Interpreting the word ‘invisible’, a word commonly used by older people about their place in society, is the basis of this body of work, which was carried out during Garvan’s 15-month residency at Draíocht. Evolving from a participative approach, the work will include both personal and fictional representations on growing old. In one series, the younger body is replaced with the older body in recreated fashion shoots. Another series deals with the idea of self-image, something that was raised by the participants, as they discuss coming to terms with aging through the mirror. A short film, photographic portraits and personal texts from the participants themselves will also be exhibited, documenting the participant’s involvement and thoughts on aging and fashion. The exhibition is the result of many conversations around growing older, and in particular, growing older with fashion. You are asked to consider whether older people abandon fashion, or does the fashion industry simply abandon older people.

Garvan has most recently completed a feature length documentary titled ‘The Hidden Garden’ premiered at the Fringe festival, Dublin (2010), has exhibited his photographic work ‘Wearing Purple’ at The Clyne Gallery (2011), video work ‘Gubu’ at The Exchange Gallery, Dublin (2010), at ev+a / Reading the City, Limerick (2009), at Recontres D’Arles, France (2009) and at Newspace Centre for Photography in Portland Oregon (2008).

Visit Garvan's Blog for more ... 

Download the Exhibition Catalogue here ...

Daily Film Screenings - Mon 09, Tues 10, Wed 11, Fri 13 10.30am – 5.30pm / Thurs 12 10.30pm – 4pm

In 2008 Fingal County Council commissioned Brian Duggan as part of their ongoing public art programme. Brian explored several aspects of Fingal with this film 'The Measure' and accompanying book. The film is inspired by the 1909 text by "The Machine Stops" by E. M Forster which depicts a world in the future seen in 1909 and a story of relationships between people during a time when society begins to change and break down. The film traces a non linear journey, on foot, over the surface landscape of Fingal's public and non public spaces by two protagonists who are trying to meet - starting at one end on Colt Island, Skerries and the other at the Huntstown Quarry. The book features a selection of writing by Fingal writers who were asked to respond to the theme 3009, the selected writers were Niamh Mac Alister, Pauline O'Hare and Daniel Boland.
The book will be available over the course of the screenings.

To celebrate the screening of Brian Duggan's 'the Measure' in Draíocht this week we are pleased to announce a Special Screening Evening Event, on Wednesday 11th May, 7pm, Draíocht Studio, with artist Brian Duggan & Francis McKee in conversation ... more ... 

For further information please contact, Caroline Cowley,Public Art Co-ordinator, Fingal Arts Office, Ph: 01 870 8449, E:caroline.cowley@fingalcoco.ie, www.fingalarts.ie

Wann’s work is specifically drawing-based and juxtaposes arbitrary or transient images of cleared landscape, with more thought provoking depictions of the dereliction of habitation. The work is as much about a process of mark-making as it is about representing a seemingly neglected landscape.

Born in Dublin in 1969, Wann lives and works in Co. Sligo. He has held solo exhibitions at the Linenhall Arts Centre, Castlebar (2005), the Ashford Gallery at the RHA (2009), and Sligo Art Gallery (1999, 2002, 2005, 2009), where he won an Iontas Drawing Award in 2000. He has been awarded residencies at the Cill Riallaig Project, Co. Kerry (2001, 2004, 2008, 2010), and fellowships at the Ballinglen Arts Foundation in north Mayo (2007, 2008). He has been selected for the RHA’s Annual Exhibition since 2004, where in 2006 he was awarded the AXA Insurance Drawing Prize. In 2010 Hughie O’Donoghue selected Michael’s work for both the Tom Caldwell Drawing Prize and the Rowel Friers Perpetual Trophy at the Royal Ulster Academy’s 129th Annual show.

Artist Interview ... here ...

Meet the Artist Michael Wann
Join us in Draiocht to Meet the Artist Michael Wann at 3pm, Saturday 14 May, Draiocht's Ground Floor Gallery. Please phone Box Office on 8852622 to book your free place now.

