Hughie O'Donoghue: Original Sins

Grand exhibition at the National Gallery of Ireland of new work by Hughie O’Donoghue.

The works were shown in a beautiful room called the Shaw Room and hung with Daniel Maclise’s monumental “The Marriage of Strongbow and Aoife” which they respond to.

The works are six large wall hangings fitting the space exactly, made in mixed media on tarpaulin. They show six figures, three British and three Irish, who had contributed to the story of their countries. They included two Saxon era figures, a saint and a king, two Norman era ones and two 20th century, Emily Davidson and Michael Collins. Each came with a good explanation of the person. 

The works worked like tapestries in sepia colours incorporating a staged photograph of the person and images relating to them. I found them beautiful in their own right but also enhanced by the space they were down in. I’d love to see how they work in other spaces.

Closed 21 May 2023




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