Exhibitions

CURRENT EXHIBITIONS

Wabi – Sabi: the Beauty of Insignificance

12th  May – 18th June

Daily 9.30am – 5.30pm

Last admissions 45 minutes before closing. Admission free.

PREVIOUS EXHIBITIONS

Under a Crescent Moon

17th February – 10th April

A solo exhibition of new works by Róisín O’Sullivan, Under a Crescent Moon features a series of paintings which engage with the natural world, moving from abstraction through intuition within the studio process and which explore questions of surface, line, gesture and repetition. O’ Sullivan uses wood (shop-bought, reclaimed and found) in her works, applying and removing paint and carving and burning on or into the wood. Her pieces are small in scale, with the viewing experience an intimate part of the works.

Wednesday to Sunday 10.30am – 5pm.

Last admissions 45 minutes before closing. Admission free.

Bowie: Icon

11 January – 29 January

OPW and Dublin Bowie Festival is delighted to present Bowie: Icon a photographic exhibition by Philippe Auliac, a  renowned French photojournalist who first photographed Bowie in 1976 and continued to photograph and work with Bowie for over 30 years. ‘David Bowie: Icon’, will feature over 60 images of Bowie taken by Auliac over the rock icon’s career. Auliac has photographed some of the biggest names in music: Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, Mick Ronson, Ian Hunter, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Paul McCartney, Yoko Ono, David Gilmour, Frank Zappa, Elton John and many others. He has also produced a number of music documentaries including ‘All Things Must Pass’ with George Harrison and ‘An Evening in the Weimar Republic’ with Marianne Faithfull.

Wednesday to Sunday 10.30am – 5pm.

Last admissions 45 minutes before closing. Admission free.

Vessel 

and

The Pleasure Ground

4 November  – 18 December

An exhibition of paintings by Sinéad Ní Mhaonaigh, and a group show featuring works by 20 artists including Elaine Byrne, Anna Berger, Gemma Brown, Joanne Boyle, Margaret Corcoran, Eamon Coleman, Diana Copperwhite, Dominique Crowley, Stephanie Deady, Fiach McGuinne, Eddie Kennedy. Banbha McCann, Elva Mulchrone, Sinéad Ní Mhaonaigh, Geraldine O’Neill, Emma Roche, Patrick Redmon, Tamsin Snow, Sarah Tynan and Chanelle Walsh. 

Wednesday to Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday 10.30am – 5pm

Last admissions 45 minutes before closing. Admission free.

CITIZENS?

9 September – October 23

September: Daily 9.30am – 5.30pm
October: Wednesday to Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday 10.30am – 5pm

Last admissions 45 minutes before closing. Admission free.

CITIZENS? is supported by the Arts Council, the Centre for Creative Practices, Common Ground, the Movement for Asylum Seekers in Ireland and the Office of Public Works

Ladies and Gentlemen

9 July – 7 August

A new body of work by Dublin-born artist,  Daragh Soden. A subversive series of large format portraits that examine gender roles, photographer-subject relationships and the performativity of identity. Presented as part of the 13th edition of the PhotoIreland Festival 2022.

Open daily 9.30am – 5.30pm. Last admission 4.45pm. Admission free.

PainThING

20 May – 26 June

These days death 

Open daily 9.30am – 5.30pm. Last admissions 4.45pm. Admission free.

Five Years

13 April – 2 May

An exhibition celebrating the brilliance of David Bowie. This collection was created by designer Cartoon Bowie over a five year-period (2016 – 2021). It draws inspiration from the songs Bowie wrote, the albums he produced, the videos he made and the movies he starred in. Bowie’s extraordinary output as an artist, his genre-hopping brilliance and perhaps the 20th century’s greatest style icon produced an abundance of source material for this collection. 

Memory is My Homeland

16 February 2022 –  20 March 2022

All Creatures Great and Small

15 December 2021 – 30 January 2022

Strangely Familiar Shades of Gray II

20 October  – 05 December

Inspired by Eileen Gray, architect and designer, Mary-Ruth Walsh explores the relationship between the two-dimensional blueprints of buildings and their three-dimensional realisation, describing the gap between the object, or the building, and its two-dimensional representation as being full of promises and denials, or realities and unrealities. Walsh’s work explores contemporary materiality and its relationship to the body. 

