Farmleigh Gallery

Farmleigh Gallery

Founded 2005
Location Farmleigh House and Estate, White’s Road, Phoenix Park, Dublin, D15 TD50
Website farmleigh.ie

The opening of Farmleigh Gallery in September 2005 marked a significant stage in the development of Farmleigh Estate’s facilities and its contribution to the cultural life of Dublin and Ireland. The existence of the Gallery supplements the substantial art collection in Farmleigh House itself, which is drawn from the OPW Government Art Collection, Guinness family artworks and loans from other art institutions including the National Gallery of Ireland. Once the Estate’s cow sheds, the Gallery building was stunningly transformed by Gerry Cahill Architects and the OPW to create an exhibition space which meets international curatorial and conservation standards. The Gallery’s programme has thus been opened up to attract significant exhibitions making it one of the most prominent exhibition spaces in Ireland.

Farmleigh Gallery works closely with national and international cultural and artistic bodies such as the Arts Council , Culture Ireland, Crafts Council of Ireland, Ceramics Ireland, the British Council and various embassies enabling the exhibition of works which are of artistic, cultural and historical importance. To date the Gallery has showcased many exhibitions one of the highlights being Venice At Farmleigh which showcased the work of Irish artist Gerard Byrne, alongside Turner-nominated Willie Doherty who represented Northern Ireland at the acclaimed Venice Biennale exhibition in 2007.

Farmleigh’s role in providing a residence for visiting Heads of State creates an opportunity for adding an international and public dimension to exhibitions at the Gallery. Past exhibitions include Treasures of Medieval Bulgaria (2005), Korean Art: Tradition, Modernity and Identity (2008) and Kaleidoscope: Contemporary Art from EU Member States which celebrated Ireland’s 2013 Presidency of the Council of the European Union.¹

History

To date the Gallery has showcased many exhibitions, one of the highlights being Venice At Farmleigh which showcased the work of Irish artist Gerard Byrne, alongside Turner-nominated Willie Doherty who represented Northern Ireland at the acclaimed Venice Biennale exhibition in 2007.

Traces of Peter Rice showcased the work of world-renowned, Dublin-born engineer Peter Rice (1935 – 1992). The exhibition featured many of the iconic buildings that Rice was involved with during his career at Arup Engineering including Centre Pompido in Paris, the Menil Collection in Houston and the Museum of Science and Industry at Parc de la Villette, Paris. Frank Brown: Through the Lens showcased the photographs of Cork-born Frank Browne, who took his first photographs during a European tour in 1897 prior to joining the Jesuit order. In 1912 he earned worldwide fame when his Titanic photographs were published by a host of newspapers. Undertaking only the first part of the voyage, thereafter Browne travelled the world, taking photographs in Europe, Australia, South Africa, Sri Lanka and at locations in Ireland. Sharing a theme, the Baltic Links exhibition showcased the work of designers and artists from the three Baltic countries including artifacts and items of costume, fashion and jewellery. This was an opportunity to bring to an Irish audience a fascinating glimpse into the immense cultural heritage of the Baltic States as well as an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the richness that Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian traditions bring to Irish society and cultural space.

Farmleigh’s role in providing a residence for visiting Heads of State creates an opportunity for adding an international and public dimension to exhibitions at the Gallery. Past exhibitions include Treasures of Medieval Bulgaria (2005), Korean Art: Tradition, Modernity and Identity (2008) and Kaleidoscope: Contemporary Art from EU Member States which celebrated Ireland’s 2013 Presidency of the Council of the European Union.