Event Details

Dates

30/04/2011 – 30/04/2011

 
Galway Arts Centre will also open a unique exhibition ‘Unfolding Collections’ the same night in Gallery 2.
 
This exhibition is a selection of works from 5 Irish based collectors: Russell Hart, Isabel Nolan, Aoibheann MacNamara, Sinéad Ní Mhaonaigh and Dr. Caoimhín Mac Giolla Léith . The focus of the exhibition is to reveal what people have hidden in their homes and how art collecting is something that is not something only multi-millionaires do. It presents the stories behind the work also, for example on of the collectors; Russell Hart explains the significance of a signed Yoko Ono poster: “This was a gift to me from Yoko Ono after working on an exhibition with her. Obviously it’s great that she signed it for me and in doing so has added value to it but the piece means more to me than that. She was one of the people in my life that I can truly say it was an honour to meet. I found her very approachable, gentle, humourous and above all creative. Her willingness to embrace creativity was a lesson to me and I always try to remember her open attitude and apply a simular approach to my own practice.”

In the case of works that were bought, the show  points out that this is what keeps a lot of artists going: not the commissions, bursaries or big collectors, but the fact that their artwork can connect with another person so much that they are willing to hand over hard earned cash in order to have it. It is an important element of the art market, particularly in a small country such as Ireland. This exhibition aims to narrow the gap between ‘people who own art’ and people who don’t. It also points to an art market that is not soulless and shallow, but an exchange of appreciation, support and acknowledgement of the artists who make the world just that little bit better for all of us.

‘Unfolding Collections’ will host a discussion on collecting and connections to artworks at 4pm on the 30th April in GAC. This talk will be chaired by Austin Ivers, artist, GMIT lecturer and co-founder of 126 artist led gallery.