The Creative Well presents Creating Space An exhibition of works from The Open Studio The Creative Well arts and wellbeing project has run Open Studio at the Riverbank Arts Centre for the past five years facilitating an inclusive space for adults interested in visual art. At the weekly sessions, an experienced facilitator has been on
Face to Face Exhibition by 5th year students from The Curragh Post Primary School Creative Engagement Project with artist Paul Woods This exhibition is a culmination of a Creative Engagement project involving the 5th year students from the Curragh Post Primary School and visual artist Paul Woods. The students were encouraged to explore their inner
Photos by Harald Hauswald Text/Curation by Stefan Wolle Remembering the 30th anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall, this photography exhibition powerfully portrays everyday situations in the GDR. Harald Hauswald images feature run-down façades, punks and ordinary workers, he simply wanted to document everyday life — without knowing that the Berlin Wall would one
'In Transition' is an exhibition by Transition Year students from St. Farnan's Post Primary School, Prosperous, Co. Kildare, which took as its starting point the work of iconic photographers including Michael Kenna, Steve Mc Curry and Eliot Porter. Students conducted research and were encouraged to be inspired and influenced by these photographic styles and/or themes,
From lines on maps to drinking coffee, knowledge and power are integral to this work. The State of RoY, the first solo exhibition by Michelle McBride, explores entrenched notions of history, tradition and destruction. What is now the Republic of Yemen has had a long and changeable history. Yemen borders the entrance of ‘The Gates
In 2021 The Creative Well and “This Must Be the Place” will celebrate 10 years of arts and health in Kildare. So this year we will be gathering The Well, its participants and its work since its inception to create a celebratory publication for our 10-year anniversary. The Creative Well visual arts programme of work
SPACE TO PLAY is, an interactive, free-play space designed by Orla Kelly of Early Childhood Creativity in collaboration with Little Bigtop. Activities include a wide array of sensory play activities to explore light and dark, phones that link you to the sounds of outer space, soft planet reading rugs and mini rocket making. This exhibition in the McKenna
Kildare Art Collective & Friends present a collaborative project developed as a platform to process and document our lives throughout these strange times, while creating an opportunity for communication, conversation and crossover between disciplines. Participating artists worked collaboratively exchanging ideas and working together using alternative methods of communication such as email, letter, carrier pigeon, phone
McKenna Gallery - reopens 8th June Open Monday - Friday, 10am-2pm ADMISSION FREE Tina Claffey loves to get 'lost' in the bogs, eskers and wetlands of Ireland with her macro lens. Her latest solo show takes the viewer through a portal to other wondrous worlds that co-exist with us through her macro lens. Lichens become
70 photos in 70 days, made entirely at home while in lockdown during a global pandemic. Quarantine Project is a time capsule from one of the most unique periods of recent history. We never imagined we would be making more than a handful of images, assuming any ‘lockdown’ may last two or three weeks. As
Beneath | Beofhód is a long term photographic series observing the raised bogs of the Irish midlands and the culture around them. Beofhód; an Irish word translating as 'life beneath the sod', allows modern excavations on bogs to be re-imagined as an archaeology of history and legacy, adding a vital layer of symbolism and metaphor
Join Shane Hynan for an informal tour of his photographic series Beneath | Beofhód at the McKenna Gallery. Shane will be available to discuss his work, what it’s about and the wider context in which it was made. Beneath | Beofhód is a long term photographic series observing the raised bogs of the Irish midlands
Bogs are many things to many people. They are a latent source of energy, a refuge, a carbon sink and an archive of history. As islands surrounded by pastoral land they’re often undervalued and misunderstood. They are living, breathing ecosystems with the power to absorb and reveal the past, with resurfacing iron age bog bodies
'Invisible Cords' is a collection of artwork developed by Kildare based Visual Artist Clodagh Kelly over the last ten years. Clodagh uses drawing, mixed media and natural materials to explore health, landscape, healing and form in space. This exhibition draws from three bodies of artwork 'Scratched Room', 'Cruel Nature' and 'Boundaries' allowing the underlying invisible
