New exhibition 'Newry Artists Past and Present' opening this week at Museum

A new temporary exhibition, ‘Newry Artists Past and Present’ is opening later this week at Newry and Mourne Museum. Celebrating the works of talented artists who hail from Newry or who have found inspiration in the local area it includes works from current artists such as Séan Hillen and Cora Harrington going back to Margaret Clarke and John Nixon. The exhibition is open to the public from Thursday 22 June.

The new exhibition features a collection of fine and applied art, including sculptures, dating from the late 19th century up until the present, and offers a unique opportunity to explore artworks from the Museum Collection that are not typically on display.

At the core of this display is the exploration of how these remarkable artists have utilised their skills to respond to the local landscape, the areas rich history and significant social and political events. In addition to the Museum’s own collection, the exhibition includes several works on loan and exciting new additions, including contemporary and abstract pieces.

Newry and Mourne Museum Curator, Dr Ken Abraham emphasised the accessibility of the exhibition and said, “One of our primary goals for temporary exhibitions is to make museum collections more accessible to the public. This exhibition provides visitors with a unique opportunity to view artworks from our collection that are not regularly on display. By combining traditional art forms with contemporary and abstract works, we aim to showcase the diverse range of mediums used by the represented artists, including oils on canvas, acrylics, sketches, and sculptures.”

The exhibition features the works of esteemed artists such as John Nixon, Margaret Clarke, Colin Turner, John Haugh, John Bannon, Cora Harrington, Sean Hillen, Greag Mac a' tSaoir, Anna-Marie Savage and Russell Reid. Their exceptional talents will undoubtedly captivate visitors.

The ‘Newry Artists Past and Present’ exhibition is housed in Gallery Three of the Newry and Mourne Museum and is open to the public free of charge until 27 April 2024.

For more information, please telephone 0330 137 4034.

Entrance to Newry and Mourne Museum is free of charge. To learn more about our opening hours, information on events, upcoming exhibitions and other services please telephone 0330 137 4422.