ONCE THE Galway Arts Festival is over it is time for the Galway Races, which means betting, drinking, fashion, and gee-gees, but for every Galwegian who loves the races, there is a Galwegian who would prefer to do something else.
For those who enjoy art more than racing, there is a treat in store with Ealaíon At Lunasa - three large and diverse exhibitions, including painting, print, sculpture, drawing and video - which open today and run until August 29.
Ealaíon At Lunasa will have three openings this evening - at 5pm in University Hospital Galway, at 6pm in the Galway City Museum, and at 7pm in the Galway Arts Centre.
The UHG exhibition will feature works by Lilian Ingram, Trion MacGiolla Ri, Cecilia Danell, Eithna Joyce, Leah Beggs, Lorna Mooney, Lynda Reynolds, Majella Dowdican, David Fox, Patricia Lambert, Ruth Le Gear, Siobán Piercy, Brid Egan, Jennifer Cunningham, Eimearjean McCormack, and Leah Beggs.
The Galway City Museum exhibition will feature work by Christina Mullan, Joe Hogan, Triona MacGiolla Ri, Suzannah Vaughan, Declan Holloway, Joan Hogan, Hiroto Hakamada, Sean Ó Flaithearta, Margaret Nolan, Kathleen Furey, and Norma Maher.
The Galway Arts Centre exhibition wil feature Lisa Sweeney, Maev Lenaghan, Cecilia Danell, Grace Mitchell, Jane Queally, Mara Sola Lopez, Pat Byrne, Tadhg Ó Currin, Gráinne McHale, Jennifer Cunningham, Charlotte Kelly, David Finn, Declan Holloway, Edith Pieperhoff, Karena Ryan, Kevin Mooney, and Lisa O’Donnell
“It is unusual to open anything arts related in August,” says Galway Arts Centre arts officer Maeve Mulrennan. “This year a lot more people are choosing to either stay in Galway or to come here on holidays. In the current climate we felt it was necessary to offer the people of this town something that is free and suitable for everyone, whether they know a lot or nothing about art, there is something for everybody. It is recession friendly and family friendly and an antidote to next week’s madness!”
One of the exhibits to look out for is Christina Mullan’s in the Galway City Museum. She has been taking photos of visitors to the museum, and these photos will be hidden around the museum, encouraging visitors to interact with the building.
“My intention is to get both tourists and the people of Galway to look again at our museum and realise the potential the building has,” says Christina. “The museum has gained the reputation of a white elephant. I believe it is an interesting and worthwhile space and that maybe by getting people to interact and look irreverently at the building, a new relationship will form.”
For more information go to www.galwayartscentre.ie or contact the Galway Arts Centre on 091 - 565886.
