The official tour of Ireland’s entry into the 56th Venice Biennale, Adventure: Capital by artist Sean Lynch, opened at the Limerick City Gallery of Art. Visited by over 400,000 people during the world’s most prestigious visual arts exhibition in 2015, Adventure: Capital will now begin an Irish tour, residing in galleries in Limerick, Sligo, Belfast, and Dublin.The Irish tour of Ireland at Venice is supported by the Arts Council as part of its commitment to promote the visual arts to Irish audiences. Ireland at Venice is an initiative of Culture Ireland in partnership with the Arts Council.
Chair of the Arts Council, Sheila Pratschke, who will officially launch the tour this evening said “Adventure:Capital marks Sean Lynch out as one of Ireland’s most gifted visual artists with an extraordinary talent for unearthing hidden histories and events and using them to open up new understandings of the world we live in today. The Arts Council is delighted to be able to support Ireland at Venice – The Irish Tour and give the Irish public the opportunity to enjoy and appreciate this great work which has received exceptional international attention.”
Chair of Culture Ireland, Mary McCarthy, said: “Sean Lynch's project Adventure: Capital made a significant impact while at the Venice Biennale .It was seen by over 400,000 people and gained significant critical review and curatorial attention. Culture Ireland support some 300 events throughout the year across the globe. The Irish tour of Ireland’s presentation at the 56th Venice Biennale supported by the Arts Council enables Irish audiences to engage with the work. The Venice Biennale remains the most significant global visual arts showcase.”
Combining sculptural, video and archival elements, Adventure: Capital is Kerry born Lynch’s most ambitious project to date. Configured exclusively for each venue, the artworks consider themes such as cultural history, societal structures, the contemporary environment and the role of the individual within it.
Una McCarthy, Director and Curator at Limerick City Gallery of Art, said: “Sean Lynch belongs to a generation of artists achieving exceptional attention internationally and I am delighted to bring this exhibition, to Limerick City Gallery of Art. Having this prestigious show open in Limerick is a great affirmation of the vibrancy and ambition for the visual art community in Limerick, and nationally.”
Curator of Adventure: Capital, Woodrow Kernohan, Director of EVA International – Ireland’s Biennial said “From the beginning, Ireland at Venice has been an exceptional project to work on - celebrating social and cultural blind spots and forming them into alternative readings of history. The Irish Tour of Adventure: Capital is one of the most exciting projects to tour Ireland in 2016 and will offer audiences in each location a new and unique experience that evokes Ireland’s bardic tradition and explores connections to history, environment and society.”
Mike Fitzpatrick, Commissioner of the Irish Pavilion for the 56th Venice Biennale and Director of Limerick’s European Capital of Culture 2020 bid said “The 56th International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale topped the list for the most-visited art shows of 2015, and over 400,000 experienced Adventure: Capital in Venice, a testament to Sean Lynch's growing reputation and that of the Irish art scene, among international audiences. It is very exciting to see this dynamic presentation by Sean Lynch return to Ireland and open the Irish tour here in Limerick.
A native of North Kerry, a graduate and lecturer at Limerick School of Art and Design, LIT, Lynch lives in Askeaton, Limerick and London. In addition to the Ireland at Venice tour, 2016 marks Lynch’s first US museum solo exhibition at The Rose Art Museum, Boston this September. Amongst other projects, Lynch also continues to develop Askeaton Contemporary Arts as a unique platform, working for the research, production and exhibition of contemporary art.
The Irish entry into the Biennale is a national representation, supported by the Arts Council and the Culture Ireland division of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.
←Return to the news