Eilis O'Connell: MATERIALS MATTER

Solomon Fine Art is delighted to host an exhibition of work by one of Ireland’s most internationally recognised contemporary sculptors, Eilis O’Connell.

Materials Matter presents new sculptures and drawings made before and during the Covid pandemic, combining sculpture made in collaboration with skilled stone carvers in Pietrasanta, Italy, and a range of more self-contained yet innovative works created within the limitations of lock-down.  Using materials such as steel, bronze, stone and new bio resins, O’Connell explores different material properties to make hybrid organic geometric forms that she carves or constructs by hand. 

Eilis O’ Connell was born in Derry and studied sculpture in the Crawford School of Art, Cork and the Massachusetts College of Art, Boston.  She has exhibited at the Venice, Paris and Sao Paulo Biennales and the Guggenheim Museum in Venice.  In 2018 her outdoor sculptures were shown at E1027 the renowned home of Irish designer Eileen Gray in Cap Martin, France.  O'Connell's work can be found in numerous high profile public locations in London (Canary Wharf, London Docklands Development Corporation), Cardiff, Newcastle, Bristol, Wolverhampton, Southampton, Milton Keynes and in Dublin, Belfast, Dundalk, Mallow and Cork in Ireland.  Other privately commissioned works can be seen in Lismore Castle, Waterford, Cass Sculpture Foundation, Chatsworth and in private gardens in France and Spain.  O’Connell is a founding director of the National Sculpture Factory, Cork, a former member of the Arts Council of Ireland and a member of the Royal Hibernian Academy and Aosdána.

A day-long reception to launch the exhibition will take place on Thursday May 27th from 12-7pm. We kindly ask visitors to book a time slot for the opening day via Eventbrite. Alternatively please phone us at the gallery to book a time that suits you. This will ensure that we can maintain small numbers of guests in the gallery for your comfort and safety.