RHA 179th annual exhibition

Royal Hibernian Academy, Gallagher Gallery, 15 Ely Pl, Dublin Mon-Sat 11am-7pm, Sun 2-5pm May 26-July 25 01-6612558

If it doesn’t seem as though a year has gone by since the last RHA Annual Exhibition, that’s because it hasn’t. Last year’s show was delayed to allow the completion of alterations to the academy’s building in Ely Place, so the 2009 show follows swiftly in its wake.

More than half of the hundreds of pieces on view were selected from open submission. The rest are by the academicians and their invited guests who this year include the iconoclastic Nevan Lahart, Martin Healy, William McKeown, Isabel Nolan, Mark O’Kelly, Paul Seawright, Ulrich Vogl and Margaret Corcoran. All exhibits are in contention for a substantial number of awards in several categories and virtually all are for sale. After disappointing sales last year the Academy will be keen to bring in some much-needed revenue.

If you want to see a cross-section of the work that didn’t make it into the Gallagher Gallery, you can visit the Bad Art Gallery in Francis St, where the RHA Unselected is on view.

can’T see ThaT? caTch This

After life Fenton Gallery, Cork