GMIT Mayo art graduates hold first group exhibition 'Aluminium'

GMIT Mayo is delighted to host Aluminium, a show of work by GMIT alumni of the part-time BA in Art and Design programme, opening on Friday 27 April from 6 to 8 pm in St Mary’s Hall on campus.

The exhibition, which will run until 1 May, will be opened by Alice Lyons, the well-known poet and visual artist, who previously taught on the course. The show will feature work by almost all of the graduates from the 6-year part-time course which ran from 2000 to 2017. 

Dr Deirdre Garvey, Lifelong Learning Coordinator at GMIT Mayo, says: “The exhibition marks the end of this period both for the college and in the graduates’ lives, but also celebrates the development of the new four year part-time BA in Contemporary Practices, the only part-time BA in art degree programme currently on offer in the country, which has been running successfully since 2014. It comes at an exciting time for us, with the announcement that the Ballinglen Arts Foundation will fund an Award for the best student on the programme, which is a major achievement for the college.”

Dr John Mulloy, lecturer on the programme, says: “The exhibition itself promises to be an exciting event with a large number of alumni participating. It reflects the ongoing course’s contribution to the cultural life of the region, and the close relationships that have been built over the years with local organisations such as the Linenhall Arts Centre (Castlebar), the Custom House Studios (Westport) and many others.”

“Graduates have also gone on to further study, up to and including PhD level, and many have been represented in national and international exhibitions and residencies, including The Royal Hibernian Academy, The RDS Open Submission Annual Exhibition, Claremorris Open Exhibition, BP National Portrait Award UK, and the Society of Portrait Painters (UK), among others. Entry is free and everybody is more than welcome.”

“GMIT Mayo is currently accepting applications for the part-time BA in Contemporary Art Practices”, adds Dr Mulloy “This four year part-time degree course is designed for those who cannot attend college on a full-time basis. The course covers four strands: fine art, community engagement, digital media and art history and theory. We are also accepting applications for the part-time BA in Fine Art Level 8 add-on course, a two year programme that combines studio practice with contemporary critical theory, and, on completion, graduates can progress to Masters level.”

Applications for both courses close on 1 June and interviews will be held by 20 June.  For application forms and more info, contact LLMayo@gmit.ie

For more information on the BA in Contemporary Art Practices course, see https://www.gmit.ie/lifelong-learning-mayo/creative-arts-and-media/ba-contemporary-art-practice-2018-intake
and for the BA in Fine Art see https://www.gmit.ie/lifelong-learning-mayo/creative-arts-and-media/ba-honours-fine-art-2017-intake