RDS Visual Arts Award – Limitless

Anyone who went along to any of the graduate shows this year will know the insane levels of talent that was on display. The RDS Visual Art Awards team longlisted the best 131 artists. By a process of application and a judging panel of five this was shortlisted to 13. The 13 works are on display in The Concert Hall in The RDS up until the 31st of October and if you can get there it is well worth the visit.

On Thursday I had a curator’s tour of the exhibition with the insanely talented artist and curator Alice Maher. She is witty and charming and brought us around the 13 works throwing up reflective questions all the time. She gave us an insight into the artist thought process but also spoke about the space in which the work was displayed and of course, how 13 so different works could relate to each other. She writes in her essay Space Invaders; “I believe the exhibition is respectful of those individual voices while at the same time drawing their conceptual links into a kind of visual concert that can be experienced by a new audience in a great historic space.” Alice can be seen below talking, (I wasn’t quick enough to get a shot of her dancing!) in NCAD graduate Aoife Dunne’s piece, Limitless.

I was so happy to see this work in the exhibition and I wasn’t the only one as it won second prize. As an artist, Aoife Dunne is concerned with the themes of perfection and fear of inadequacy. Aoife also works as a stylist and her interest and knowledge of costume really informs her work.

The piece is a mix of 2D and 3D and above all it is a dynamic full on colour explosion. As the viewer you are bombarded with images, you feel energised even if you are not sure quite why but above all the work is thrilling.

Explaining her work Aoife says;  “I like to build immersive environments, creating the perception of being physically present in a non-physical world. My installations are imaginative and theatrical, and so I hope people feel excited and inspired by them.”

I really don’t believe the photos do this work justice as it is an assault on the senses and just makes you want to move – if you can see it in real life then do.

If you want to find out a little more the links are below and until next time, keep flying that kite…

Kx

http://alicemaher.com/

http://www.aoifedunne.com/

http://www.rds.ie/Ireland-s-Philanthropic-Society/Our-Work/Projects/RDS-Visual-Art-Awards-(1)