OPW and the Department of Finance Northern Ireland, Annual Touring Exhibition

7 October - 20 November 2022

Featured Artists include: Samantha Ellis Fox; Carol Graham; Alana Barton; Kim Montgomery; Daniel Nelis; Laura Cronin; Owen de Forge; Sile Walsh; Jessica Hollywood; Merve Jones; Connor Maguire; Anthony Haughey; Joanne Betty Conlon; Joanne Betty Conlon; Beverley Healy; Celie Byrne; Stephen Johnston; John Cooney; Ciaran Harper; Dáibhidh Stiúbhard; Philip Flanagan; Christopher Banaghan; Mónika Bögyös; Becks Butler; Joanne Clerkin; Alex deRoeck ; Vivienne Dick; Amanda Doran; Charles Harper; Vanessa Jones; Gary Loughlin; Maitiú Mac Cárthaigh; Alice Maher; Paddy McCabe; Kevin Mooney; Eva O'Donovan; Tolu Ogunware; Nuala O'Sullivan; David Quinn; Vera Ryklova and Éva Anna Szántó-Nádudvari

This annual cross border touring exhibition brings artworks usually located in Government offices and public buildings managed by the OPW and the Department of Finance, Northern Ireland, to wider audiences and demonstrates the commitment to the cross-border partnership that exists between the two central Government Departments. 

The focus of this year’s exhibition is people - the many ways they are represented in artworks and the responses elicited by the viewer. The 41 pieces by 40 artists were specially curated to reflect the artists’ vision of a diverse range of people and creates a portfolio of humanity, its presence and perceptions, as portrayed throughout the collections.

This cultural project platforms visual artists talent and creativity through a wide range of artwork media and styles, including paintings, photographs, prints and sculpture, from emerging and established artists.  Without the artists’ hard work and dedication, there could not be such exhibitions.  Both departments are pleased to participate in this project, to highlight their support our island’s creative economy, supporting cultural expression and widening an appreciation of the artworks which are heritage assets for future generations, valued and looked after by the two administrations.

A bilingual catalogue (Irish and English) illustrating the artworks accompanies the exhibition, free of charge to exhibition visitors. Additional educational resources are available and guided tours can be arranged on request, to provide further information.

The OPW artworks included in the exhibitions were acquired mainly through the Government’s Per Cent for Art Scheme which allows for 1% of a project’s construction budget to be set aside to provide artworks for public buildings.  The purpose of this scheme is to support the work of emerging Irish artists or non-Irish artists resident in Ireland and to bring contemporary art to the public and celebrate Irish creativity across all art forms.

Person / Presence / Perception opened its tour of Ireland in the Burnavon, Cookstown, Co. Tyrone in September and can be viewed at Dunamaise Arts Centre, Portlaoise from Friday 7 October to 20 November 2022. The tour then continues to The Mainguard, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary in March-April 2023 and other venues to be announced.

Details of a gallery reception and related artist talk at Dunamaise will be announced soon.