Mary Carty

If you are in Carlow make sure you see Lithosphere by Eileen Mac Donagh in VISUAL opening February 5th. Eileen works with very large scale sculpture and has created a forest of 8 metre high trees. As well as showcasing other work in timber, gemstones and stone; this exhibition is a retrospective of over 30 years work. This image from Cathy Fitzgerald shows the scale and the beauty of Eileen’s work as it is being installed. Just wonderful. Eileen will discuss her work on 19th February and 24th March at 3pm in VISUAL. Tickets are €5 so make sure you book your spot.

FEBRUARY 05 – MAY 07

EILEEN MACDONAGH : LITHOSPHERE FROM 5TH FEB 2012

Working locally to Carlow for the past 21 years MacDonagh has made a tremendous contribution to the arts nationally and internationally. LithoSphere presents new work by the artist and surveys a career that has been dedicated to the tender command of elements; stone, timber and the geometries found in nature.

This exhibition is for VISUAL the most ambitious installation of an artist’s work to date. Echoing MacDonagh’s Medusa Tree (2009) which sits in the forecourt of VISUAL and the George Bernard Shaw Theatre, the artist has created a forest of 8 metre high trees, taking on the scale the Main Gallery, the largest white gallery space in the country. Alongside this installation other works will illustrate the breadth of her career to date. This is a unique opportunity to experience sculpture in facilities that were designed to showcase the immense affect of large scale work.

Eileen MacDonagh (b. Sligo, 1956) has been working as a sculptor for over thirty years. She has participated in Sculpture Symposia all over the world and has completed almost 20 public art commissions around Ireland. In 2004 she was elected to the Aosdána and stands as one of the countries pre eminent artists working with stone. MacDonagh lives and works in Athy, Co Kildare.

A case bound full colour catalogue with texts by Canadian art critic John Grande and arts advisor Jenny Haughton will support this exhibition.

Image (C) Cathy Fitgerald.