‘Sacred Conversation’ explores the seen and unseen cords that underlay our instinctual engagement with art and humanity, the spoken and unspoken words between people. Clodagh Kelly (Visual Artist) and Claire Hawkes (Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist) will discuss the ‘Sacred Conversations’ which permeate our conscious and unconscious interactions with art and humanity. Chris McMahon (The Treatment Room) will
This exhibition is an immersive installation inviting you to “get lost in art” and to enter an illuminated space filled with rich colour and light. The pieces are inspired by the beauty of nature and made with discarded ‘rubbish’ of our wasteful society. The exhibition combines new and re-invented creations. Some sculptures invite the visitors
normal /ˈnɔːm(ə)l/ Following the success of ‘Small Steps’, outdoor exhibition for June Fest 2021, Kildare Art Collective returns with an exhibition of new work, 'Normal', bringing the collective back within the walls of the McKenna Gallery. For this show, artists interpret what Normal means to them. Featuring a diverse range of media such as video,
Riverbank Arts Centre welcomes artist Caoimhe McGuckin to the McKenna Gallery with her first solo exhibition Fathom. "Measurement is an ordering principle we use to understand and orient ourselves in time and space. We need dimensions to help us make sense of an otherwise chaotic existence. Tools of measurement serve as reliable objects that keep us in line
Dētrīmentum is a video and photographic installation by Kildare artist Katie Whyte. A Latin word meaning harm, loss, or damage, Dētrīmentum is an exploration of the journey of an object from an intact historical/archival piece, to an object that has fallen into disrepair and out of the collective memory. This installation focuses on presenting hidden
In 2022 artist Clodagh Kelly led an artist residence programme at Riverbank Arts Centre, supported by the Kildare County Council Arts Service First Fortnight Award, in partnership with First Fortnight. Women of diverse ages, arts experiences and social backgrounds participated in the residency which resulted in Freedom of Choice - a body of work which
Curated by visual artist Clodagh Kelly, Freedom of Choice exhibition offers a glimpse into the lives of ten women. Created by ten participating artists, the exhibition explores a range of topics including mental health, psychiatry and journeys of healing, nature, fertility, childbirth, visibility, homelessness and violence. Join the artists for a panel discussion (7pm) prompted by
The most familiar space, the one that has been the stimulus for much artistic enquiry, be it visual or otherwise, has been the domestic. Our earliest and most formative experiences are shaped or re-framed at different times and for different reasons as a kind of ‘visual laboratory’. Brenda Brady A Cast of Paintings features small works
Come along and explore artwork from Kildare County Council’s Municipal Art Collection (MAC) established in the 1970’s. The collection normally displayed in public buildings across the county, has been revisited, and a selection of work has been especially curated for this exhibition. A municipal collection is a body that is in the process of becoming
Kildare Art Collective return to the McKenna Gallery in June as part of June Fest with a group exhibition featuring the work of 15 collective members. Unseen reveals what we generally do not, or cannot, see. This prompts us to question the invisible, the obscured and the unnoticed. In this exhibition Kildare Art Collective take
Our Place playfully explores themes of happiness, human rights, and a sense of belonging by transforming the McKenna Gallery at Riverbank Arts Centre into a friendly multi-sensory environment through an electric combination of sound art, storytelling, tactile lighting, touchable sculptures and comfy seating for everyone to enjoy. A soundscape will play through a system of
Kildare based artist Gavin Casey investigates the intrinsic relationship between colour and sound, and its representation in art. Gavin’s exploration into this realm began in 2001 while studying Fine Art at Dublin Institute of Technology (now TU Dublin). Here, Gavin mapped vivid colours to the sounds of an African percussion instrument called the ‘Djembe’. These
This Culture Night, join us for an evening of Visual Art, with Virtual and Augmented Realities; an immersive experience into Gavin Casey’s art exhibition SOUND | CODE | IMAGE. It will be a multi-sensory experience for all ages. Highly encouraged for anyone looking to learn more about the overlap between art and the digital realm!
