NADEZDA’S FIRST SOLO EXHIBITION IN IRELAND
A BANGLADESHI-BORN artist living in Wexford is enjoying her first solo Irish exhibition which will continue at the Pigyard Gallery in Spectrum art shop until May 19.
Nadezda Kakoli, pictured below, who came to Ireland from Wales two years years ago with her husband Dr Shahidul Islam, is showing 30 new original watercolour paintings of landscape and delicate still life of flowers and fruit inspired by nature.
Nadezda completed a foundation in arts at the Institute of Fine Arts in Dhaka before receiving a scholarship to study oil painting at the National Institute of Fine Arts in Hangzhou, China.
She then travelled to Japan with her husband for his PhD degree and had her first ever solo exhibition entitled ‘Fantasy of Colour and Line’ at the Hashimoto Gallery in Fukuoka shi in Japan in 2003. She was delighted at that time to have the renowned artist Kubo Sensei as a mentor as she began her freelance artistic career.
The couple moved to the UK in 2005 and later settled in Monmouth, Wales. Nadezda qualified as an art teacher with Royal Forest of Dean College in Gloucestershire University.
In July 2016, Nadezda and her husband came to Wexford where Shahidul is working in Future Nutrition as part of Donohoe Beverages in Enniscorthy. The couple live in Redmond Square where Nadezda is happy to have a view of Wexford Harbour, an amenity that provides her with a constant source of inspiration.
‘I am inspired by seeing the water in Wexford Harbour which I can gaze at through my window every day as well as the natural harbour at the mouth of the River Slaney. Seeing the water makes me happy’.
She was initially hesitant about moving here as she had made a lot of contacts in the artistic commuinity in Wales but after being invited over to see the area by Siobhan Donnelly, CEO of Future Nutrition, and director John Kickham, her doubts disappeared. Ms Donnelly had the honour of officially opening Nadezda’s exhibition last week.
‘Siobhan and John invited us over and showed us around Wexford and that changed my mind as it is such a welcoming place. I’m really happy here now’.
Nadezda has also shown work in the Art in the Open Festival. NEW ROSS STANDARD RIFF RAFF Theatre Company is presenting Wexford playwright Natasha O’Brien’s play Shayma Kamar in the Jerome Hynes Theatre at the National Opera House from Thursday, May 17, to Saturday, May 19, at 8 p.m. each night with a matinee for groups on Friday, May 18, at 1 p.m.
Shayma Kamar is the story of one woman’s journey as a refugee in the Syrian War and stars Natasha alongside Finbarr Delaney and Lekan Akinyemi. It is produced by Wexford-based Catherine Richard of Dame Media.
Natasha is a local playwright with an interest in writing human stories. Her previous work includes ‘Parity of Pretence’ which was stages in the National Opera House and ‘Against All Odds’ which was written for International Women’s Day. She has worked as an actor and director in television, film and theatre for the past 16 years.
Riff Raff Theatre was established in Wexford as a professional fringe company exploring new work and new directions in theatre. The company cut its teeth on the production of original works by director Michael Way at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and is part of the Theatre Workshop in Wexford. FANS of the legendary Irish rock band Aslan are looking forward to their gig in Dun Mhuire Theatre on bank holiday Sunday night next, May 6. Fronted by Christy Dignam with Joe Jewell, Billy McGuinness, Alan Downey and Rodney O’ Brien, the band received a great Wexford welcome in the Spiegeltent last October. Many of their songs have become Irish classics including This Is, Crazy World and Too Late for Hallelujah. Aslan will be supported by Cornerboy and Máca, formerly the Carthy Sisters.