The exhibition is open Wednesday to Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday 9.30am – 5pm. Last admissions 4.15pm. Admission free. 

Diana Copperwhite Works on Paper 2018 – 2021 / Pathos, an exhibition of small works

14 August – 26 September

Paintings and drawings exploring and unifying the relationship between colours, gestures, figuration, and representation, with images from the internet, photographs and real life combining different visual strategies on the canvas and page. Also, Pathos, an exhibition of small works by Gereon Krebber (Germany), Aileen Murphy (Germany/Ireland), Geraldine O’Neill (Ireland), Alice Maher (Ireland), Lauren Bickerdike (Ireland), Royal Art Lodge (Canada), George Meerrtens (The Netherlands), Sinead Ní Mhaonaigh (Ireland) and Robert Armstrong (Ireland).

The exhibition is open daily and admission is free. Due to Covid19 restrictions it is advisable to book a time to visit at 01 493 9462 or rathfarnhamcastle@opw.ie

Bite the Hand That Feeds You

5 July-2 August

Mon-Sun 9:30am-5:30pm. Last admission 4.45pm. Booking advisable at 01 493 9462.
Artists Alan Phelan, Dániel Szalai, Gê Viana, Hans van der Meer, Hertta Kiiski, Ksenia Yurkova, and Sheng-Wen Lo

There is power in how we feed ourselves, with food being the cornerstone of cultures, ideologies, and principles. Eating or not eating can be an act of protest, feeding or not feeding — an act of control; food brings people together and pushes them apart. Through the presentation of current work and commissions, this year PhotoIreland Festival brings to audiences selected artists exploring this contentious, yet every day, topic.

With topics ranging from hospitality to colonisation, from hunger to overconsumption, trauma to technology, ethics to ideologies, to sustainability, and even surveillance capitalism, this exhibition brings together traditional and contemporary lens-based works, serving a cornucopia of engaging and relevant material.

PhotoIreland Festival 2021 is supported by the Arts Council of Ireland, Dublin City Council, and the Office of Public Works. Artists Hans van der Meer and Sheng-Wen Lo are additionally supported by the Mondriaan Fund and Hertta Kiiski by FRAME Finland.

Ceramics Ireland Selected Members’ Exhibition

5 June – 26 June 2021

This exhibition will feature a diverse range of ceramic work including functional, decorative, wall panels and sculptural forms. Selected by an independent panel, it will celebrate the creative practice of our members based throughout Ireland.

The exhibition is open daily and admission is free. Due to Covid19 restrictions it is advisable to book a time to visit at 01 493 9462 or rathfarnhamcastle@opw.ie.

A More Immortal Atlas

8 August – 20 September 2020

We are delighted to present A More Immortal Atlas, an exhibition of new work by Orla Whelan. This work explores the relationship between colour and form within the expanded conditions of contemporary painting. It is motivated by an existential anxiety, and by a belief that abstraction, in all its historical complexity, is a viable means to address metaphysical uncertainties. While Whelan’s practice is rooted in painting, she often uses non-traditional painting materials to refer to the materiality and tropes of painting. The wooden wedges which have become part of her artistic vocabulary, are a usually unseen element of traditional painting, whose function she has subverted, to become the surface of the painting. Using wood veneers on panel, she appropriates the traditional craft of marquetry to make contemporary paintings. The exhibition includes a large floor-based painting developed specifically for Rathfarnham Castle, as well as new large-scale paintings, a modified painting table, a series of small works and an experimental text.

The exhibition is open daily and admission is free. Due to Covid19 restrictions it is advisable to book a time to visit at 01 493 9462 or rathfarnhamcastle@opw.ie.