Draíocht is delighted to host this exhibition of photography created by the participants of Draíocht’s Intergenerational Project, who have been working steadily since November 2010 with Draíocht’s artist in residence Garvan Gallagher.

This photography-based project involves both transition year students from a number of second level schools and older residents (retired or 65yrs+) of the Dublin 15 area. It aims to provide interested students and older members of the community with an opportunity to learn about photography in a hands-on way in a creative environment.

Since mid November 2010, the participants, under the guidance of Garvan Gallagher are working towards the creation of an exhibition of work in Draíocht’s First Floor Gallery Space in April 2011. The group visit Draíocht once a week to participate in specifically designed workshops to introduce them to the basic conventions of photography and the discipline of photo taking and development. During the workshops the group discusses themes for the exhibition; they have made their own pinhole camera, learned about shape, form, contrast and colour, and have begun to produce photographs in our purpose build Dark Room in Draíocht’s artist’s studio. The ultimate aim of this project is for each participant to produce photographs of his or her own, to experience a high quality arts project and to investigate the pre-conceived perceptions and stereotypes that these two groups may hold about each other. The project will culminate in an exhibition of participants work in Draíocht’s Gallery Space during Fingal’s Annual Spréacha Children’s Festival in April 2011.  This will give an artistic voice to those members of our community that are often least heard - the youngest and the oldest.

EXPLORING THE EXHIBITION
Join Artist in Residence Garvan Gallagher and participants from this project on 5 May 2011 from 7.30pm to discuss the creative process behind their work and gain an insight into their experience of working on this project. This is a free event but booking is advisable through Draíocht’s Box Office, tel: 01-885 2622.
For further information about Draíocht’s Intergenerational Project, please call Sarah Beirne on 01-809 8029 or Niamh Ryan on 01-809 8026.

Download the Exhibition Catalogue here ...

Sarah O’Brien’s practice is a process based one, focusing on drawing and installation. O’Brien is currently developing a more diverse interaction with specific spaces expanding into a more sculptural language. The work is intended as a series of spatial and tactile suggestions.

Using lo fi materials and working with specific spaces and architecture she hopes to achieve theatrical drawing/sculptural installations. The simultaneous independence and co dependence of the work within its surrounding environment raises questions of homage and equally of futility. The materiality strives to imbue the viewer with a sense of the tension between light and weight, coloured and black.

Since completing her Masters in Fine Art (NCAD 2007), O’Brien’s practice has focused on drawing based installation. She has taken part in a number of group exhibitions around the country which has seen some of these site specific works take place (Tulca ’07, Galway, Backwater Artists Group Site Specific Award Cork, BroadcastHere, Dublin). Sarah had her first solo show at Pallas Contemporary Projects (PCP) in May 2008, Very Common Glory, and recently exhibited in the Douglas Hyde Gallery group show, Holding Together. She is currently based in West Cork. 

Image Detail: Sarah O'Brien, Studio Work, Courtesy of the artist 

Nuala O’Sullivan’s interest in the aesthetic and culture of the 1950’s period and the friction between outward appearance and hidden restriction, come together in this current series of paintings. These works take inspiration from Super 8 movies and photographs from the period. Many thin layers of paint are used in the work to allow some of the light from the canvas to remain, reminiscent of movie images and old celluloid film. Found black and white photographs are recreated in colours associated with the 1950’s. The unknown people in these photographs allow for the imagining of their lives and the possibility for the artist and viewer to create their own back story for them.

Living and working in Limerick, Nuala O’Sullivan graduated from LSAD in 2006 with a BA (Hons.) Fine Art (Painting) and is currently researching her MA. She has exhibited extensively, with 2010 exhibitions at Enniskillen Arts Festival, Signal Art Centre, Bray, and Watergate Theatre, Kilkenny. Her work has also been shown at Limerick Printmakers, Dunamaise Open, and Eigse Carlow in 2009; and at the Royal Ulster Academy Show 2008, and Iontas 2007. Her work has been purchased by the University of Limerick and Limerick County Council. 

