It's a long way from Vilnius in Lithuania to Claremorris in Co Mayo, but that hasn't deterred Jonas Simonelis. A sculptor by profession, he has just shipped six works in granite as his contribution to an unusual exhibition.
A 40-ft container lorry was required to haul the pieces, each weighing between one and four tonnes. Arriving just this weekend after red-tape delays, they will form part of a display that embraces the whole of the town.
For the past 22 years, Claremorris has staged a showcase of Irish art and recently it has offered its streetscape as the outdoor "gallery" for the event.
Some 27 sites and spaces have been selected for this year's show, opened at the weekend by Patricia Quinn, director of the Arts Council. The sites range from family-run businesses like Merrick's Shoe Shop and Clarke's Butchers to pubs and public structures.
A distinguished panel of adjudicators was charged with selecting the works in the first place and then awarding the prize money of £2,000. This year, the panel comprises the sculptor John Behan; Mike Collier, curator, lecturer and writer; and Denise Ferran, acting head of education at the Ulster Museum.
Potential participants were sent a dossier with details of some 35 locations. All proposals had to be in by the end of May, and the selected artists were offered a contract with a deadline for completion of August 28th. The Claremorris Arts Committee is justifiably proud of the event, which involves a lot of very hard work, much of it voluntary. The first open exhibition was staged in the school gym at St Colman's College in 1978 when the only art gallery in Connacht was in Galway.
The event has attracted widespread interest, particularly in Britain. The committee quotes the writer Dermot Healy as expressing amazement, when he moved to Belfast in the mid-1980s, to hear artists discussing what they were sending to a major gig in the "back end of Ireland, Co Mayo".
The Claremorris Open Exhibition runs until September 26th. Opening times vary but are generally during commercial hours for the indoor exhibits, and seven days a week, 24 hours, for those outdoors.