Drawing inspiration from Gort and its surroundings, artists from Gort Arts will host For the Love of Gort, their third annual member exhibition.
The historic market town of Gort is known for WB Yeats’s Thoor Ballylee castle, the medieval monastery of Kilmacdugh, the Gort River walk, and the area’s ties to the late 19th century Irish Literary Revival.
The exhibition also explores the many layers of historic and contemporary life of Gort, a town that boasts one of the most diverse populations in Ireland. Through paint, sculpture, print-making, ceramics and textiles, visitors will see Gort as a place of memory, imagination, nature, belonging and change.
Shopkeeper and wool merchant Colman Keane of Keane’s shop will open the exhibition over Culture Night weekend. Colman will tell some rich and textured tales from his life and times behind the counter in Gort. A live mini-portrait booth will have artists drawing quick portraits of visitors which will then become part of an art installation called “Lovin’ Gort”.
The group is also launching a series of Gort Arts greeting cards with artwork by five members and selected by an independent jury of locals. The sets will be available to purchase on the night.
Delving into what makes Gort such a deep well to draw from, the group will be hosting local Art Historian Robert Kilroy in conversation with three artists and makers. Open to the public on Saturday, 26 September at 11 am.
For the Love of Gort launches on Saturday, 19 September at 7 pm and runs for two weekends starting on Culture Night. Saturday’s launch will feature refreshments and entertainment by Sirocco Duo. The exhibition is on at the gardens and studio of the late ceramicist, Michael Kennedy. Boland’s Lane, Gort. H91 CP23.
Check Gort Arts Facebook https://www.facebook.com/gortarts and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/gortarts/ pages for dates and time. Funded in part by the Galway County Council.