Image Detail: Nuala O'Sullivan, Watching Girls go By, Oil on Canvas, 30X40

Graphic Studio Dublin rounds off its 50^th Anniversary with a Members’ Exhibition on the theme of ‘Home’. The title refers to our notions of belonging and family and is particularly relevant at this time of year, a time when we return to the places and people that create our own sense of home. All the feature prints showcase the finest skills in fine art printmaking techniques, including etching, lithography, woodblock print, linocut and a variety of mixed media techniques. All works are priced under €250.

35 Participating Artists:
Ms. Yoko Akino  /  Ms. Maureen Buckley  /  Mr. Gerard Cox  /  Ms. Gráinne Cuffe  /  Louise Farrelly  /  Dr. Paul Fitters  /  Ms. Niamh Flanagan  /  Ms. Mary Grey  /  Ms. Nickie Hayden  /  Ms. Clare Henderson  /  Ms. Siobhan Hyde  /  Ms. Lilian Ingram  /  Mr. Desmond Kenny  /  Mr. Stephen Lawlor  /  Ms. Maev Lenaghan  /  Ms. Louise Leonard  /  Ms. Pamela Leonard  /  Daniel Lipstein  /  Ms. Niamh McGuinne  /  Ms. Margo McNulty  /  Ms. Susan Morley  /  Merijean Morrissey  /  Ms. Eilis Murphy  /  Ms. Deirdre Nolan  /  Ciara O'Hara  /  Ms. Geraldine O'Reilly  /  Ms. Caroline Patten  /  Ms. Sarah Rogers  /  Mr. Robert Russell  /  Mr. Joe Ryan  /  Ms. Adrienne Symes  /  Ms. Elke Thönnes  /  Mr. Michael Timmins  /  Ms. Margaret Tuffy  /  Ms. Marta Wakula-Mac  / 

Founded in 1960, Graphic Studio Dublin is one of the leading fine art print studios in Ireland. The studio was established to teach traditional printmaking skills (then unavailable in Irish art colleges), and to provide studios and technical assistance to artists to make fine art prints. Since 2007 the studios are housed in a stunning converted granary building in central Dublin.Image detail: Niamh Flanagan, The past seeps up from beneath us, Etching with aquatint and spitbite, 2010

EXPLORING THE EXHIBITION
Sun 21 Nov, Draíocht Workshop Room, 12-4pm, €30
Join us for this one day printing workshop for adults. Participants can explore the printing process and learn how to create prints of their own.
Now Booking through Draíocht’s Box Office tel: 01-885 2622.

Draíocht's Artist in Residence Garvan Gallagher is looking for retired members of the Fingal community to participate in an intergenerational photography project with local transition year students. The project's aim is to give participants the experience and opportunity to learn about photography and about being part of creating a piece of art in the community, as well as learning about each other. The project will run from October 2010 to March 2011. Please contact info@garvangallagher.com or call Niamh on 01-809 8026 for further information.

Image detail: Garvan Gallagher, James Patrick Doyle 1941, 2008. Image courtesy of the artist.

Fingal County Council’s Arts Office in partnership with Draíocht are delighted to present a unique exhibition themed for Leaving Certificate art students and teachers. For this exhibition a selection of 20th Century works by Irish artists have been acquired from The Arts Council and AIB collections. This show will be accompanied by an extensive education programme which will include The National Gallery’s Leaving Certificate Revision Day, mediated tours, resource packs and talks by featured artists Martin Gale, Robert Ballagh and Alice Maher. The exhibition will also feature work by Mainie Jellet, Mary Swanzy, Patrick Collins, Tony O'Malley, Charles Brady, Barrie Cooke and more.

