Eoin Mac Lochlainn's Caoineadh/war 2 at Art Evolve 2025 Fair, RDS, Dublin, 4-6 April

The Olivier Cornet Gallery is delighted to showcase Eoin Mac Lochlainn's 'Caoineadh/war no.2' at the ART EVOLVE 2025 Fair, RDS, Dublin, April 4 to April 6, 2025.

This work will feature at our stand no 27, alongside other works by the artist and by the following artists we represent: Annika Berglund, Hugh Cummins,  Miriam McConnon, Yanny Petters and Kelly Ratchford. We will also showcase work by three artists from our AGA group: Mary A. Fitzgerald, David Fox and Nickie Hayden.

This painting, a charcoal and watercolour on Fabriano paper, 35x27cm, is part of a series, 'Wall of Tears, currently shown as part of a touring group show 'What do we want?'. The exhibition, a response to the increasingly dangerous geo-political situation in the world today, was first shown at our gallery in April/May 2024 and later at QSS Belfast. It was shortlisted by Gemma Tipton as one of Ireland's top 10 exhibitions of 2024. It is presenty on view at An Gailearaí, Gweedore, Donegal.

The artist commenced this body of work back in 2021. It was then "an attempt to represent a soul, someone with dreams and ambitions, someone whose life was cut short by the Irish Civil war". The initial concept resulted in a great solo show at our gallery: Cogadh na gCarad in 2023. Work from that exhibition was acquired by the OPW for the State Art Collection, and also by The Hesburgh Libraries at the University of Notre Dame (USA).

The initial project put recent global conflicts in perspective for the artist and, as he continued to develop the work, he "began to view war as a failure of empathy, a failure of humanity. And whatever the cause, when it comes down to it, it’s always some mother’s son, it is somebody’s sister or brother, somebody’s neighbour who is killed."

Last year, RHA director Patrick Murphy selected 'Wall of tears', an installation of 32 of these portraits for the special exhibition 'Kites Above the Castles', which was part of CAGA's Dublin Gallery Weekend 2024.

A selection of works from the initial series, 'Cogadh na gCarad', will also be available for purchasing in our booth at Art Evolve 2025.

Art Evolve, a brand-new contemporary art fair showcasing the very best of Ireland’s contemporary art scene.