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Arts Diary
“it provides a unique opportunity to view an incredible array of fine art from Northern Ireland all in one place.”
Kellie Burch kellie@ulstertatler.com
PORTRAIT OF NORTHERN IRELAND The Northern Ireland Office recently hosted a pre-launch of the exciting ‘Portrait of Northern Ireland - Neither an Elegy nor a Manifesto’ exhibition at the Golden Thread Gallery. As part of the cultural showcase to mark Northern Ireland’s Centenary year, this important exhibition, which was curated by Shan McAnena and was a collaboration between the Northern Ireland Office, the Government Art Collection, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and Belfast School of Art, showcases over 100 pieces of art of the people and places that have defined Northern Ireland over the past 100 years. Several well-known faces were welcomed to the pre-launch by Gallery Director Peter Richards, such as Alex Aiken, executive director of Government Communication in the Cabinet Office; Clare King, deputy director of the Northern Ireland Centenary Programme; Kathy Clugston, BBC radio presenter and Ulster Tatler columnist; Julia Corkey, chief executive officer at ICC Belfast, Waterfront Hall and Ulster Hall; artist John Carson; and Joe Linday, TV and radio broadcaster and DJ. As you walked from Gallery One and into Gallery Two of the Golden Thread Gallery, it was hard not to mesmerised by the immense collection of art on display which captures a rich and varied snapshot of the responses by artists to the geographical, social and political landscape of Northern Ireland. From classic to contemporary and through multiple mediums such as oil on canvas, print, sculpture and multi-media, the collection not only charts the evolution of the country but also of art itself. Stand out pieces for me included Jeffrey Morgan’s 1995 portrait of Michael Longley ‘A Light from Two Windows’ (the frame is as much a piece of art as the portrait); William Conor’s ‘Return from Work’ (c.1931) which vibrantly captures working-class life in Ulster; Alice Berger-Hammerschlag’s ‘Abstract’ from the mid-late 1960s which is bold and captivating in its use of colour; Ian Cumberland’s photo-realistic oil on linen ‘Just to Feel Normal’ (2011); and the programme cover image - Nevill Johnson’s surrealist interpretation ’Kilkeel Shipyard’ (1943). The quality of the showcase is sublime and includes high-profile artists such as Colin Davidson, Gladys MacCabe, Gerard Dillon, John Kindness and Willie Doherty, as well as emerging talents such as Ciarán Harper and work from recent graduates from Belfast School of Art. This thoughtfully curated exhibition is truly remarkable as it’s the first time such a collection has been put together, and it provides a unique opportunity to view an incredible array of fine art from Northern Ireland all in one place. The pre-launch of Portrait of Northern Ireland - Neither an Elegy nor a Manifesto took place on 8th October. The exhibition runs until 4th November.
Peter Richards and Shan McAnena.
Owen McFadden and Kathy Clugston.
Aimee Nelson, Paul Hutchison and Emma Lawthers.
Louise O’Boyle, Alex Aiken and Julia Corkey.
Peter Neill and Graham Gingles.
Clare King, Carolyn Mathers and Joe Lindsay.
Simon and Catherine McWilliams.
Una Walker, Sarah McAvera and John Carson.
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