Exploring the Exhibition Events:
- Mediated Tours of the Exhibition: Thurs 16, 23 & 30 September / 10–11AM & 12-1PM / Free
- Culture Night Mediated Tour / Friday 24 Sept, 7PM / Free
- National Gallery Revision Day @ Draíocht, Thurs 7 Oct, 10AM–3.30PM / Free
- Artist Talk Day, Alice Maher, Robert Ballagh and Martin Gale, discuss their practice, Thurs 21 Oct, From 10am / Free

All events are free and open to the public but must be booked through Draíocht’s Box Office in advance, tel: 01-885 2622

For Further Information on the Programme contact Fingal’s Arts Office:
Julie Clarke, Youth & Education Officer, T: 01-8905960, E: julie.clarke@fingalcoco.ie
Caroline Cowley, Public Art Co-ordinator, T: 01-870 8449, E: caroline.cowley@fingalcoco.ie
www.fingalarts.ie


Image: Martin Gale, Glasshouse,1984, Oil on Canvas 92x95cm. AIB Group Art Collection, Image Courtesy of the Artist

This new series of work is an investigation into the nature of death and the emotions that it reveals. Everything has its’ time, after death all that remains is documentation or the memory of the person, the place or object. But even if the imagery has dark elements, the beauty of them becomes more evident. Pencil and paper is for Magnhild Opdøl a pure and poetic way to approach new matters, allowing her to get close to the subjects that she works with. Each drawing is a finished piece, some of which get developed into objects.

Magnhild Opdøl (1980) was born in Norway, and is now living and working in Dublin. Since graduating from the National College of Art and Design, with an MFA in 2007 she has been widely exhibited both in Ireland and internationally. Recent exhibitions in 2008/2009 include: Forty Years of Norwegian Painting 40/40 at Stenersenmueet Oslo; solo exhibitions in Gallery LNM, Oslo and Beginning With the End of the Tale, the Lab, Dublin. She has been awarded residencies at both The Red Stables, DCC and Temple Bar Gallery & Studios.

Michael McSwiney portrays a world of abandoned, often threatening panoramas of land and sea. A sense of elusiveness is central to these mood-orientated images, where through alienating colours and strong atmospheric effects, these paintings portray an unnerving picture of nature. McSwiney (b. Cork 1969) began his studies at CCAD. He graduated with an Honours Degree in Fine Art from NCAD in 1991. For several years Michael traveled and worked in many countries such as Denmark, India and Egypt and from 2000-2008 was based in Oslo, Norway, where he was awarded grants from the Arts Council of Norway and the Norwegian Culture Department. His paintings are represented in both public and private collections in Denmark, Norway and Ireland. Michael and his family returned to live in Ireland in 2008.

Read more in our Blog ...

Exploring the Exhibition
This exhibition was accompanied by an artist talk in the First Floor Gallery on Saturday 17 April 2.30pm ... enjoy a snippet of Holly's talk recorded on the day ...

Featured work by almost 80 of Europe’s leading basket-makers in materials ranging from wire to willow and included both contemporary, sculptural work and traditional techniques. Curators Joe Hogan (Ire) and Mary Butcher (UK) are passionate about exposing people to these wonderful, age-old techniques. “Sadly, when the old basket makers die, so too will their traditional baskets,” says Hogan. “But as well as looking back, we are focusing on cutting edge contemporary work and that space in between, which most basket makers inhabit, creating professional, functional baskets.”
See More pics here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/draiochtblanchardstown/
See a short video here ...

From January to March 2010 well known artist and sculptor Cris Neumann facilitated the creation of 3D works with three classes of first and second year students from Coolmine and Hartstown Community Schools. This project explored the concepts of communication, mobility and technology, and how these concepts can work in the reduction and recycling of waste. On display will be three large sculptural pieces built by each class group, and smaller scale sculptures made by each student. This project was a fun reflection of Vodafone Ireland’s Green Agenda Policy and generated zero waste, as all materials were recycled from Vodafone. www.makeartnotrubbish.com

An exhibition by 24 Irish and international fine art printmaking artists: Norman Ackroyd RA (UK), Arno Kramer ( Netherlands), Elaine Leader ( Ireland), Mary Modeen (USA), Lars Nyberg ( Sweden), Takahiko Hayashi ( Japan), and Graphic Studio Dublin Members Grainne Cuffe, Cliona Doyle, Desmond Kenny, Brian Lalor, Stephen Lawlor, Sharon Lee, James McCreary, Niall Naessens, Ruth O'Donnell, Tom Phelan and Katherine Van Uytrecht. An artist talk and print demonstration with exhibiting artist Niamh Flanagan took place as part of 'Artist's Proof' on Saturday March 6 2010 @ 1pm in the Ground Floor Gallery.

http://www.colinmartinartist.com

“Irvine’s art has to do with the acknowledgment of strangeness. How odd other people are … How everything seems coherent, and then suddenly falls apart. Irvine … explores not only the extremes of passion … but also the mundane and the everyday… where people’s paths cross, and encounters are missed”. (Michael Newman, 2008).

