Dunamaise Gallery
Artist Talk
Paddy Critchley in conversation with Sarah Searson
Thursday 26 October, 12pm
Free Entry (pre book your free seat)
Join artist Paddy Critchley and curator Sarah Searson for an insightful discussion of Paddy’s current exhibition "Ragged Trousers" its development, themes and Paddy’s art practice.
Paddy Critchley is an artist from Portlaoise. Since graduating from Limerick School of Art and Design in 2021, he has exhibited at The Hunt Museum and Limerick City Gallery of Art, where his work was accessioned to the permanent collections.
He was the recipient of the De Veres Art Award for Work of Distinction at the 191st Annual RHA Exhibition for the painting Nature Morte (After Beckett). Paddy also runs the Ballad Sessions in Charlie Malone’s Pub in Limerick city, which encourages the sharing of folk music from archives and keeping stories alive.
Sarah Searson is a Fine Art graduate of DIT who returned to Ireland after a number of years of arts practice in New York. Sara studied Cultural Policy and Arts Management at UCD and has an MA in Public Culture Studies from IADT. She has written and implemented arts policy and programme development for the Arts Council and numerous City and County Councils across Ireland; developed major capital projects at Dance Theatre of Ireland and The Pavilion Theatre, Dun Laoghaire and founded large-scale festivals such as the Festival of World Cultures 2001–2005, The Dublin Youth Dance Festival, and The Poetry Now Festival, including The Irish Times Poetry Now Awards, The Strong Poetry Awards and founded the Farmers Market in the Peoples Park Dun Laoghaire.
Sarah commissioned Paddy’s exhibition ‘Ragged Trousers’ for The Dock in Carrick-on-Shannon earlier in 2023, from where it now tours to the Dunamaise Gallery. Paddy was awarded the Abbeyleix Biennale Award from Dunamaise for this, his first solo exhibition at Dunamaise.The title of the exhibition is borrowed from ‘The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists’(1914) by Irish-born house-painter and sign-painter Robert Tressell. The semi-autobiographical novel is considered a seminal text on the exploitation of workers and the daily realities and obstacles they face. Written over 100 years ago, the novel addresses issues and struggles still relevant today including high rent, cost of living, poverty, and emigration. Also known as the painter’s bible, it is a long-standing entry point into socialist narratives and ideologies. For this exhibition, Paddy draws on the conversations between the labourers depicted in the novel. Himself a house-painter, Paddy incorporates elements of the trade within his art practice as well as his own lived experiences.
Don’t miss this opportunity to visit the exhibition, hear Paddy in conversation with Sarah and ask any questions you may have! All welcome to this free event at 12pm on Thursday 26 October.
“I am interested in mentoring practices for artists, and projects which support the development of arts and visual arts in Ireland. My creative practices include writing, curating and project development with artists.”
Ragged Trousers at Dunamaise Gallery
Ragged Trousers
Paddy Critchley
Don't miss Paddy Crichley in conversation with Sara Searson on Thursday 26 October, 12pm to hear more about this exhibition. Book your FREE ticket here
