New art acquisitions

Posted on: 06 April 2017

Over 200 new works have been added to the University’s art collections in the past decade, 90% of which are by living artists, and 80% of all the artists represented are completely new to our collections. The majority of the works have been generously donated by artists, alumni, current and former staff, and patrons of the visual arts in Ireland and abroad.

In the current academic year there have been nearly thirty new art acquisitions with a special focus on the first ever Provost's Fund for Contemporary Art.

Commenting on the additions, Catherine Giltrap, Curator of the University art collections said: “In recent years, we have sought to increase our ability to purchase directly from artists and galleries; something which has been supported in a modest but sustained capacity for nearly 60 years by fees collected from the annual ‘College Gallery Art Hire Scheme’. The Hire Scheme continues to create an ever-stronger virtuous circle of engagement with, and the expansion of, the collections”.

“Building on this tradition, we are hugely encouraged by the new Provost’s Fund for Contemporary Art, enabling an emboldened and more inclusive approach to collecting and immersing ourselves in contemporary creativity. By integrating these new acquisitions throughout the campus and in focused displays we hope to ‘open up’ or enable new kinds of opportunities – or apertures – for contemplation, creative connections, stimulation and inspiration,” Catherine continued.

A new temporary group exhibition, 'APERTURES – creating NEW, collecting NOW', runs until mid-May 2017 in the Arts Building, after which all the artworks will be placed on semi-permanent display throughout the main and satellite campuses.

The exhibition comprises four panels with a total of ten new artists to the collections including those purchased from the Provost's new Fund for Contemporary Art (Ailbhe Ní Bhriain, Amanda Coogan, Ramon Kassam, Gavin O'Curry, Niamh O'Malley and Margaret Corcoran), pictures acquired with College Gallery Art Hire Scheme fees, and recent donations connected to the Douglas Hyde Gallery.