Myth, utopia and beauty. But also commitment and an acute exploration of reality. A collection that is, above all, a broad, composite mosaic that reflects the similarities and contradictions of our times. 140 canvasses that illustrate Ireland today through the work of its visual artists – both established artists, present in the most prestigious international exhibition spaces, and young, emerging talents. Artistic impulse flows deep in Irish society, fuelled by a proud identity and the memory of an ancient and flourishing tradition, but also finding inspiration in a sincere, creative openness and a new, exciting dynamism.
Patrick Cashin - To the Lighthouse (2016)
«Simultaneously rich and poor, Catholic and secular, open to the web revolution but still tied to its past, old and young (about 70% of the nearly five million inhabitants are under 35 years old), Ireland remains a place of contrasts and harmonies», notes Luciano Benetton in his introduction that opens the Imago Mundi catalogue dedicated to Ireland. «For the dominant colour of the landscape, for the shamrock emblem of the nationalists And because this island at the western edge of Europe – amid crisis and rebirth, falls and ascents – continues, despite everything, to renew its sense of hope».
Seán Hillen - No Evidence (of a 757) near The Ha'penny Bridge Dublin (2016)
The curator of the collection, art expert Ciara Gibbons, recalls the beginning of her collaboration on the project: «When I undertook to curate the Irish section of the Imago Mundi project, many considerations came to mind. One of my primary objectives was to highlight the wealth of diversity in contemporary Irish practice both from the Republic and also from Northern Ireland, during a time in which Ireland is immersed in a period of contemplative reflection».
Éilis Ní Fhaoláin - Chance Encounter (2016)
«The Irish tradition of landscape painting remains a strong draw for many artists: memory and a sense of home, the drama of the Irish landscape, the personal connection to the land».
Daniel Lipstein - Lovers over their house (2016)
Emma Stroude - Continental Drift (2016)
«The work of the artists included in Imago Mundi (…) reflects the many paradoxes inherent in the Irish condition», writes Seán Kissane, curator at the Irish Museum of Modern Art in his introduction. «Although the recollection of our colonial past is currently very much on the collective mind, it is clear that national stereotypes are being deconstructed and represented by our cultural practitioners. Our artists are constantly leading the way in reframing what it means to be Irish in the twenty-first century».
Deirdre Robb - Pausal (2016)
Heather Dornan Wilson - An Honest Hesitation (2016)
Maud Cotter - Thirst (2016)
Mark Cullen creates installations and artworks that stem from his interest in science, space, technology, futurology, music and art and how these ideas work with the imagination. He explores ideas of place, or site or space, by “immersing” the viewer in the artwork – he wants the viewer to become a participant in the work, not just an observer of it.
Mark Cullen - A view through Neptune (2016)
All Denaro’s small studies are painted on location on the Isle of Doagh on the Atlantic coast of Ireland. She works at one with the fabulously changing light and fleeting glimpses of landscape to produce her very recognisable ethereal landscapes.
Melita Denaro - Missing home like fury (2016)
Fulcher is a visual artist working in sculpture, installation and photographic collage. She uses techniques of collage and assemblage to reconfigure objects so that new aspects of their material nature may be revealed. Through this process she explores the contexts and philosophies associated with the production and use of found materials. Her intelligent and subtle subversions touch on the histories and politics of manufacturing, fashion and obsolescence, the vagaries of taste and the realm of traditional feminine making.
Angela Fulcher - Untitled (Curtain/Belt) (2016)
Deirdre McKenna lives and works in Co. Kerry, Ireland. «Living in a maritime community has had a profound influence on me», she explains. «Much of my art practice deals with the culture and traditions I have grown up with. Many of these traditions and practices stretch back generations and I am interested in their place in a contemporary sense. Some of my work deals with maritime traditions, for example: the caulking of a wooden boat by a skilled craftsman».
Deirdre McKenna - Caulking (2016)
Patrick Redmond’s work examines how we relate to images and how meaning is associated with an image. Recently, his work has used photographic sources both generated from life and from multifarious sources including the internet. He uses traditional modes of representation to create figurative paintings that have the potential to embody a multiplicity of interpretations.
Patrick Redmond - Untitled (2016)
http://www.imagomundiart.com/collections/2016-image-ireland
Art Direction, Photography and Production
Fabrica
Curation
Ciara Gibbons
Organization
Valentina Granzotto
Editorial coordination
Enrico Bossan
Texts
Luciano Benetton
Ciara Gibbons
Seán Kissane
Martina Fornasaro
Special Thanks to
All the participating artists
Robert Hayes
Tony Strickland
Laura Curley
Teresa Crowley
(The Molesworth Gallery, Dublin, Ireland)
Harry Hutchinson
(Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, Dublin, Ireland)
John Daly
(Hillsboro Gallery, Dublin, Ireland)
Olivier Cornet
(Olivier Cornet Gallery, Dublin, Ireland)
Mark Cullen
(Pallas Projects, Dublin, Ireland)
Deirdre Morrissey
(Creative Exchange, Belfast, Northern Ireland)
Cover
Basil Al-Rawi,
Untitled no. 3, from the series Façade, 2012
Translation and editing
Emma Cole
Simona Calder
Deirdre McKenna
Pietro Valdatta
Art direction
Namyoung An
Photography
Marco Zanin
Production
Marco Pavan
