Inspired by the success of gallery weekends in cities such as Berlin and London, Dublin Gallery Weekend was launched last year by the Contemporary Art Gallery Association. This year, eleven member galleries will present exhibitions by renowned Irish and international artists until Sunday, November 10. It’s a chance to meet artists, enjoy interesting talks and see highly acclaimed artworks. You might even invest too!
Irish actor Adrian Dunbar is Dublin Gallery Weekend’s 2024 Ambassador, who launched the event at IPUT’s Wilton Park, which is a significant addition this year, allowing visitors to see artworks from all eleven participating galleries in one place. It will host a special exhibition titled “Kites Above the Castles”, selected by curator and Director of the RHA, Patrick T Murphy.
The exhibitions throughout the weekend showcase a variety of traditional and non-traditional approaches and disciplines. Themes of art and science are prevalent: artists engage with areas of neuroscience, human consciousness and Artificial Intelligence.
Featured artists include the pioneering French-Turkish feminist Nil Yalter, who won a Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 2024 Venice Biennale, showing at Green On Red Gallery. Irish contemporary artist Nevan Lahart presents new work at Kevin Kavanagh Gallery. Hillsboro Fine Art will present its first solo exhibition by the renowned Irish painter Eithne Jordan.
Kerlin Gallery presents the first exhibition in Ireland by Justin Fitzpatrick, a young Dubliner based in France with a growing international reputation. As part of the programme, Justin will feature in conversation with Thomas Conchou, director of the Parisian Centre d’art contemporary de La Ferme du Buisson.
The Olivier Cornet Gallery is presenting three events in the context of Yanny Petters’s current show at the gallery, “Fieldwork with Mainie and Albrecht”, a solo exhibition of twelve reverse glass paintings depicting wild Irish habitats. Each painting also represents an homage to artists who have influenced Yanny over the years: Mainie Jellet, Albrecht Dürer, Harry Clarke, Gustav Klimt, William Morris and many others. Yanny is leading a free nature print-making demonstration on November 9 from 11am to 12.30pm.
At Solomon Fine Art, there is an informal chat with artist John Behan, whose exhibition “Walking Into Eternity” is currently on show until November 16. There’s also a screening of Behan’s film Odyssey on Sunday at 4.30pm, which documents his involvement with migrant camps in Greece.
Many galleries are launching new exhibitions to coincide with the weekend. At SO Fine Art, see “Arriving” by Tom Phelan. At Oliver Sears Gallery, catch “Monkey Gone to Heaven” by Jason Ellis, at The Molesworth Gallery, “Zero is an even number” is a solo show by Cian McLaughlin. Taylor Galleries also has a group show opening “24 @ TG” while The Horse Dublin, features an exhibition of work by Keith Coventry. Free guided tours are offered of these exhibitions.
Need to know: In addition, “Realising the Potential of the Irish Visual Arts Sector” is a panel discussion hosted by Sean Rainbird (curator and former Director of the National Gallery of Ireland) on November 9. Taking place at IPUT’s 15 George’s Quay, this is an opportunity to learn and network with leading figures in the Irish and international art world, among them artists Isabel Nolan, Corban Walker, Orla Whelan, gallerists Darragh Hogan, Barbara Dawson and Tara Murphy, and collector Bryan Meehan.
To find out more visit; www.caga.ie.
