Pamela de Brí
Irish Artist
My art practice seeks to work both historically and dialectically. I am an artist interested in Irish cultural and environmental landscape, and how objects and images from the past embody cultural memory and characterise the future. My overall philosophy is that art should have a relevance to the society from which it evolves.
My work documents and reflects social and demographic changes in rural Ireland. It is project based: I focus on a particular aspect of society, research it, engage with relevant people and their stories, explore the location, (a type of deep mapping), to build up a body of documentation and information which inspires the resulting artwork. Audio clips accompany much of my work, mainly comments and stories from people I meet during my research.
I work in a variety of media: painting, printmaking, photography, and video.
Previous projects explored shifts and change in rural Ireland. My current project explores Ireland's offshore islands.
Projects
CURRENT: Island project: exploring, painting, drawing and documenting islands off the Irish coasts. and Brigid 1500 Art Trail Feb 2024
2018-22 Re:Place, exploration of rural Ireland and the marks we leave behind us.
2016-17 Curator Little Stories Little Prints, 1916 Commemorative Visual Arts Project through Printmaking.
2012-15 The Midland and Broadstone Projects, a multimedia project exploring the Midlands of Ireland and the legacy of the MGWR
2008-12 Coordinator/participant Le Chéile Print Project, International Cross Country Printmaking Project
Solo Exhibitions:
2023: Ongoing work on "Ar an Imeall", project exploring Ireland's offshore islands begun in 2019.
2022: "Oileáin", a selection of paintings, Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre, Newgrange, August- September.
"Oileáin, a selection ” Exhibition of Paintings and Prints, Ballycroy National Park, Mayo. March- May
"Ionadú / Re: Place", (Painting and Print) Cultúrlann Béal Feirste, Márta 2022
2021: Aug - Sept: "Ionadú / Re: Place", (Painting, Prints and Video), Áras Inis Gluaire, Belmullet.
2018: October: "From Castles and Royal Postboxes to Windfarms and Chinese Take-aways" , Imagine Festival, Waterford. INVITED ARTIST
Sept: "Midland Journey (""From Castles and Royal Postboxes ...), Printmaking Exhibition, Impact 10 Encuentro International, Santander,
2017: "Midland/Lár Tíre", photographic exhibition touring libraries in Dublin, Kildare and Offaly.
Aug-Sept: "Midland- Lár Tíre", Edenderry Library (Heritage Week Programme).
Aug: "Silence, Broadstone Shed", (Heritage Week Programme). Now Permanent Exhibition
2015: Jan-May: "Midland- Lár Tíre. Cycling the MGWR from Past to Present". Multimedia exhibition, National Photographic Archive, Dublin 2
2014-15: Nov-Jan: "Mid Land 2 / Lár Tíre 2", Linenhall Arts Centre, Castlebar, Co. Mayo
July-Aug: "Mid Land1/ Lár Tíre 1", Áras Inis Gluaire, Béal an Mhuiread, Co Muigheo.
2013: Nov: "As it is," Paintings and Prints, Iniscarra Gallery, Rathcoole, Co. Dublin
2011: Feb-May: "Silence", an exhibition of photographs and video, The Ivy House, Dublin 1
2002: Feb-Mar: "First Voice", Mullingar Arts Centre, Co Westmeath.
1998: June: "Radharcanna agus Eile", Ionad Árainn, Inis Mór, Aran Islands, Co Galway.
Recent International Selected Group Exhibitions
2022, 2021, 2019: Miniprints: Bimpe, Canada; Cantabria, Santander; Kazanlak, Bulgaria
2019: L.P.S. Responds…, Bassano and Orte, Italy
2018: Nov: LPS at Lessidra, Sofia, Bulgaria; Aug-Nov: Bienial Duoro, Portugal, INVITED ARTIST
Miniprint exhibitions: Lessidra International Miniprint and Miniprint Kazanlak, Bulgaria;
3rd International Miniature Print Exhibition, New York.
2017: 9th Global Print Bieniale, Portugal INVITED ARTIST; Miniprint exhibitions at Cadaques, (Spain) Lessidra, Kazanlak, (Bulgaria); Bimpe International Miniprint Exhibition, Canada
2016: Miniprint exhibitions at Lessidra, Kazanlak, (Bulgaria) and Cadaques, (Spain).
2011: Sept-Nov: Le Chéile at Oriel Ynys Mon, Llangefni, Anglesey, Wales.
Le Chéile Print Project, Invited International Touring Exhibition, 10 venues in South Australia
Dec: Celtica Festival, Port Arthur, Australia
Selection of Recent Group Exhibitions in Ireland (Selected, Invited and/or Curated)
2023:"Chaos/Order", Municipal Gallery, Dún Laoghaire; Féile na Cásca, Artnet dlr, "Connect", Dún Laoghaire, "Echoes", Kilcock and Tullamore
2022: Féile na Cásca, Baile and Fhéirtéirigh; Siamsa Tíre, Trá Lí; Artform, Waterford; Artnet dlr,"Here/Now", Metamorphosis, Dún Laoghaire
2021: June – July: Oidhreacht – Heritage, Kilcock Art Gallery; Green Acres, Wexford.
