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A sudden impulse: How it all began
‘A lonely impulse of delight’ is an exhibition celebrating the 150th birthday of W.B. Yeats. This exhibition is truly unique as it brings together art and literature through the work of distinguished Irish writers and visual artists.
On Yeats’ birthday in 2014, the artist Stephen Lawlor gave an inspirational talk in the Yeats building in Sligo. In this speech, the artist highlighted the intriguing link between WB Yeats and printmaking in Ireland today through the foundation of Cuala Press.
Formed by the industrious and creative Yeats’ sisters, Lilly and Lolly Yeats, in 1908, the Press hand-printed works by renowned Irish writers and artists of the time – including the texts of WB and images of Jack B Yeats. In 1960 WB Yeats' daughter Anne continued the tradition of Cuala Press and co-founded Graphic Studio print workshop along with artists Patrick Hickey, Liam Miller, Leslie McWeeney and Elizabeth Rivers.
SO Fine Art Editions want to commemorate that link between literary and visual art as Cuala Press had done over a century before. We commissioned 32 works from printmakers, painters, photographers, sculptors and writers, and asked them to respond to their chosen poem of Yeats.
This challenging show looks deeply into the poetry of WB Yeats. It reveals how contemporary Irish writers and visual artists interpret Yeats’ poetry through a range of art forms; photography, etching, drypoint, typography, mezzotint, lithography, carborundum and Japanese woodblock.
Writers include:
John Banville
Eavan Boland
Paul Muldoon
Edna O’Brien
Colm Tóibín
Visual Artists include:
Donald Teskey
Hughie O’Donoghue
Richard Gorman
Diana Copperwhite
Martin Gale
Michael Canning
Barbara Rae
Norman Ackroyd
Stephen Lawlor
Aoife Scott
Jean Bardon
James McCreary
Ed Miliano
Amelia Stein
Yoko Akino
Lars Nyberg
Kelvin Mann
Kate Mac Donagh
Vincent Sheridan
Lina Nordenström
Michael Cullen
Louise Leonard
Niamh Flanagan
Niall Naessens
Paul Gaffney
Leo Higgins
John Behan
How your contribution will help:
-To publish and produce commissioned works by the painters and writers. (production costs include fees to master printers, proofing, materials, and the type setting and hand printing of the artists' and writers' editions. )
-The production of a full colour, hard cover and thread sewn catalogue with an introduction by Roy Foster and an essay by Peter Fallon. (Cost €12,500)
-To launch the exhibition in Dublin, then to venues in Ireland, Japan, London and the USA, bringing the work of WB Yeats, and that of Irish writers and visual artists, to a contemporary audience both in Ireland and abroad.
Special Rewards:
Participating artists Donald Teskey and Stephen Lawlor will each produce an exclusive, limited edition art work as rewards. Please see our rewards listed to your left and we will post images of these artworks on Facebook and our website.
All rewards will be processed by December 2015.
Thank you from SO and all of the participants.
