Art

Graduates show their stuff: This week’s visual arts highlights

It's degree show time, so dive into the art of the future at colleges around Ireland

Stephen Kenny, Homeless Not Voiceless, at IADT

Gemma Tipton's face
Gemma Tipton
Sat Jun 2 2018 - 05:00

IADT Graduate Show
IADT, Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin Until June 6th iadt.ie

It’s degree show time again and around the country you’ll find fresh and exciting works, brave experiments and, occasionally, art that looks oddly familiar even though it has come from new faces. Check out what’s on show at a college near you, or kick off your tour of the next generation with a marathon at IADT, where the work of almost 300 students is on show.

Fragile Lights – Nicola Lynch Morrin
Graphic Studio Gallery, Temple Bar, Dublin 2 Until June 7th graphicstudiodublin.com

There’s a rich tradition in botanical prints. Initially these incredibly detailed drawings and prints were made to enable scientific study, but these days they’re more objects of delightful wonder. A gardener herself, Lynch Morrin fills sketchbooks with images from the world around her, and then creates these extraordinarily beautiful pieces: timeless works from flowers that fade.

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See Saw – CIT CCAD Degree Show
Crawford College of Art & Design, Sharman Crawford Street, Cork Until June 9th cit.ie

The degree shows continue further south, and Cork’s Crawford has an excellent reputation and some very interesting alumni. It’s also interesting to explore the college, as the students’ work is displayed in the studios and paint-soaked teaching spaces. Most of the work is for sale too, so you might bag yourself an early masterpiece from one of the more than 50 students with work on show.

Knock Knock – Tommy Feehan
Doswell Gallery, Rosscarbery, Co Cork Until June 19th doswellgallery.com

Tommy Feehan clearly has a lot of fun with paint. His quirky subjects and witty renditions are more than visual one-liners, however. There's a lot to intrigue as well as to smile about, from the strange hooded figure in Giddy Hup, to the weird welcome that seems to come from a dark tunnel in Coastal Road Booige. Enter if you dare.

When Facts Don't Matter – Group Exhibition
St Carthage Hall, Lismore, Co Waterford Until July 8th lismorecastlearts.ie

Deluged by GDPR emails? Worried about what happens to all that data they gather on you when you click "like"? Works by Alan Butler, Constant Dullaart, Eva & Franco Mattes, Trevor Paglen and Suzanne Treister tease out the issues in this timely show. Don't expect any definitive answers. It's a murky world out there in the cloud.

Crawford College of ArtIADTMuireann KelleherAlan Butler