Silhouettes & Shadows

8 – 12 January 2020

Wednesday to Sunday 9.30am – 4.45pm

This Dublin Bowie Festival Exhibition features exquisite portraits and sculptures of David Bowie by UK-based artist Sara Captain and Italian artist Maria Primolan. These beautiful works are inspired by Bowie’s fascination with the Pre-Raphaelite Movement.

They went and saw a palace hanging from a silken thread…

1 March – 13 April 2020

Wednesday to Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday

Solo exhibition by Sven Sandberg presented by Berlin Opticians Gallery. Drawing on the traditions of portraiture, genre and landscape painting, Sandberg’s oil paintings take the form of portraits or figures in interiors and landscapes, referencing well-known art historical conventions and inspired by the connections between art history, film and literature. These cultural references and characteristics depict archetypal and imaginary subject matter, portraying types of people in particular situations rather than specific individuals.

Over Nature

Open daily until 21st December 2019

Group show that explores our relationships with others and how our futures are tied together. Curated by Valeria Ceregini, the exhibition features works by Shane Finan, Beata Piekarska-Daly, Mary O’Connor, Guillaume Combal, Louis Haugh and Kathy Herbert.

Runs until 21st December.

Open Wednesday to Sunday 10.30am – 5pm.

Admission free.

Ceramics Ireland Annual Selected Members Exhibition

21st September – 20th October 2019

Ceramics Ireland Selected Annual Members Exhibition will feature the work of makers from the four corners of the country. A diverse range of ceramic practice will be on show including functional, decorative, wall pieces and sculptural forms. Selected by an independent panel, the exhibition will feature the work of approximately 35/45 makers to be selected from 50/60 submissions. There will be something to interest everyone in this exhibition of over 120 pieces. Open daily throughout September. Open Wednesday to Sunday throughout October. Last admissions 45 minutes before closing.

NagOffsite Installation

5th July 2019 – 25th August 2019

Works by Helena Gorey, Kristina Huxley, Roseanne Lynch, Jane Proctor and Masahi Suzuki. Objects from the John Hutchinson collection. Curated by Mark St. John Ellis, this exhibition juxtaposes contemporary artworks and historical architecture, combining objects unrelated to contemporary art practice into a sympathetic aesthetic for the space. Founded in 2014, nagOffsite adopts a gallery philosophy in non-gallery spaces.

Tread Softly

22 July 2017 – 24 September 2017

In association with The Paul Kane Gallery, Tread Softly, a mid-career retrospective exhibition of the work of Michelle Rogers. Michelle’s work is heavily influenced by Caravaggio but focuses on contemporary issues of the world in crisis, human rights issues and environmental and ecological concerns. Admission to this thought-provoking and inspiring exhibition is FREE.

OPW 185

16 October 2016 – 2 April 2017

To mark 185 years since an Act of Parliament in Westminster established the Office of Public Works [OPW], a number of projects have been instigated by the OPW185 Project Team.

From 16th October 2016 to 2nd April 2017, an exhibition, OPW185, will be displayed at Rathfarnham Castle, Dublin. The exhibition attempts to demonstrate the breadth of public works and services carried out by generations of OPW staff over the 185 years. A Timeline has been designed that is 18.5 metres long, which illustrates the Government Acts that have directed the work of the OPW; the main events in each decade; significant projects; the Chairmen of the Office Public Works and world events impacting on Ireland.

The items and artefacts exhibited were all proposed, submitted or loaned by OPW staff, both current and retired, following a process of staff engagement in June/July 2016. These items/artefacts have been categorized loosely in relation to the tasks involved, such as Drawing, Measuring, Conserving and so forth. Illustrated short stories/reminiscences of OPW staff are also included.

A programme of associated events is planned to coincide with the exhibition at Rathfarnham Castle.

In addition, a catalogue of selected files and drawings held by the National Archives relating to the OPW, and CD-ROMs of similar material are held at the OPW Library, OPW Headquarters, Trim, Co. Meath.

It is hoped that this exhibition, and the availability of research material, will stimulate interest in the social history surrounding the provision of public works, and the work of the OPW.

Holger Hertwig Exhibition

April 1 – April 29, 2016

Wednesday – Sunday 10.30am – 5.30pm. Last admission 4.15pm.