July – Aug: Discovering Print 2021, Green Acres, Wexford
Aug – Sept: ImPRESSions, Galway Art Festival
2020: Feb- March: LPS Responds to Heaney, Mountains to Sea Festival, Lexicon, Dún Laoghaire
2019: Nov-Dec: Interpretations in Printmaking, Kilcock Art Gallery, Kilcock, Co. Kildare
July: ImPRESSions, Galway Arts Festival, LPS Responds to Seamus Heaney, Bassano Italy
Aug: Hopkins Summer School Exhibition, Newbridge.
May – Sept: LPS 20th Anniversary, Ballycroy National Park and Lexicon, Dún Laoghaire
April: Féile an Earraigh, Ballyferriter, Kerry Artnet dlr, Metamorphosis, Dún Laoghaire
2018-19: LPS 20th Anniversary touring exhibiton, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Louth and other places
March: Féile an Earraigh, Ballyferriter, Kerry
2017: Oct: Invisible Stories, a project devised and curated by Sheena Malone, (INVITED ARTIST)
Aug: Second Harvest, Riverbank Art Gallery, Newbridge, (INVITED ARTIST)
LPS @ Castlewarren Studios, Kilkenny Fringe; July: Impressions, Galway Arts Festival, Galway
2016: Little Stories, Little Prints touring venues around Ireland;
Comóradh, Kenny Gallery, Galway
July: Impressions Book Exhibition, Galway Arts Festival
2015: May-Jun: Bog 50 x 70, Connemara Bog Week, Letterfrack, Co Galway
2014: July: Duanaire, Magill Summer School, Glentees, Co Donegal
2013: June: Joyce Exhibition, Castle Keep, Maynooth, Co Kildare
Feb-April: The Big Egg Hunt, invited artists, various venues, Dublin
2010: Jul-Aug: Printmakers in Residence, Le Chéile at Cill Rialaig, Urban Retreat Gallery, Dublin.
June: Impressions 11, Framewell Gallery, Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny.
July: Hopkins at The General Stores …artists respond, Monasterevin, Co. Kildare.
2009: June: Bog 50x 70, Éigse Fringe, Carlow. March: Bog 50x 70, The Factory, Capel Street, Dublin
2009: June: Trace, 10 to12 artists, Pallas Contemporary Projects, Dublin.
Mar: Le Chéile, Graphic Studio Gallery, Dublin.; Dec: Taispeántas Chlub Chonradh, Dublin
Awards and Residencies:
2016-23: Brigid 1500 Grant for Sult Artists for Kildare Art Trail
Act Grant Kildare Co Council for researching feasibility of a publication (2022), towards exhibition of RE:PLACE(2021) for Sult Artists (Life goes On)
Arts Act Grant Kildare Co Council and Culture Ireland Grant on behalf of LPS in Italy
Arts Act Grant Kildare Co Council and Culture Ireland Grant for Impact 10 Encuentro, Santander
Arts Act Grant Kildare Co Council for continuation of Midland Project
2013: 3rd Prize, Lessidra International MiniPrint, Bulgaria: Arts Act Grant Kildare Co Council;
Foras na 2010-2012: Gaeilge award; Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Co Monaghan. Arts Act Kildare Co Council Award
Cill Rialaig, Co. Kerry
Collections:
OPW, Dublin Bus, Irish Rail, Kildare Co. Council Municipal Collection, Biennial Duoro, Portugal and Lessedra, Bulgaria
Private and Public Collections in Ireland, England, France, Spain, Portugal, Bulgaria, Canada, Bermuda and Australia.
Education:
2012 - 13: Diploma in Photography, Photography Institute, Pembroke Rd, Dublin.
2010: B.A. Visual Arts Practices, Hons. IADT, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.
2004: DVI, NCAD, Dublin.
(B.A. Hons French/ Irish, Maynooth College; H. Dip. Ed.; T.T.G; Higher Diplomas in Spanish and Italian.)
Publications:
2021: Nov/Dec VAI Publication
2020: Silence, commission for Dublin Bus
2018: LPS 20th Anniversary Exhibition Booklet
2016: Little Stories Little Prints, Limited Edition Publication to accompany exhibition
2011: Le Chéile at Cill Rialaig
(Blurb.com, 2011. http://www.blurb.com/books/2144828-le-cheile-at-cill-rialaig)
2010: Silence: Broadstone Shed
(Blurb.com,2010. http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1952098)
Le Chéile Australian catalogue,
July 2009 Le Chéile mid-term publication,
May 2007 and 2008: VAI newsletter