Taylor Galleries is delighted to present a glimmering arc: the figure in Irish painting, an ambitious group exhibition curated by independent curator Eamonn Maxwell.
This marks the first time the gallery has collaborated with an external curator—an exciting milestone in its long history of championing Irish art.
a glimmering arc brings together works by fourteen artists spanning over seven decades, from 1949 to 2025. Featuring a dynamic dialogue between seven gallery artists and seven invited guests, the exhibition explores the enduring presence of the human figure in Irish painting—through portraiture, myth, autobiography, and abstraction.
Artists include: Brian Bourke, Serena Caulfield, Elizabeth Cope, Sian Costello, Sarah Dwyer, Micheal Farrell, Fiona Finnegan, Evie Hone, Bernadette Kiely, Louis le Brocquy, Banbha McCann, Michael Mulcahy, Camille Souter, and Louise Wallace.
The works on view engage with the figure both directly and obliquely, offering glimpses into literary portraits, mythological reinterpretations, Rococo echoes, and deeply personal narratives. Together, they reflect the figure’s power to remain resonant—conceptually, emotionally, and visually—within the evolving language of Irish painting.
The exhibition title is drawn from The Return, a poem by Geraldine Mitchell, included in her 2024 poetry collection Naming Love (Arlen House), and captures the lyrical, searching spirit of the show.