Clare Arts Office in conjunction with Scariff Library Gallery will is presenting “Vial” an exhibition of art by Marie Connole exploring Ireland’s Revolutionary Years.
Since 2021 the Clare artist has been commissioned under the Decade of Centenaries Programme to create artworks highlighting events in Ireland, and particularly Clare, from 1913 to 1923.
Featured in Scariff are two distinct series of artworks: ‘Irrepressible Women of Clare’(2021) and ‘An Alchemy of the Civil War’(2022), both developed from extensive research and a range of historical sources by the artist.
The five portraits of ‘Irrepressible Women of Clare’ focuses on the lives of diverse women living in the county to understand the effects of Ireland’s War of Independence. The women are Georgina Frost, Kathleen Talty, Peg Barrett, Kathleen Griffin and Lady Beatrice Hare O’Brien. ‘An Alchemy of the Civil War’ is a series of watercolour paintings depicting events from the Civil War inside scientific beakers. These delicate, surreal works are inspired by 16th century alchemical illustrations.
The location of the exhibition is particularly relevant and this year the artist has developed new work centred on the Scariff Martyrs to be launched on the 1st September. All are welcome to a free public talk in Scariff Library Gallery on 14th September at 6.30pm.
Historian Dr. Tomás Mac Conmara has been invited to discuss his book ‘The Scariff Martyrs: War, Murder and Memory in East Clare’. This will be followed by a tour of the exhibition with the artist Marie Connole.
‘Vial’ adopts a new approach to history so that contemporary audiences may learn and understand historical events from new perspectives. To assist this YouTube videos and Free downloadable Posters entitled ‘Irrepressible Women of Clare’ by Marie Connole are available from Clare Education Centre and Clare County Library History Week websites. Interviews with the artist can be viewed on the Clare Arts Office and Clare Library YouTube Channels under ‘Decade of Centenaries’.
This exhibition is supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media under the Community Strand of the Decade of Centenaries Programme.
A second exhibition by Marie Connole, entitled ‘Dúlamán na Farraige’, is currently on display in the Clare Museum in Ennis until 1st September. Open everyday and entry is free. For more information on both exhibitions visit www. marieconnole.com and on Instagram.
