Fascinating new artists’ book inspired by early twentieth-century Irish artists goes on show at National Gallery of Ireland
• Newly commissioned artwork by Alice Maher and Jamie Murphy; a response to the archives of artists that lived through the revolutionary period
• The first artists’ book commissioned by the Gallery and supported by ESB
On Saturday 15 October 2022, Memento Civitatem, a new collaborative artwork by visual artist Alice Maher and book artist Jamie Murphy, goes on display at the National Gallery of Ireland. The artists’ book is the first of its kind to be commissioned by the Gallery. Specifically designed for display in response to the upcoming Roller Skates & Ruins exhibition, this special work pays homage to a number of artists who lived through the social and political developments on the island of Ireland in the early 1900’s.
Inspired by the art, lives and beliefs of six Irish artists – Grace Gifford, Sarah Cecilia Harrison, Aloysius O’Kelly, William Orpen, Sarah Purser and Jack B. Yeats – Memento Civitatem looks to the past to explore Ireland’s contemporary relationship with culture, citizenship, imagination and activism. The artists’ book comprises 21 hand coloured images by Alice Maher that engage with various socio-political themes and concepts. In the format of tarot cards, the exquisite artworks explore themes such as ‘memory’ and ‘the collective’.
Creators of the artists’ book, Alice Maher & Jamie Murphy said: “Responding to the thoughts and actions of six early twentieth century artists, Memento Civitatem is the result of an extended period of research and reflection on the meaning of citizenship as a legacy of those times, in all its complex and sometimes conflicted readings for the citizens of contemporary Ireland.”
Donal Maguire, Curator, ESB Centre for the Study of Irish Art said: “Maher and Murphy’s extraordinary project, inspired by the archives of six historic Irish artists, looks back to Ireland’s revolutionary period and the formation of the Irish state, as a means to interpreting and reflecting on the challenges, uncertainties and hopes of our own world today.”
Bevin Cody, Corporate Reputation Manager, ESB said: “ESB is proud to support this special commission by the National Gallery of Ireland through our sponsorship of the ESB Centre for Study of Irish Art. It’s a great testament to a huge scope of the collections housed in the ESB CSIA relating to both the history of Irish art, and its cultural impact on Irish society, that has inspired this stunning new artwork from Alice Maher and Jamie Murphy.”
Commissioned on the occasion of the exhibition Roller Skates & Ruins, Memento Civitatem is supported by ESB, sponsor of the ESB Centre for the Study of Irish Art.
On Saturday 15 October 2022, Roller Skates & Ruins opens in Room 11 at the National Gallery of Ireland. This display is part of the Gallery’s contribution to the Government’s commemorative programme for the Decade of Centenaries (2021-2023). Admission is free.
Roller Skates & Ruins features sketchbooks, letters, memoirs, scrapbooks and illustrations drawn from the ESB Centre for the Study of Irish Art collections at the Gallery. Ranging from witty and irreverent to deeply poignant, this series of works offer a fresh insight into the artists’ daily lives, working conditions, political interests and individual reactions to the extraordinary events of the period c.1912–1923 in Ireland.
Media contacts:
Ciara Mooney, Communications, National Gallery of Ireland / [email protected]
Tanya Lawless, Communications, National Gallery of Ireland / [email protected]
Notes to Editor:
• For images, please email [email protected] or [email protected]
• Exhibition curators are available for interview, email [email protected]
Exhibition listing:
Roller Skates & Ruins / Memento Civitatem
Opens: 15 October 2022
Closes: 17 September 2023
Room 11, National Gallery of Ireland | Free admission
Curators: Andrea Lydon, Marie Lynch, Donal Maguire
ESB Centre for the Study of Irish Art
Established in 2002, the ESB CSIA houses a collection of manuscripts, publications, ephemera, digital items and other materials relating to individual artists and arts organisations associated with the history of Irish art. Formed over the course of the National Gallery of Ireland’s over 165-year history, it is one of the world’s most important and valuable resources for the study of Irish art. The ESB CSIA recognises the important place of artists’ books in Irish visual culture and is dedicated to expanding its collection and promoting the art form.
Alice Maher
Alice Maher makes visual art that touches on a wide range of subjects often reprising, challenging and expanding mythic, historic, and vernacular narratives. Her work spans drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, installation and moving image. She represented Ireland at the Sao Paolo Biennial in 1994. In 2012 the Irish Museum of Modern Art presented ‘Becoming’, a retrospective of the artists 30 year practice. She has made many collaborative works in theatre, dance and film. Her works can be seen in the collections of The Neuberger Museum, The Hammond Museum, The Irish Museum of Modern Art, The Fogg Museum, Museum of Fine Arts Boston, the British Museum and the Georges Pompidou Centre Paris. Alice Maher is represented by Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, Dublin.
Jamie Murphy
Jamie Murphy operates under the imprint of The Salvage Press, making books with particular attention to concept, materials and fine printing. At The National College of Art & Design his focus with students is on book-making and typographic experimentation. Collaborating with artists from diverse disciplines he produces book projects which are predominantly of Irish interest. Jamie has exhibited and spoken broadly about his work and has been the recipient of several major international awards. His books reside in private, public and institutional collections across the globe including Columbia, Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, The Library of Congress, The Getty Research Institute, The British Library, Yale, and closer to home at the National Library of Ireland, National Irish Visual Arts Library, National Gallery of Ireland, Trinity College, UCD, and UCC.
Visitor information at the National Gallery of Ireland:
No booking required – the permanent collection and many temporary exhibitions are free for all to enjoy. Tickets are required for some temporary exhibitions – currently on display is Turner: The Sun is God. For tickets and opening hours, see nationalgallery.ie.
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.