Embracing Vision: Celebrating 100 Years of the Friends of the National Collections of Ireland

Embracing Vision:
Celebrating 100 Years of the Friends of the National Collections of Ireland
6 July 2024 – 23 November 2024
Upper Gallery

Embracing Vision marks the centenary of the Friends of the National Collections of Ireland (FNCI). This exhibition showcases works gifted to the Drogheda Municipal Art Collection by the FNCI since the Collection’s inception in 1946.

The exhibition is organised by a curatorial research group in Highlanes Gallery, comprised of teachers from secondary and initial teacher education settings.  In this, the fourth exhibition organised within this project, the group have selected from the works of the FNCI from the Collection, as well as other art works including a selection of filmed poems commissioned by Poetry Ireland / Éigse Éireann in partnership with the Adrian Brinkerhoff Poetry Foundation, IMMA , ANU, Landmark and MoLI, and works by contemporary visual artists.

The Friends of the National Collections of Ireland (FNCI) are a charitable foundation, formed a century ago, in 1924, by the painter Sarah Purser and a group of like-minded philanthropist friends. The group understood the need to support the development of the national collection through the acquisition of important art and objects. The FNCI’s objective was to ensure the representation of both modern European painting and contemporary Irish artists in public institutions through the donation of work to galleries and museums throughout Ireland and furthermore supporting the education and enjoyment of the public.

Highlanes Gallery has greatly benefitted from FNCI’s generosity, receiving a selection of artworks in a variety of media, including oil paintings, works on paper, and sculptural work. Notable artists whose works have been gifted to the Drogheda Municipal Art Collection include René Brault, Jerome Connor, Sylvia Cooke-Collis, Beatrice Glenavy, Jack Hanlon, Evie Hone, Mainie Jellet, Dany Lartigue, William Leech, Ferenc Martyn, William Mulready, Andrew O’Connor, Bea Orpen, Mervyn Peake, and Nano Reid.

Alongside the FNCI works, this exhibition features contemporary artists Selma Makela, Francis Matthews, and Anna O’Leary and the filmed poetry readings of the work of Sarah Clancy, Sasha Terfous, and Molly Twomey, commissioned by Poetry Ireland / Éigse Éireann in partnership with the Adrian Brinkerhoff Poetry Foundation, IMMA , ANU, Landmark and MoLI.

Through the exhibition, the curatorial panel explores the aspirations of the FNCI and the impact of its ambition on Ireland’s growing sense of cultural and national identity. The FNCI demonstrated in their acquisitions for museums and galleries, their ambition to represent movements in art, even those that sometimes challenged and confronted their own understandings. This cultural initiative, shaped during a period of significant national transformation, mirrors Ireland as it emerged post-colonisation and began developing an independent state. This centenary is an opportunity to reflect on that journey and to examine our ongoing vision for the future.

Embracing Vision delves into themes of displacement, identity, growing agency and a sense of place with and within Europe and the world. It asks us to examine how Ireland’s cultural and social landscapes have evolved. It seeks to connect viewers to their environment, and explore how sense of landscape continues to influence contemporary identity.

In line with the FNCI founders’ original ambition to educate through exposure to contemporary art, Highlanes Gallery’s Artist – Teacher – Researcher Curatorial Panel aims to inspire and challenge viewers, fostering connections and commonalities that pave the way for a shared future.

The FNCI continues to support the acquisition of artworks, even in a market where major artists’ works are increasingly expensive, their role remains crucial. The FNCI’s efforts ensure that Irish museums and galleries are supported to present a diverse and rich array of art, nurturing public appreciation and education in the arts.

Embracing Vision: Celebrating 100 Years of the Friends of the National Collections of Ireland continues until Saturday 23^rd November.

Artist – Teacher – Researcher Curatorial Team – Eileen Brennan, Kieran Gallagher, Bairbre Geraghty, Veronica Lavin, Ciarán Power, Roisin O’Sullivan.

Exhibiting Artists & Poets – René Brault, Sarah Clancy, Jerome Connor, Sylvia Cooke-Collis, Beatrice Glenavy, Jack Hanlon, Evie Hone, Mainie Jellet, Dany Lartigue, William Leech, Selma Makela, Francis Matthews, Ferenc Martyn, William Mulready, Andrew O’Connor, Anna O’Leary, Bea Orpen, Mervyn Peake, Nano Reid, Sasha Terfous, Molly Twomey.