Art to inspire in April

The monumental Seated She Stag, by contemporary sculptor Orla de Brí, is a work of art to look out for at the Spring Group exhibition at Solomon Fine Art.

The acclaimed artist’s stylised figures, which are moulded in a variety of materials including stone, fibreglass, bronze and steel, are housed in many private collections worldwide, including that of American actress Hilary Swank, who won an Academy Award for her portrayal of a female boxer in Clint Eastwood’s 2004 film Million Dollar Baby.

The exhibition will close next Saturday, April 29th so there’s a week remaining to have a look at the vibrant mix of paintings and sculpture showcasing new work by gallery and invited artists.

Along with de Brí's sculpture are works by Margo Banks, Corban Walker, Bridget Flannery and Stephanie Hess – to name but a few as there are more than 24 artists represented.

Other sculptures of note are John Behan’s Oar Boat bronzes, and Ana Duncan’s Off Centre, which form a contrast to the bold and bright oil on plasterboard works by Tom Climent.

Spectrum, Tom Climent at the Spring Show at the Solomon Gallery

Over on Dublin’s Great Denmark Street, an exhibition of new work by Nickie Hayden in collaboration with Robert Russell opened last week, and runs until May 7th at the Olivier Cornet Gallery.

The culmination of four years of collaborative work on the theme of sanctuary, it focuses on guidance to a safe place, in the form of lighthouses and beacons.

Nickie Hayden, Blue Web Spreading at the Olivier Cornet Gallery

Robert Russell, Beacon, etched copper at the Olivier Cornet Gallery

Interestingly, Hayden, who was a director of the Black Church Print Studio and whose works are held by the OPW and the National Gallery of Ireland, asked her partner, sculptor Robert Russell to collaborate on this theme. He has created some lovely etched copper works of beacons to synergise with Hayden.

Running until May 27th at the Kerlin Gallery on Anne’s Lane in Dublin is Repeating Song, an exhibition of new work by Aleana Egan, where “the artist manipulates colour, surface, texture and density” in muted tones, while her sculptural work uses steel, wood, fabric, papier mache and even dust.

Themes around the desire to repair what has been destroyed are explored in The Disappointed Tourist, a series of over 260 works by the UK-born, New York City-based artist, Ellen Harvey. at the Butler Gallery in Kilkenny.

Running until May 28th, Harvey immortalises places that were supplied by members of the public in response to her question: “Is there a place that you would like to visit or revisit which no longer exists?”

The Disappointed Tourist; a series of over 260 works by Ellen Harvey at the Butler Gallery in Kilkenny © Ellen Harvey Courtesy Butler Gallery. Photography: Ros Kavanagh

In response to this, Harvey has created seven new works of sites that have disappeared including three Kilkenny-based locations – the Regent Cinema, The O.K. House and The Thosel Bar (the building of which has just gone sale agreed).

Widely exhibited, Harvey has won numerous awards including the Smithsonian Artists Research and John Simon Guggenheim fellowships and the Wivina Demeester Prize for Commissioned Public Art.

Diana Copperwhite’s touring exhibition, which has just finished at the Highlanes Gallery in Drogheda, will open at Limerick’s City Gallery of Art on April 27th, ahead of its appearance at the Galway Arts Festival in July.

Onomatopoeia, Diana Copperwhite at the Limerick City Gallery of Art

Entitled Onomatopoeia, it is Copperwhite’s first solo show in a public space in 15 years, and features her signature large-scale colourful installations, with her trademark spectral bands.

It is a homecoming for the Limerick-born artist, who studied at Limerick School of Art and Design, and who has said she draws inspiration from 1960s psychedelic album covers. A member of Aosdána, her work is on permanent exhibition at IMMA and Aras an Uachtaráin.

Unseeing Traces at IMMA is a community project developed by the gallery in collaboration with New Communities Partnership

Unseeing Traces, now open until June at IMMA at the Royal Hospital in Kilmainham, is a community project developed by the gallery in collaboration with NCP (New Communities Partnership), Ireland’s largest independent migrant-led national network of more than 150 immigrant led-groups, comprising 65 nationalities.

The exhibition is inspired by a unique collection of hundreds of traditional artefacts, inherited from the Kingdom of Kongo (1300-1900s), the large dominion covering present day Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola and the Congo Republic, by Nasser Aidara, community development co-ordinator for NCP. Themes such as displacement, colonialism, race and representation are discussed through an active programme of tours, workshops and talks.

Running in the Long Room at the Crawford Gallery in Cork until November, is Site of Change: Evolution of a Building, which explores the four centuries of development of the gallery building since its foundation in 1724.

Drawing from images and objects across the centuries – along with its role in the city’s cultural life – the exhibition includes artworks such as the fine topographical view of the old Custom House (now the Crawford Art Gallery) in John Butts View of Cork from Audley Place (1750).

Also featured is A Keeper of the Dust (for Joseph Beuys) by Danny McCarthy, which the Crawford itself commissioned for the Sean Lynch curated Rocky Road exhibition in 2011.

solomonfineart.ie

oliviercornetgallery.com