SOLAS exhibition at Naas General Hospital
SOLAS [July 2009 - January 2010]
Click here for furhter images from the launch.
SOLAS, an exhibition of artworks selected by staff at Naas General Hospital from Kildare County Councils' Municipal Art Collection, was officially launched in the Hospital on Thursday 30 July by artist Patrick Pye.
Sally Timmons curated this project, which involved curatorial workshops exploring the Municipal Collection, a gallery visit and artists talks by Martin Gale and Isabel Nolan, culminating in the hospital staff selecting works for the Solas exhibition.
The selected works include drawings, paintings, prints and sculptures dating from the 1970s by Tim Mara, Martin Gale, Grainne Cuffe, Robert Ballagh, Michael O’Callaghan, Michael Asher, Roy Johnston, Patrick Pye, Bernie Leahy, Gerard Pollard, John Behan, Derek A Fitzsimons as well as contemporary drawings and a video piece by Isabel Nolan.
By working directly with a curator to develop the exhibition concept and select work, it was hoped the project would provide a meaningful and interactive experience for staff and they could develop a sense of ownership over the selection, placement and presentation of artworks in their hospital. Their selection reflects their individual preferences, experiences and learning gained on this journey.
Kildare County Council Arts Service is delighted to fund and support this arts in health initiative which forms part of an ongoing commitment to the development of the arts programme in Naas General Hospital as outlined in our Arts in Health Strategy 2009-2011.
The works can be viewed in Naas General Hospital.
Contact Nicola Dunne, Arts in Health Specialist, Email: nmdunne@kildarecoco.ie or Tel: 045 448312 for further details.
A WORD FROM THE CURATOR
According to project co-ordinator, Sally Timmons, '' Solas, meaning ‘light’ is the title of this exhibition, which has endeavoured to expose selected works from the Kildare County Council Municipal Art Collection. It is representative of the fact that many collections of art are loaned out from time to time and are encountered by multiple audiences within numerous contexts of time and place. The value of a resource such as, the Kildare County Council Municipal Art Collection, is made clear in the statement below by Isabel Nolan (one of the artists who’s work is included in this exhibition) Once given a context or environment in which to have a relationship with, a work of art has the potential to perform over and over''.
