Monster Truck
Founded 2006
Closure 2014
Location 73 Francis Street, Dublin 8
Website monstertruckstudio.com
Monster Truck Gallery and Studios was a non-commercial platform with a focus on facilitating challenging, engaging and innovative contemporary visual art practices. The organisation’s aim was to encourage and support emerging and early career visual artists and curators and was committed to bringing contemporary art and quality experiences to new and established audiences.1
History
Monster Truck Gallery and Studios was founded by a group of like minded artists and designer friends in 2006. The project was initiated through a desire to respond to what seemed like an endless flow of creatives who wanted to produce work, have exhibitions and make things happen. Their Francis Street space became the locus of these creative energies and offered an open space in which ideas could be nurtured and facilitated.
The gallery moved its activity to Dublin’s Temple Bar in mid 2010 and the new location in Temple Bar saw a shift from artist initiated projects to a fully curated programme. With support from Temple Bar Cultural Trust the gallery went through a major physical overhaul in 2012 in order increased wall space, simplify architectural features and improved the gallery’s ability to draw attention to floor based works.
The gallery closed its Temple Bar gallery in late 2013, after which the organisation returned to the liberties of Dublin where it focused on the provision of artist studios.2
Exhibitions
Selected exhibitions
- 2008, 18 – 29 July, Libertempo, Damien O’Connell, Monster Truck Gallery
- 2008, April 4th – April 15th, Let’Go, The Little Artists (Darren Neave and John Cake), Dara McGrath, Julie Merriman, Brendan Earley and Luci Lane, curated by Ruth Carroll
- 2008, April, Series 1 – Cuba 2008 – Images of the People and Street Photography, Patrick Donald
- 2008, 9th – 13th May, INSIGHTS: Photographs / Found Objects, Belgrade, Serbia, Patrick Anderson-McQuoid
- 2008, May 22nd, Commit to Memory, Edward Murphy.
- 2008, 6th – 28th October, Bye Bye Polaroid, Richard Gilligan.
- 2008, 6th – 18th November, Dirversions, Rhoda Cunningham, Tristan Fennell, Susan Gogan, Emer Fitzpatrick, Sarah Philp, Patrick Gleeson, Bríd Ní Luásaígh, Louise Cribbin and Niall O’Riordan.
- 2007, 22nd February – 26th February, Holga, Group Show
- 2007, 24th – 29th May, Wall:New Photographs from Israel and Palestine, Sam Irons
- 2007, 29th – 30th November, Many Countries, Raoul Empey
- 2007, December, Genius Loci Sense of Place, Louise Ward & Amy Walsh
- 2006, July, I am a Photograph, Adam Fearon
- 2006, August, Square One, Various Artists, curated by Richard Gilligan
