Exhibition brings together stunning work of Irish female artists

Penumbra

FE McWilliam Gallery and Studio, Banbridge

Until May 30

This week I want to consider an exhibition which looks specifically at the work of female contemporary artists.

Penumbra features the work of eight artists: Sinead Aldridge, Hannah Casey-Brogan, Susan Connolly, Sarah Dwyer, Fiona Finnegan, Alison Pilkington, Yasmine Robinson and Louise Wallace.

It was co-curated by Riann Coulter of the FE McWilliam Gallery and Louise Wallace of Ulster University.

The gallery states: “Penumbra brings together artists who are connected by their gender, their associations with the island of Ireland and their commitment to testing the limits of painting.

“Although the artists in Penumbra are united by their gender, their dedication to painting in its broadest sense, their varied connections to Ireland and Northern Ireland are also significant points of connection. Whether they live here, or elsewhere, each artist and their work has been shaped by their individual relationships to place.

“Ultimately, these artists share a commitment to exploring and expanding the definitions of painting and to engaging in the struggle to create work that is unique, relevant and meaningful.”

The McWilliam Gallery seldom disappoints and this show is no exception. My first mention is of Sinead Aldridge, whose pieces are always a delight, a sheer feast of colour and form.

Describing her art, she says: “My work is essentially a dialogue about the language of paint.”

This is a pure colourist speaking out in a language that pulls at the viewer, questioning and demanding attention — a language that is never dull or boring.

The other artist I wish to mention is Casey-Brogan. With a degree in Fine and Applied Art and a master of both Textile Design and Fine Art, she has exhibited worldwide.

Like Sinead Aldridge, Hannah works on small pieces, but with such command and understanding of colour and form you will find yourself completely absorbed by each and every piece.

As the gallery states, the show addresses: “The historical tendency for women artists to be overshadowed, which is particularly surprising in Ireland where pioneering female painters, including Mainie Jellett, Evie Hone, Mary Swanzy and Norah McGuinness, were at the forefront of the avant-garde who introduced international modernism to Irish audiences.

“Today, despite the majority of art students being female, women artists are still under-represented in many collections and exhibition schedules.”

The FE McWilliam Gallery and its curators are hugely successful in their attempt to address the above and, in so doing, bring to our attention an amazing collection of female artists associated with art on the island of Ireland.

Exhibiting until the end of May, you have no excuse not to visit this outstanding show.