Press Release
The Irish Eye is the title of one of the most intriguing visual arts shows to be organised in Galway in years. It is at once both comprehensive, in terms of the wide diversity of artists and disciplines which are represented, yet strongly individualistic and personalised, because the artists included have all been invited to participate by one fellow artist, Padraic Reaney. The result is a stunning group exhibition of the best of Irish art spread over 3 floors of The Kenny Gallery, Galway.
Padraic is originally from Carraroe, where he worked in the Studio of Charles Lamb, but has been based just outside Galway for over 25 years.
He took the once-off opportunity of the Project '06 Festival of events to put together a show featuring the artists he has known and admired over his career. They are known to him through friendship and through professional collaborations: some have helped him in his work, some have inspired him from a distance.
The participating artists include the West of Ireland's two best known painters, Brian Bourke and Sean McSweeney, but a huge variety of other painters are also represented: Charles Harper, Ger Sweeney, Manus Walsh, Eamon O Doherty, Mick O'Dea, Carmel Mooney, Paul Funge, Vicki Crowley, Jane O'Malley, Sean O Flaithearta and Jay Murphy.
Featured sculptors include John Behan, John Coll, and Cliodhna Cussen. Carraroe based sculptor, Edward Delaney, makes an extremely rare contribution to the show. Stained glass works from George Walsh and photographs from Bob Quinn add further to the multi-disciplinary nature of the show. As a centrepiece, there will be a room dedicated to the work of the late Tony O'Malley with works loaned by his wife and private collectors.
The Irish Eye is significant for another reason: it takes place in the former Kenny's Bookshop in High Street. Although the Irish artistic community have lamented the loss of the famous bookshop, this exhibition, spread over three floors and 6 rooms of the building, breathes new life into this venerable Galway institution and celebrates, in the most appropriate way possible, what is now Ireland's largest commercial art gallery.
The Irish Eye runs from Tuesday 18th to Saturday 29th of July at The Kenny Gallery. The exhibition is open daily from 9.30am to 6.00pm except on Sundays.
Further information: Michael Diskin - info@project06.com