For its 13th outing, Ballinasloe-based artist collective Group 8 will host the opening of its annual exhibition, DERELICT, in the Town Band Hall, on Culture Night, Friday, September 22, at 7.30pm.
Featuring writing, paintings, textiles, photography, ceramics, mixed media and sculpture, the exhibition will be open to the public from noon on Friday, September 22 and on Saturday, September 23, from 1pm-6pm.
Group 8 member Fiona Ormsby will also host a felting workshop for adults, and children over 10 years, on Saturday afternoon from 1.30pm to 3.30pm. Limited places are available with those interested in participating encouraged to sign-up on Friday at the exhibition.
Local historian Barry Lally will officially launch the exhibition on Friday afternoon.
DERELICT is the result of collaborative work which the members of Group 8 undertook, taking inspiration from the idea of dereliction, its concrete manifestation in our environment, as well as its symbolism and meaning. As always, each artist or writer was free to interpret the theme in whatever way they chose.
Group 8, founded in 2009, and now expanded from its original cohort of eight members, is comprised of ten visual artists and two writers. They are Joyce Little – visual and multimedia artist; Tommy Campbell – sculptor and woodturner; Lily Kelly – visual artist; Grellan Ganly – visual artist; Úna Spain – visual artist; Nuala O’Connor – writer; Zara Little-Campbell – writer; John Soden – painter; Walter Coughlan – ceramicist; Fiona Ormsby – textile designer; Fiona Moore – painter. The group were recently delighted to welcome a new member, ceramicist and bridal accessories specialist Amy Uí Neachtain, who trades as AUN Bridal.
Group 8 is a non-profit, professional arts group who came together in Ballinasloe to foster awareness, imagination and co-operative learning between the artist and the community. The group hosts exhibitions, literary events, artist talks, readings, workshops, and book launches.
All are welcome to the opening and to visit the exhibition across the two days. Free admission. Refreshments will be served on Culture Night.
