Ongoing cross-border relationship
Some stars from the Crawford Art Gallery are taking part in an exhibition called Constellation in Northern Ireland.
Artists Amanda Coogan, Micheal Hanna, Ronnie Hughes, Nick Miller and Jennifer Trouton attended the FE McWilliam Gallery & Studio in recently for the launch of the large group exhibition.
Constellation: Selected Works from Crawford Art Gallery, runs until 2 May, and includes work by 14 artists based on the island of Ireland. Linked by the artists’ use of bold colour and shared themes of nature, domestic life and identity, the artworks in this exhibition range from film and photography to drawing, painting, and sculpture.
Crawford Art Gallery Director Mary McCarthy said: “Crawford Art Gallery is delighted to strengthen this partnership with the FE McWilliam Gallery and to support strong touring and institutional exchange across the island of Ireland. Constellations as an exhibition provides a great opportunity for the exhibiting artists to reach new audiences and engage in dialogue within a new context.”
Dr Riann Coulter, Curator of the FE McWilliam Gallery said: “Constellations showcases some of the stars of the Irish art world and reflects the quality and diversity of Crawford’s Collection. We are grateful to Crawford Art Gallery for sharing these outstanding works from Ireland’s National Collection and look forward to welcoming visitors to this vibrant and engaging exhibition.”
Constellations is the latest instalment in an ongoing cross-border relationship between FE McWilliam Gallery and Crawford Art Gallery, which began in 2013. The exhibition features further work of the artists pictured and Aideen Barry, Declan Byrne, Tom Climent, Laura Fitzgerald, Katie Holten, Dragana Jurišic, Isabel Nolan, Niamh Swanton, and Corban Walker.
The Crawford Art Gallery is currently closed for redevelopment. The objective of the project is to deliver an expanded and revitalised Crawford Gallery that will be a significant artistic and cultural amenity for Ireland in Cork city and brings to conclusion a project that has been planned for many years.
The redevelopment will contribute to Cork’s city centre regeneration, strengthening and enhancing the city’s cultural reputation locally, nationally and internationally.
Beginning life as a Custom House in 1724, the Crawford has operated as a school of art, a municipal art gallery and a national cultural institution. It has always grown and adapted, and the redevelopment marks another important moment in the history of the building.