Speech by the Taoiseach, Mr. Bertie Ahern, T.D., at the Reopening of the Limerick City Gallery of Art and the opening of an Art Exhibition by Seán Lynch and a touring show by Pat Hall on Friday, 2 February, 2007 at 6.00pm
I am delighted to be with you in the Limerick City Gallery of Art for a triple celebration of art and artistic endeavour. Limerick has long been known for its promotion of and contribution to the arts - a contribution that spans the spectrum from music to the visual arts, drama, literature and even comedy. I say triple celebration because not only are we marking the reopening of the gallery, but in doing so, we are also celebrating the works of two Irish artists - Seán Lynch and Pat Hall.
The popularity enjoyed by the Limerick City Gallery of Art in the life of this community and in the arts nationally is reflected brilliantly today with these two exhibitions. They provide a perfect backdrop to the occasion of its reopening. And I would like to congratulate both Sean and Patrick on their extensive displays.
The French Impressionist, Edgar Degas once said, “Art is not what you see, but what you make others see”. At the time, he was perhaps thinking of painting and sculpture. But this holds true for photography and artifact collections too. Through these media, the mundane can be portrayed in a new light, giving viewers a refreshing perspective on numerous topics.
Seán’s exhibition – entitled Retrieval Unit, does just that. It is thought provoking. It is original. Indeed Retrieval Unit could be described as an excavation of Irish cultural and social history and a study of contemporary Ireland. Seán is taking a retrospective look at the changing face of our society in all of its shades. He does so by selecting events that he feels constitute intriguing or pinnacle moments in Irish life. He invites us to re-examine them and assess how they have helped to shaped Irish life today. It is for us to interpret and evaluate them for ourselves. The complexity of Irish society and its many milestones is clear from the curious range of presentations. Some will evoke a sense of irony, others humour, still more a sense of transience or poignancy as they are set against the prevailing cultural trends. Indeed, the diversity of themes ultimately makes a significant statement on the extent of change we are witnessing in modern Ireland.
Art is about expressing meaning and ideas. It is about revealing a vision or a concept. It is about celebrating life through beauty, nature, human emotions and life’s ups and downs. And there is no doubting its unparalleled scope to do this very effectively.
And one of the wonderful things is how many different creative paths an artist can take without overlapping with the styles or ideas of others. By contrast to Seán’s, Patrick Hall’s exhibition celebrates his life’s work over 50 years. Unusually it was not Patrick himself who selected the works. The curator was fellow artist – Isobel Nolan. Again, it shows great variety in subject matter, style and approach. Patrick is a very fine painter whose work spans a lifetime. No artist’s style stands stiIl. It evolves with life’s experiences. Patrick’s paintings reflect this along with the versatility he acquired over the years. The overriding theme is the inner life and the urge to use art to address emotions and communicate ideas openly and honestly with the great capacity art provides. This exhibition is part of a touring show run by the Gallery in collaboration with the Model Arts and Niland Gallery. I am pleased that people from other communities will have the opportunity to view the exhibition too. I have no doubt there will be keen interest shown in it.
The fact that both Seán and Patrick originally hail from neighbouring counties shows the richness of artistic endeavour to be found here in Munster. Both are very active and accomplished artists. Their respective exhibitions demonstrate the power art has as a vehicle of expression for many different aspects to life especially when talent and creativity are present. You have certainly highlighted the Gallery’s potential as it adds a new chapter to the arts in Limerick.
The arts play a crucial role in encouraging society to address the profound changes that the pace of modern life brings. Of course this touches on Seán's theme here today. But there is no doubt that the arts in particular can facilitate people to adjust and flourish in an Ireland that is so very different to the one which most of us were born into. Events such as today provide a way for communities to come together, to express themselves and to voice aspirations and dreams. It is through culture that we share inspiration, understanding, motivations and aspirations.
This Government has invested extensively in arts facilities all over the country in recent years. Under the first round of ACCESS, almost €43 million has been allocated to 40 arts and cultural facilities. The facilities supported include theatres, museums and multi-purpose arts centres, making a real difference to popular participation in and access to the arts. Indeed, applications for a second round of the scheme are currently being assessed. ACCESS II will run from 2007 to 2009 and will provide a further impetus to the development of arts and culture facilities.
The city of Limerick has fared well economically and socially thanks to the energy and pro-active character of its people. With the development of this wonderful venue you have further enhanced the social and cultural fabric of Limerick and provided it with a centre of excellence for the display of the arts.
I am already familiar with the excellent work of the Limerick City Gallery. The Government recently provided it with funding under the capital grant scheme and a further grant was made available under the National Disability Strategy in recognition of your work. I understand that your application for funding under ACCESS II has been submitted. The outcome of this will be known in March. I know that you are planning ahead. It is an exciting time and a turning point with the building itself now a century old. I have no doubt that for many years to come, the Limerick City Gallery will stand as a monument to a cultured community with self-belief, vision, energy and commitment. My congratulations go to Mike Fitzpatrick and all of his team. May I wish you all every success.
Thank you.
ENDS