Hazel Egan

Due to human-generated pollution and the excessive burning of fossil fuels, the delicate balance of everyday life is disrupted as temperatures rise, ice caps melt and sea levels surge.

Egan’s practice draws on the threat of imminent change and the suspense of an uncertain future. Working with the potential and poetic qualities of everyday industrial and quotidian materials, the work in this exhibition highlights relationships and cycles that can be understood on a micro and macro level. Dualities such as light and dark, weight and fragility, tension and balance position the work between imposed control and the precarious possibilities of collapse.

Exhibition runs 25 July - 27 August

Reception on Wednesday 23 August, 7pm, as part of Heritage Week

Major Touring Irish Art Exhibition

Dunamaise Arts Centre Portlaoise is proud to present the finale of the 30 Years Artists Places exhibition, after an extensive national tour, from Monday 10 June to Saturday 15 July.

Following an 18-month national tour to venues in Clare, Mayo, Waterford, Cork, Tipperary, Limerick, Cavan, Louth, Dublin and Donegal - the exhibition, curated by Muireann Ní Chonaill, Laois Arts Officer- is a must see at Dunamaise and features an extraordinary line up of Irish artists.

This exhibition is a collection of artworks owned by Local Authorities across Ireland and marks 30 years since the first local authority arts officer was appointed in Ireland. The works speak of places, people and home which reflect upon local authority arts development as just that, of a place and of a people, of rural and urban Ireland, of home in a changing island where we are bold with new ideas but rooted in our past. Renowned artists such as Tony O'Malley, Alice Maher, Robert Ballagh, John Kindness, Norah McGuiness, Seán McSweeney, Sean Lynch and John Shinnors alongside emerging artists Cora Cummins, Cleary Connolly, Seán Cotter, Lisa Fingleton, Jenny Brady, Vanessa Lopez and David Stephenson and many others feature in the exhibition.

On 29^th June at 3pm at Dunamaise Arts Centre, a panel discussion to mark the exhibition, entitled Collecting Who for What, will be chaired by Cliodhna Ní Anluain with contributions by Cristín Leach, Jacquie Moore, Kevin Kavanagh and Seán Cotter. A musical response to the exhibition by Andreas Balke will also take place. Admission is free and all are welcome.

On the same day at 5pm, Liz Meaney, Arts Director (Performing & Local Arts, Arts Council of Ireland) is Guest Speaker at the reception to mark the conclusion of the exhibition.

This is a must see, not just for the extraordinary line up of Irish artists, but for the stories of how they each came to be purchased, commissioned or acquired by local authorities - therein lies the real narrative - the quiet, genuine and imaginative support for Irish artists demonstrated by local government for the past 30 years.

A beautiful souvenir catalogue, with details of each of the artworks accompanies the exhibition and is available for €5.

School visits available on request.

Funded by The Arts Council www.localartsireland.ie

Curated by Muireann Ní Chonaill, Laois Arts Officer

Exhibition runs 10 June - 15 July

Reception on Thursday 29 June, 5pm.

30 YEARS | ARTISTS | PLACES

Annual Art/Craft/Design Exhibition

Students of QQI level 5 & 6 courses present work in a variety of disciplines including ceramics, textiles, drawing, print and painting. Work explores concepts of self-identity urban spaces, sub conscious/conscious, memories and psychogeography. An exciting blend of contemporary art from emerging artists working and living locally. See art.abbeyleixfec.ie for information on all art courses.

Official Opening Friday 5 May, 7pm | Exhibition runs until 5 June

Dunamaise Arts Centre presents

Sharon Murphy | STAGES

A new exhibition of photography, video and vocal testimony by Dublin-based artist Sharon Murphy, whose practice is rooted in performance.

Set in the world of contemporary dance this work is an extended intimate portrait of young performers as they move, stand still and move again making their mark in the dance of life. 

It reveals uncanny tensions between adolescence and adulthood, individuality and uniformity, strength and vulnerability, inner truth and outer performance.

Stages was initially conceived during a year-long artist’s residency (2015-2016) with Dublin Youth Dance Company (DYDC) funded by the Arts Council and supported by Dance Ireland.

Exhibition runs 9 March - 30 April

Official Opening by Mary Nunan, choreographer & performer, on 9 March, 7pm. 

All Welcome.