An exhibition of paintings by German Expressionist artist Holger Hertwig. All the works in this exhibition are from the artist’s Ireland series. The proceeds of sales of the works will be donated by the artist to Crosscare, a charity which works with homeless people.

Admission to this exhibition is free. Please note admission fees apply to visit the castle or take a guided tour.

Brian Ballard Retrospective

Until 16 December 2015

This is a major solo exhibition by renowned artist Brian Ballard, a major milestone in the artist’s career – a fifty year retrospective of the work of Ballard who has lived and worked in the city of Belfast for the last seventy years. This keenly anticipated exhibition has been scheduled to coincide with the reopening of Rathfarnham Castle.

Brian Ballard was born in Belfast in 1943. He studied at Belfast College of Art (1961-64) and Liverpool College of Art (1964-65). After a year of teaching, he accepted a post as Exhibitions Officer for the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, where he stayed from 1966 to 1985. During this time, Ballard came into contact with many leading Irish and British artists, which gave him insight into the possibilities which could be open to him as a painter. He was given a sabbatical enabling him to travel and paint for a year. This proved a turning point in his painting career, and he subsequently left the Arts Council to paint full time. Ballard purchased a cottage on an island in Donegal in 1990, which became a retreat, and a source of inspiration for his work.

Marianne O’Kane Boal is a well-known curator and art and architecture critic. She has written extensively on these subjects over the past 15 years. She writes for the Irish Arts Review, Perspective, Living Design, Visual Artists Newsletter, Art Quarterly and Architecture Ireland. She served as a Director on the board of the Context Galleries, Derry for seven years and has been on the Editorial Committee of Perspective since 2003. She is former Visual Arts Officer for the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and has worked for the Office of Public Works in Dublin. She has curated over forty exhibitions including Exploring Spaces,’ 2014, Mid Antrim Museum at the Braid, ‘The Stories Buildings Tell,’ Balor Arts Centre, Donegal, 2011, ‘Two Minds: Ten Artists and Ten Architects’ Belfast and Dublin, 2007 and John Kindness Retrospective, Belfast, 2006. She is a member of AICA and Expert Advisor on Art for the Ministerial Advisory Group on Architecture and the Built Environment.

IAC Ceramics

2015

The modern ceramics displayed throughout the building originally formed part of an exhibition held in Dublin Castle in 2014 by members of the International Academy of Ceramics. They were subsequently donated by the artists involved to the Office of Public Works and it is intended to exhibit all of the donated pieces in a series of exhibitions. This first exhibition is inspired by historic references to the presence of fine ceramics in Rathfarnham Castle- the earliest reference dates back to 1604 and is found in the will of Archbishop Adam Loftus. Their presence in Rathfarnham Castle also recalls Austin Cooper’s account of a visit here in the late 18th century when he wrote ”…the Rooms are finished in a most superb manner, all profusely filled with elegant paintings, China Vases, Urns &c, &c”.

Recent excavations in the castle uncovered a treasure trove of 17th century ceramics. These finds included porcelain plates, bowls and cups some of which originated in China. Reflecting the international origin of the historic ceramics these modern ceramics also originate in many countries across the globe: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Israel, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Switzerland, USA and the UK.

Costume Exhibition Cover

The Berkeley Costume and Toy Collection

2011 – 2013

The Berkeley Costume and Toy Collection is an exquisite collection of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century toys, dolls, and costumes. The collection began as a private passion in Co. Wexford over twenty years ago by Irish artist and collector Countess Ann Griffin Bernstorff. The collection was gathered together over many decades from her own family trunks and from auctions and donations.

From 2011 to 2013, the exhibition was displayed in the elegant rooms of Rathfarnham Castle. Covering a period of some eighty years from 1740-1820, the exhibits range from rare and delicate artefacts to simple and robust playthings, and everyday garments of the past many of which were once owned by Irish families.

Some highlights from the exhibition are presented here. This exhibition is now on display in Castletown House, Celbridge, Co. Kildare.