This exhibition examines the contemporary and historical practice of folk medicine in Ireland. Drawing from personal interviews and archival research, traditional plant lore is combined with magico-religious beliefs about ‘the cure’, inherited healing abilities, the concept of the bean feasa and the role of place. Inspired by the curative qualities of the Brat Bhríde, over
We warmly welcome you to a panel discussion with Visual Artist Sheena Malone and a special guest, as they explore the role of Irish folk medicine and its wider context. Inspired by her exhibition Folk Medicine, this artist talk expands on the themes present in the artworks. Looking at the historical context of folk medicine
In Patching Femininity, artist Olga Anacka explores and challenges visual representations of femininity and the female body in western culture. Comprising a dozen embroidered tapestries, this body of work is very personal, with images derived from the artist's memory and family archive, juxtaposed with symbolic representations of the feminine drawn from internet searches and commonplace
Join visual artist Olga Anacka and guests for an evening of art and shared experience. Inspired by the themes woven through her solo exhibition Patching Femininity, Olga questions societal expectations associated with feminine values and invites visitors to an open discussion. In this honest conversation, the panel will elaborate on aspects of female representation and
Following a Decade of Commemorations in Co. Kildare, it is pertinent to examine how we commemorate; how we connect to events in our past; and what value there is in representation and re-enactment. The Decade of Commemorations Programme (2013–2023) provided opportunities to imagine the everyday experience of ordinary people living in extraordinary times, alongside the
Join Bullet Points exhibition curator Paula Barrett as she chairs a panel discussion with artists Dominic Thorpe, Michael James Rowley, Claire Halpin, and member of Lord Edward’s Own Re-enactment Group, Monasterevin Barry Walsh. The discussion will be centred around the exhibition and the who, what and how we commemorate. Claire Halpin is a Dublin born
What information do you need to cast a shadow? In the absence of sunlight is it time to cast a vote? Can you create a cast using just a long piece of string? Can you catch a fish by casting it in a starring role? Cast features the work of Kildare Art Collective members exploring
Join us for an audibly delightful tour that will guide you through Kildare Art Collective’s exhibition ‘Cast’, which will take place in our McKenna Gallery. Facilitated by Michelle McBride, whose work ‘Cast Aside’ is included in this exhibition, this aurally descriptive tour is offered for those who are visually impaired and provides an audio description
Brianna Hurley and Thomas Barron Curated by Dominic Thorpe Near Faraway Places is a two person exhibition which brings together the work of artists Brianna Hurley and Thomas Barron to speak to the idea of ‘places’ that are both close and distant, familiar and unfamiliar, clear and indecipherable. Both artists are members of the KCAT
What’s The Occasion? is an engaging solo exhibition by Kildare artist Kym Tracey. This exhibition showcases a collection of original paintings, drawings and sculptures, inspired by celebrations, occasions and key moments in time – some of which hold a personal narrative to the artist. Kym’s artworks are contemporary and nostalgic all at once. Initially taking
This solo exhibition of work by Saidhbhín Gibson features groupings of elements which are interconnected with themselves and with the viewer. The shrinking habitats of, and the apathy towards, the more-than-human could be defined as the second wave of colonialism in Ireland. The distance between human and “nature” expands leaving crumbs of chance encounters with
Join visual artist Martina McDonald for an evening of mark making. In this workshop participants will be encouraged to create a mess with art materials such as paint, pastels, chalks, markers and more. The practice of mark making is simple, fun and often calming. Martina will guide participants through a range of ways to create
Beauty Myths is a collaborative project between Olga Anacka and Riverbank Arts Centre, inviting the artist to undertake an Art Residency, Open Studio, and Exhibition at the McKenna Gallery. With Beauty Myths Olga questions how to reconcile people’s ideas and experience of femininity. In her practice, Olga Anacka explores the cultural systems that appropriate and
Touch is the first sense we develop, it’s how we connect, explore and understand. It anchors us in the world. In this exhibition members of Kildare Art Collective explore ‘touch’ in all of its forms, physical, emotional, symbolic. Each artwork in this exhibition is tactile and designed to be physically touched, encouraging direct engagement and
Join us in the McKenna gallery for an audio tour of Kildare Art Collective’s Touch exhibition. This tour, facilitated by Artist and Kildare Art Collective member Michelle McBride, aims to make the exhibition accessible to those who are visually impaired. Through vivid and thoughtful descriptions, Michelle will guide visitors through the artworks, offering a sensory
A local art exhibition curated by Eilis Kavanagh Tapestry of Kildare explores the many wonders and history of Kildare. This is a collection of work by an array of talented Kildare-connected artists. Each artist has reflected on what is special to them by committing to canvas the personal places and objects of interest within their
A bent knee at a vaguely familiar stranger Another known face driving a taxi, An accent switch when new friends appear - only to be switched once more when they leave, Ori on forehead This series of collages explores how class and race affect how people move through the world, the jobs taken, spaces
Recipient of the 'Emerging Visual Artist Bursary Award 2024' Fiyin Oluokun presents a guided tour of their first solo exhibition Family Trees hang over Property Lines. McKenna Gallery Friday 5 September-Saturday 25 October Monday-Friday 9:30am-5pm | Saturday 10am-3pm Admission Free Part of Riverbank Arts Centre programme for Culture Night 2025
