From photography to portraiture, landscapes to miniature marvels, this month serves up a visual feast of acclaimed artists and their works …
Like the light at the beginning of the world: Kerlin Gallery
This exhibition brings together artworks by twelve extraordinary artists. Sean Scully’s “Landline Green Yellow” (above) represents the meeting of land, sky and sea. Zhou Li’s painting “Landscape of nowhere: Water and dreams No. 11” is a study of light reflected on water. Merlin James’s seascape casts a glow onto desolate sands while Elizabeth Magill’s painting, “I searched for form and land,” takes its title from David Bowie’s ballad, “The Man Who Sold The World”. Other participating artists include Natalie Du Pasquier, Brian Maguire, William McKeown, Isabel Nolan and Paul Winstanley. On until May 18, this is a rare opportunity to see so many acclaimed contemporary artists in one setting. www.kerlingallery.com
The Memories of Others, Akihiko Okamura: Photo Museum Ireland, Dublin 1
From the late 1960s to the mid-1980s, renowned Japanese photographer Akihiko Okamura (1929-1985) lived in Ireland. This exhibition, photobook and documentary film work, showcases that work, and his position as both an outsider and insider. He continually photographed the Troubles in the North and his life with his family in the South. Okamura’s profound, personal connection with Ireland allowed him to develop a method of documenting conflict, in which he searched for poetic, peaceful and ethereal moments of everyday life in a time of war. www.photomuseumireland.ie
Remnant, Willie Doherty: Solstice Arts Centre, Navan, Co Meath
In this new exhibition and film work commissioned by Solstice Arts Centre, Willie Doherty’s atmospheric images of elemental landscapes are juxtaposed with forgotten urban spaces shaped by the consequences of human intervention, conflict, and neglect. “Remnant” explores how landscape acts as a repository of memory, as a site to construct and sustain images and myths of national identity, of self and of others. Endless, a film produced in 2020 by Willie Doherty, makes its premiere cinematic screening at Solstice too. It features a performance by Christopher Eccleston as a man alone, someone and no-one, disappearing into shadows of black and white. www.solsticeartscentre.ie
What Is The Stars?, Mick O’Dea: Molesworth Gallery, Dublin 1
This new exhibition of 24 paintings by Mick O’Dea opens on April 19 and celebrates Druid O’Casey, Druid Theatre’s production of Sean O’Casey’s Dublin Trilogy (The Plough and the Stars, The Shadow of a Gunman and Juno and the Paycock). O’Dea was artist-in-residence for Druid O’Casey, attending rehearsals and performances throughout 2023 in Galway and Dublin. O’Dea explains: “The setting and costumes of the plays were familiar to me as it’s a period of Irish history which I’ve already explored in great depth in my work, having completed a trilogy of exhibitions on the Rising, War of Independence and Civil War. In these paintings, I have captured an often unseen world – the backstage and behind-the-scenes world of theatre. There’s a sense of anticipation in the paintings of dramas yet to unfold.” The exhibition runs from April 19 until May 15. www.molesworthgallery.com
Spirit of Place, Gerard Byrne: Gerard Byrne Studio, Dublin 6
“Spirit of Place, From Paris April 1874 to Dublin” celebrates the 150th anniversary of the first exhibition of Impressionism. The ideals and principles by which Impressionists such as Claude Monet or Pierre-Auguste Renoir worked are identical to those Gerard has been using throughout his career. They advocated painting outdoors – ‘en plein air’ – exposed to natural light and surrounded by the sights and sounds of the real world, as opposed to the restrictive conditions of the studio. The 50 paintings offered in “Spirit of Place” were produced by Byrne en plein air in Dalkey, Brighton, Dublin, London and Paris. He has painted light-filled street scenes and cityscapes; reflections on the waters of the Grand Canal, the Thames and the Seine; pink cherry blossoms caught at their peak and busy cafes on a warm afternoon. To accompany the exhibition, there is a 150-page, illustrated catalogue presenting the works in selective groups with complementary texts by Susan Stairs. Catch it all from April 19 until May 25. www.gerardbyrneartist.com
Prism Inside,TØN Gallery, Temple Bar, Dublin 2
Prism Inside features the work of over 50 photographers including Ishmael Claxton, Harry Phipps, Niamh Swanton, Enda Burke (above), Paula Barrett, and many more. They capture gritty street scenes, serene landscapes, captivating portraits and abstract compositions, providing a unique perspective on the chaotic world we inhabit. Whether you’re a seasoned art enthusiast or someone with a budding interest in visual expression, Prism Inside offers an opportunity to immerse yourself in the power of photography. www.tondublin.com
What do we want?, Group Show, Olivier Cornet Gallery
This group exhibition is a response to the increasingly dangerous geo-political situation in the world today. It features the work of four artists: Jill Gibbon, Eoin Mac Lochlainn, Tom Molloy and Gail Ritchie. Jill Gibbon, a UK-based artist, makes the point that to stop wars, we have to address the arms trade and she shows a selection of work she made in-situ at international arms fairs in Paris and London. Dublin-based Eoin Mac Lochlainn’s charcoal and wash drawings explore the trauma of the Irish Civil War. Tom Molloy, an Irish artist based in France, has been concerned with the examination of power, in a political and historical context, and how it can, and has been perverted, which raises global questions about morality. One of the works by the Belfast-based Gail Ritchie is a response to the most recent prediction by the Doomsday Clock that humanity is now 90 seconds from midnight, where midnight is the nuclear apocalypse. This work, above, together with the other pieces addresses the impact of conflict through a personal and political lens. The exhibition runs until May 5. www.oliviercornetgallery.com
Incognito 2024, RHA Gallery, Dublin
Now in its eighth year, Ireland’s biggest online art sale in aid of the Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation, is one of the highlights of the year. What makes Incognito so special is that buyers have absolutely no idea of the artist behind their chosen artwork, until after the sale has closed. Among the stars taking part in 2024 are model Jerry Hall, comedian Colin Murphy, fashion designers Helen Steele, Heidi Higgins and Simone Rocha, milliner Philip Treacy, jewellery designer Chupi Sweetman and singer Brian Kennedy. In addition, there are more than 1,200 artists lending their support to Incognito including Martin Mooney, Bridget Flinn, Martin Gale, Fergus Martin and Ruthie Ashenhurst. These original postcard-size artworks are priced at €65, and can be viewed at www.incognito.ie. The sale goes live on Wednesday April 24. Read more about the Incognito exhibition here.
Orla Walsh: Powerscourt Townhouse Centre, Dublin 2
Dublin-based pop artist Orla Walsh is launching a colourful pop-up in Powerscourt Townhouse Centre from April 25 until May 25. Since her chance encounter with a Heinz lawyer (which catapulted her career and where her originals are still displayed in the Heinz HQ in Pittsburgh), her work has depicted brands such as Guinness, Jacobs, Tayto and Converse. This pop-up will showcase some new originals along with her most popular limited edition prints including the Brown Thomas Bag, Beanz on Toast, Electric Dreams, Hole in One and Love Hearts. The pop-up is beside the entrance/exit to the carpark and the Pepper Pot Café. @orlawalshartist
