Exhibition
Dublin Contemporary 2011 is Ireland's International Art Exhibition featuring over 114 Irish and international artists.
Dublin Contemporary 2011 took place from September 6th until October 31st. It was one of the most ambitious exhibitions ever staged in Ireland. Showcasing the work of more than 114 Irish and international artists, Dublin Contemporary 2011 set out to transform the city into a vibrant gallery. Visitors of every age, from the novice to the expert, enjoyed a truly memorable experience and were introduced to visual art, innovation, creativity and imagination.
Click on the links on the left to find out more information about the participating artists and venues.
Click here to Plan Your Visit and download a map as well as Notes for a Self Guided Visit.
Find out how to buy tickets here and explore the exhibition through our blog and TV channel.
For information on how to download the Dublin Contemporary Smartphone App click here.
Theme
The title and theme of Dublin Contemporary 2011 was Terrible Beauty—Art, Crisis, Change & The Office of Non-Compliance. Taken from William Butler Yeats’ famous poem “Easter, 1916”, the exhibition’s title borrowed from the Irish writer’s seminal response to turn-of-the-century political events to site art’s underused potential for commenting symbolically on the world’s societal, cultural and economic triumphs and ills. The second part of the exhibition’s title underscored Dublin Contemporary 2011’s emphasis on art that captures the spirit of the time, while introducing the exhibition’s chief organizational engine: The Office of Non-Compliance. Headed up by Dublin Contemporary 2011 lead curators Jota Castro (artist/curator) and Christian Viveros-Fauné (critic/curator), The Office of Non-Compliance aimed to function as a collaborative agency within Dublin Contemporary 2011, establishing creative solutions for real or symbolic problems that stretch the bounds of conventional art experience.
The Office of Non-Compliance, located within the Earlsfort Terrace exhibition site, aimed to function as a promoter of ideas around a laundry list of non-conformist art proposals. The Office’s practice was fuelled by the idea that not only has the world been transformed in the last few decades, the very concept of change itself has changed utterly. This element of the exhibition looked to highlight less conventional, largely artist-led models of art discourse, production and presentation. The Office of Non-Compliance set out to include ad-hoc, accessible structures for discourse around art and its place in society, such as a Bank of Problems, a Bank of Possibilities, One Problem a Week and a curated forum exploring one topical problem per week.
There were two further intriguing spaces within the Earlsfort Terrace complex: the serene Iveagh Gardens and the light-filled Annex, both adjacent to the main exhibition site.
Extending its reach across the city, Dublin Contemporary 2011 was delighted to partner with four important Dublin galleries: The Douglas Hyde Gallery, Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane, The National Gallery of Ireland and The Royal Hibernian Academy.
