Pat Curran—Home

About

Opening reception: 6–8pm Thursday 23rd September
Register a time for the preview here
Exhibition continues: Friday 24th September – Saturday 9th October
Gallery open: 12–6pm, Thursday–Saturday

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Pallas Projects/Studios are pleased to present Pat Curran—Home the eighth exhibition of our 2020/21 Artist-Initiated Projects programme.

'Most of the subjects and ideas for my paintings come from my own lived experience and ideas surrounding social and political topics that are relevant to wider conversations on social justice and cultural expression.  The source of this work has predominantly been peoples lived experience. I invite people to share with me their own images which are often of individuals on the margins, people who are often excluded from society, or have been historically made invisible in the cities visual representation.

At the moment I am based at the Lodge with Common Ground and my paintings are of St Michael’s Estate. I started my series of St Michael’s with a painting called ‘Eric’. The subject ‘Eric’ is overlooking St Michaels Estate, Inchicore Dublin 8,  the site of Richmond Barracks. This land is synonymous with the 1916 Rising. It is where the prisoners including the signatories of the proclamation were housed before execution in the building where you now stand. The powerlessness in the eyes of ‘Eric’ reflect the hopeless feeling people of this land have felt since it was Richmond Barracks, Keogh Square or St Michael’s.

Since 2016 my studio based practice has moved towards a more expanded investigation. It is also about my lived experience as an artist from this city. I like to talk to local people and through conversation I engage with them and explore their memories and relationship to the city. I create new paintings in response to these conversations.   My most recent paintings include Fatima Mansions, Dolphin House and St Michael’s Estate.  I have been based as an artist in residence on and off with Common Ground since I started with CITIZEN ARTIST.  I now have a studio at the Lodge with Common Ground.  Being located with Common Ground offers me a rich source of material and access to local people and groups. This is really valuable to me.

My paintings continue to position and reflect on the wider conversation of social justice and cultural expression.  It is my intention and ambition that this work will contribute to and expand a social archive through painting of life in Dublin city, particularly the loss of social housing and flat life in the city.'

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Pat Curran grew up in Dolphin House flats, Dolphin’s Barn and the Liberties, he now lives in Ballyfermot with his wife Breda and son Luke. Pat has two older children and two grandchildren.  An early school leaver Pat returned to formal education in early middle age, this turn around in Pat’s life was precipitated by the arrival of his youngest son Luke.  In 2014 Pat graduated from NCAD with an MFA in painting.  Pat’s open studio practice is an exchange between him and local people. His work reflects how inner city Dublin life is changing and how it contributes to a wider conversation about class, social justice and access to artistic expression.  Pat often paints on found and collected objects that have a relevance to his painting subjects. In 2019 Pat exhibited in Rua Red’s Winter Open and the group show CITIZEN ARTIST at Kilmainham Courthouse. Pat’s works are also housed in the Office of Public Works Collection – Dept. of Taoiseach and the Irish Centre for Human Rights, NUI Galway.

Pat was resident in studio 468, St Andrew’s Community Centre Rialto from 2017 – 2018 and is now based in the Lodge, Inchicore, Dublin 8 with Common Ground. 

About Common Ground:

Common Ground is an arts development organisation that works across Dublin 8. Since 1999 we have worked to progress a diverse cultural model that embraces the challenging social and economic realities of our neighbourhood locations. We continue to challenge and change how access to the arts should not depend on where you’re born, your wealth or identity. In Autumn 2019 Common Ground became the cultural tenant of the Lodge at Goldenbridge Cemetery, Inchicore, Dublin 8 and is currently hosting Pat Curran as artist in residence from September 2019 to March 2022.

Email: info@commonground.ie  Website: www.commonground.ie

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Artist-Initiated Projects at Pallas Projects/Studios is an open-submission, annual gallery programme of 10 x 3-week exhibitions taking place between March and November 2020. This unique programme of funded, artist-initiated projects selected via open call is highly accessible to artists, with a focus on early career, emerging artists and recent graduates. Projects are supplemented with artists' talks, texts, workshops or performances, and gallery visits by colleges and local schools.

Artist-Initiated Projects aims to act as an incubator for early careers, and support artists' practices at crucial stages, providing a platform for artists to produce and exhibit challenging work across all art forms. The model of short-run exhibitions with a relatively short turnaround time of 3–6 months is an alternative to the normal institutional model, where the process of studio visit to exhibition can take several years. Shorter lead-in times allow the programme to be quick and responsive, reflect what artists are currently making, and encourage experimentation and risk-taking.

Pallas Projects/Studios Artist-Initiated Projects is funded by The Arts Council