Brand New Art Gallery Officially Opens at Mount Congreve Gardens and Inaugural Exhibition Unveiled
A brand new Art Gallery has been officially opened at Mount Congreve Gardens in County Waterford with the unveiling of its inaugural exhibition ‘Bucolica’.
Bucolica’ is a showcase of serene and idyllic works of art, which encourage a reflective examination of the historical and contemporary implications of humanity’s relationship with the landscape. The exhibition includes work by invited artists Ciara Roche, Michael Wann, Bernadette Kiely, Zsolt Basti and Lee Welch, to mention just a few, and a wide range of work carefully selected by artists Melissa O’Donnell and Anne Ryan supported by Artform and Big Look Art following an open call in March 2024.
Speaking of the exhibition Martina O’Byrne of Artform says, “’Bucolica’ offers emerging artists an opportunity to exhibit with their more established peers and win awards including a jury prize for inclusion of their work in a new permanent collection for Mount Congreve Gardens, a solo show and an artist residency in the gardens.”
This event and the gallery marks the launch of a new partnership between Mount Congreve Gardens and Artform which is aimed at celebrating art in the gardens all year long. The gallery opening and exhibition unveiling was the first event in the inaugural ‘Art In The Gardens’ programme which took place over the May bank holiday weekend at Mount Congreve Gardens. An occasion which was a feast for the eyes as a series of paints outs, master classes and easel exhibitions were on offer throughout the weekend.
Sara Dolan Commercial Director at Mount Congreve Gardens says, “We are delighted to host this event at Mount Congreve Gardens and to see our new exhibition space adorned with an incredible array of art and creating a new dialogue between art and the beauty of the gardens and landscape in the context of ‘Bucolica’. We are looking forward to announcing new exhibitions, residencies and other art related events, and to welcoming lots of new works and artists to the new Mount Congreve Gardens Gallery in the near future.”
Des Whelan Chair of Mount Congreve Trust says, “The new gallery fits so well into the vision of this world-class visitor attraction. Mount Congreve is a very special place and restoring and improving the gardens will always be the number one priority, so it is wonderful to know that by acquiring one of these amazing paintings, all of the commission will go directly to the upkeep of these amazing gardens.”
Mount Congreve Gardens are open 7 days per week and visitors can enjoy the stunning ‘Bucolica’ exhibition free of charge throughout the summer months. A new exhibition will be launched every 8 weeks. For further details on Art in the Gardens at Mount Congreve Gardens in Waterford, see www.mountcongreve.com
