This exhibition which runs at Áras Éanna until 13th September and can also be viewed online at www.DathanDochais.com, provides, not only an insight into forty years of Gaeltacht art, but also an insight into forty years of Údarás na Gaeltachta and forty years of the community spirit which demanded the establishment of Údarás na Gaeltachta.
Rónán Mac Con Iomaire of Údarás na Gaeltachta welcomed the continued support and partnership between Údarás na Gaeltachta and the Arts Council in supporting the arts in the Gaeltacht.
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Donegal artist Cathal McGinley at the exhibition.
