Drawn largely from the Ulster Museum collection, THE NEW PAST gives us an overview of Irish art from 1800 to 2016.
Covering years between the act of the union, 1800, and the centenary of the easter rising, 2016, the exhibition identifies four themes which have helped shape Irish art.
INVENTION focuses on the celtic revival of the 1800’s, when artists first became interested in the early history and traditions of Ireland.
As I began my journey around the exhibition, the piece “The wedding feast at Cana” (1867) by Henri-Fantin-Latour dominated the room and immediately caught my eye.
Soon to follow was “Riverside landscape with figures in boat” (1644) by Soloman Van Ruysdael.
THEATREÂ highlights the literary and artistic world of W.B Yeats (1865-1939). MYTH relates to the west of Ireland, which had a particular fascination for artists in the first half of the twentieth century. During that period artists such a Paul Henry and Sean Keati
ng helped to mythologise the wild landscape and survival of traditional life in the west. Alicia Boyle’s “Potato Washers” (1949) stood out for me, the bright contrasts of colour and tone really contrasted with the blander tones seen previously in the exhibition.
AFTER THE PAST considers the varied responses of contemporary irish artists to the past. As I entered the new gallery filled with bright colour and abstract work, Micky Donnelly’s “Connelly’s Chair” (1992) grabbed my attention immediately dominating the wall presented through oil mixed media. Another was “Plough Handle” by Paddy McCann (2015).
Lucy Burns 