Highly Commended award for Hugh Cummins at show on climate and health

"Look after your health, Look after your meds, Look after the planet" is a recent work by Olivier Cornet Gallery artist Hugh Cummins. This wonderful piece has been awarded a ´Highly Commended’ at the recent exhibition/art competition ‘Climate and Change’ which was held at the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin. Many congratulations as well to Olivier Cornet Gallery artists Yanny Petters and Eoin Mac Lochlainn who also had work featuring in this wonderful exhibition.

Also congratulations to the artist Sorca O’Farrell who got a Highly Commended award too and who has another work in our recent group show ‘1515´ here at the Olivier Cornet Gallery.

The first prize was won by the artist Erin Quinn.

For the exhibition in the sumptuous Royal College of Physicians of Ireland on Kildare Street, Dublin 2, a total of 48 works were selected by a judging panel chaired by the artist James Hanley RHA who was joined by Dominique Crowley, a Dublin-based artist and former public health doctor, and BethAnn Roch, a Fellow of the College and a member of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland Academy.

Hugh Cummins's three-dimensional set piece in wood (7.5cm (H) x 29.5cm (W) x 21.1cm (D)) brings to mind the way small turned boxes were used to hold pills in the past, contrasting with the trend now to package medicinal treatments in plastic and aluminium which are harder to recycle or reuse.

The artist has combined different woods and laminated the thin leaves together to improve and upgrade the earlier Pill Box ( 1. Walnut and Lacewood, 2. Walnut, Lacewood, Burr Elm and Dyed Red Sycamore, 3. Walnut, Burr Maple and Lacewood, 4. Maple and Dyed Sycamore).

The platform is made with Tulip Wood and Poplar and is based on the trays used in former days by physicians and pharmacists to count and dispense medications. The tablets are formed from laminated Wenge, Mahogany and Poplar – some dyed red and blue. The capsule shapes are formed of Ramin and Mahogany.

This piece as well as Yanny's and Eoin's are available for purchase. Please contact info@oliviercornetgallery.com for more information.

We are delighted to see that climate-change related work by these 3 artists -with whom we have been working for quite some time- is being recognized: our supporters will remember our 2017 show '2° C' and our recent show on urban trees: Arbour Essences in Anthropocene Dublin.

Addendum (blog entry updated on 27 October 2023):

The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland were so impressed with this piece that they decided to acquire it for their collection.