Governments' joint art exhibition opens in Antrim

Minister of Finance, Ian Pearson, has jointly opened a North-South Government art exhibition at Clotworthy Arts Centre in Antrim.

Mr Pearson, representing the Department of Finance and Planning, was joined at the unveiling by Irish Minister of State, Tom Parlon TD, representing the Office of Public Works form the Republic of Ireland.

Entitled ‘Impressions – An Exhibition of Contemporary Prints’, the display contains 50 works assembled from the collections of the Northern Ireland Civil Service and the Office of Public Works in Dublin.

Mr Pearson praised the exhibition, which was opened yesterday evening, as "an exemplary showcase for Irish printmaking".

“I am delighted to be here in Antrim this evening with my Irish counterpart. We are particularly proud of this project, which offers a rare opportunity to see a large collection of prints, made in workshops throughout Ireland, gathered together in one exhibition. These artworks normally reside in public buildings, North and South.

“DFP has responsibility for the Northern Ireland Civil Service art collection, a responsibility mirrored by Office of Public Works in Dublin, for the Irish Government collection. It is a pleasure for both of us to be able to share some of those pieces with a wider audience.”

The exhibition features many different types of original prints by emerging and established names including etchings, lithographs, carborundum and mixed mediaprints, by artists such as Louis le Brocquy, Alice Maher, Felim Egan, and many more.

‘Impressions’, which is the seventh joint venture between DFP and OPW, continues at Clotworthy Art Centre until 25 September 2003. Admission is free.

This year’s exhibition ‘Impressions’, which opened in Waterford in July, concentrates entirely on the medium of printmaking.

After Antrim the collection will visit venues in Omagh, Wexford, Athlone and Portlaoise.

(SP)