EIGSE, the Carlow Arts Festival, was opened officially last night by Pat Murphy, chairman of Rosc, and runs from today until June 16th. Eigse covers most of the arts, including music, but to date its main strength has probably been in the visual field. From the start and it is still a relatively new festival it has mounted exhibitions by leading artists, several of them with international reputations, and has also produced consistently good group shows and fringe events.
This year, the two main solo exhibitions feature the works of the English painter John Hoyland and the Irish sculptor Conor Fallon. Hoyland, one of the crop of London artists who emerged in the 1960s, is now a respected elder figure in British art and has shown all around the world. Fallon, born in 1939, got his start as an artist in St Ives, Cornwall and is known for his works in cut steel. He is to be featured later this year in a large two man touring exhibition with the painter Sean McSweeney.
Invited artists will include the painters John Boyd, David Crone, Rita Duffy, Pat Harris, Gwen O'Dowd, Shani Rhys James, Nancy Wynne Jones, and the sculptors Cathy Carman, John Kindness, Pat Looby and Stephen Rothschild. Shani Rhys James an interesting painter who, despite her Welsh name, was born in Australia and trained in London will discuss her work at St Patrick's College tomorrow from 11.30 a.m., and Hoyland will talk about his at the same venue from noon tomorrow.