CANALETTO AND THE ART OF VENICE
National Gallery of Ireland, Merrion Sq West/Clare St, Dublin Until March 24th Entrance from €10, book at nationalgallery.ie
The National Gallery is closed from December 24th to the 26th, but otherwise open every day, and it is a brilliant seasonal resource. Apart from the permanent collection, which has never looked better than in the beautifully refurbished and enhanced galleries, there is the stunning Canaletto show, the perfect antidote to winter.
EARTH, WIND & FIRE: MADE IN CORK CONTEMPORARY
Crawford Art Gallery, Emmet Place, Cork Until February 17th crawfordartgallery.ie
As with the NGI, the Crawford is a model of accessibility – perhaps ever more so. It's closed on Christmas Day but generally open otherwise. Its main current temporary exhibition has been enthusiastically received. It focuses on six Cork-based artists (Nuala O'Donovan, Eoin Turner, Alex Pentek, Mary Palmer/Anne Kiely and Joseph Walsh) whose work combines aesthetic quality with technical and craft excellence.
MAUD COTTER/ANITA GROENER
Limerick City Gallery of Art, Carnegie Building, Pery Square, Limerick Until January 6th
Closed on public holidays, otherwise generous opening hours. Worth checking as it's almost the last chance to catch two major solo shows, Maud Cotter's a consequence of – without stilling and Anita Groener's The Past is a Foreign Country. Both artists inventively address the architectonic setting. The current selection of works from the permanent collection will also change after January 6th.
REBUILDING THE FUTURE/VOYAGES
Wolfgang Tillmans and Mary Swanzy respectively. Irish Museum of Modern Art, Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, Dublin. Until February 17th imma.ie
Closed from December 24th to the 26th, and on Mondays generally, but otherwise open. Imma's pick-and-mix programme usually means that if you don't like one particular show you might warm to its neighbour in the next wing. Hence German fashion and experimental photographer Wolfgang Tillmans rubs shoulders with pioneering Irish modernist Mary Swanzy. Plus the current instalment of The Freud Project – which includes Freud – and the current showing of works from the collection.
VARIOUS SHOWS
The Hunt Museum, The Custom House, Rutland St, Limerick huntmuseum.com
Closed on Christmas Day and St Stephen's Day, the Hunt Museum is a treasure trove. Its three current temporary shows are a documentary glimpse into the life of opera singer Catherine Hayes (until December 31st), Blurring the Edge, featuring work by five of Ireland's leading contemporary ceramicists (until January 20th) and Visible Reminders of Invisible Lights, featuring personal artistic responses to the theme of family through the prism of the Hunt's fine collection (Until January 1st).
