Find inspiration in art this year with the National Gallery of Ireland

New online art appreciation course inspired by Mondrian begins next week

Join the National Gallery of Ireland on an online journey from Impressionism, through Cubism, to the advent and evolution of abstract art. Breaking the Mould, a brand new online art appreciation course, begins on 14 January 2021. Limited spaces available online.

Kick off the new year with art on an 8-week online course with art historian Jessica Fahy at the National Gallery of Ireland. Inspired by popular exhibition Mondrian, the course will examine various artists and their diverse approaches: from Wassily Kandinsky’s spiritually inspired ‘colour music’ to Jackson Pollock’s macho action paintings. Participants will also take an in-depth look at Dutch painter Piet Mondrian, one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century. Abstract art works by Irish artists within the National Gallery of Ireland’s collection will also be discussed and placed within the context of this important twentieth-century art movement.

Media contact:
Kate O’Leary, Communications, National Gallery of Ireland [email protected] / 087 334 1587

Notes to Editor:

• Images are available on request. 
• Joanne Drum (Education Team, National Gallery of Ireland) is available for interview.

Course information:

• Price: €140 (20% discount for Friends of the Gallery; 10% discount for students and those aged over 65). Booking closes the day before the event. 
• Dates and time: Thursdays, from 4pm to 5.15pm. The dates of the course are: 14 January 2021, 21 January, 28 January; 4 February, 11 February, 18 February, 25 February; 4 March. 
• Format: This course will take place online via ZOOM. For those unavailable for the live online lectures, all sessions will be recorded and sent to ticketholders each week. The sessions will be available for one week after they take place. Participants will also be sent course notes and slide lists. 
• ZOOM details: Once you have booked your ticket, you will receive a confirmation e-mail. The link for the ZOOM event will be sent the day before the first session. 
• UCD course: In partnership with the UCD School of Access and Lifelong Learning, a second course will run on the above dates from 2pm to 3.15pm. Tickets for this second course may be booked directly with UCD.

Exhibition information:
Mondrian is currently closed as part of the Gallery closure under Level 5 restrictions.
The exhibition is supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. 

About the National Gallery of Ireland:
The National Gallery of Ireland is one of the country’s most popular visitor attractions housing the nation’s collection of European and Irish art from about 1300 to the present day, and an extensive Library & Archive. Entry to the collection is free for all to enjoy, learn and be inspired.

About Jessica Fahy:
Jessica Fahy is a freelance Art Historian, she is on the lecturer and guide panels for the National Gallery of Ireland, the Hugh Lane Gallery and UCD School of Access and Lifelong Learning. She gives both private and public talks and tours across Ireland, abroad and online covering all areas of Western Art from the 14th century to the present day. She has a MLitt in Art History from UCD where she also received her undergraduate degree with English as her joint major. She completed her MA in Italian Renaissance Art at the Courtauld Institute of Art in London in 2007.

National Gallery at Home:
Whilst the National Gallery of Ireland is closed, there are many ways to engage with the national collection online. ‘National Gallery at Home’ includes videos, Works of the Day, Mindfulness and Art, and at-home activities connected to the national collection. Virtual tours of iconic spaces such as the Shaw Room and the Grand Gallery, as well as exhibitions Irish Horse and Murillo: The Prodigal Son Restored, can also be explored from home. A special online version of the Mondrian exhibition, Exclusive Curator’s Tour: Mondrian Online is available on demand. Find out more at www.nationalgallery.ie