Joshua Sex and Sanja Todorović
With special guest Michelle Hall
And announcing emerging critic Edel Horan

Over the last two years the artists Brian Maguire and Michael McLoughlin have facilitated weekly workshops with a core group of 30 residents of Ashleigh House, a residential centre for women in recovery from drugs and alcohol, operated by Coolmine Therapeutic Community, Dublin 15.

http://www.marynoonan.com


http://www.marieconnole.com/ 

http://www.ronanmccrea.com/

http://www.rossmcdonnell.ie/

At the Heart of Chance
Orla Whelan
28 November 2008 - 17 January 2009
Ground Floor Gallery

Caroline Byrne, Janine Davidson, Aoife Dwyer, Mary A. Fitzgerald, Mary Frazer, Jane Garland, Catriona Leahy, Colin Martin, David McGinn, Piia Rossi, Daryl Slein

Curated by Mark Garry

Amharc Fhine Gall V
Curated by Caroline Cowley

Ground & First Floor Galleries

See full interview with David in our Blog section.

Invited Artists: Anna Barham, Robert Armstrong, Bandit Style Booshaka, Ann Maree Barry, Art not Art, Terry Blake, Cyril Briscoe, Alan Butler, Ronnie Close, Alex Conway, Pat Corcoran, Anne-Marie Creame, Jim Flynn, Maurice Capalice, Edward Cunniffe, Mona Casey, Tim Elford, Niall Flatherty, Stephen Gaughan, Ben Geoghan, Vivienne Griffin, Stephen Gunning, Sticky Hough, Huexl, Austin Ivers, Lisa-Maire Johnson, Nevan Lahart, Brian Loughran, Chris Maguire, Ian Mannion, Paul McAree, Cian McConn, Mark McGreevy, Eoin McHugh, Mick McLoughlan, Seamus Nolan, Mathew Northridge, Liam O’Callaghan, Augustine O’Donoghue, Caroline Patten, Alan Phelan, Tessa Power, Francis Quinn, Thomas Markus Schumann, Sonia Shiel, Alison Tobin, Kevin Touhy, Mick Wilson

Winner: Magdalena Jelonkiewicz (Ireland) / Charlie McCartney (Scotland), Plájas Istva'n (Romania), Kerekes Istva'n (Romania), Miroslav Vajdle (Serbia), Andrea Schmidt (Hungary), Stanko Abadzic (Croatia), Goran Heckler (Sweden), Leif Rosén (Sweden), Michael Feeney (Ireland), Gábor Takács (Hungary), Anthony Scullion (Ireland), Wolfgang Ballof (Germany), Gunter Muller (Germany), Gerry Doyle (Ireland), Derek Slater (Ireland), Peter Barriscale (Ireland), Liam Haines (Ireland), Einar Tiits (Estonia), Boris Nikitin (Russia).

Curated by Eimear Martin, Outsider Fellow, Irish Museum of Modern Art.
Artists: Serge Delaunay, Alois Fischbach, Johann Garber, Madge Gill, Johann Hauser, Anthony Jadunauth, Dusan Kusmic, Albert Louden, Dwight Mackintosh, Richard Nie, Perifimou,  Oswald Tschirtner.

List of Artists selected by 5^th year students from Hartstown Community School, Hartstown, Dublin 15 ... Eddie Cahill, Elizabeth Comerford, Tony Crosbie, Mick Cullen, Des Kenny, John Kindness, Alice Maher, Bernie Masterson, Paraic McQuaid, Mary Rose O’Neill and Una Sealy.