GALLERY GUIDE:London has Soho, Chelsea and its gritty East End; New York has a SoHo and a Chelsea too, as well as TriBeCa, NoHo and Dumbo; but apart from Temple Bar, does Dublin have similarly defined cultural areas to help guide those seeking their art fix?
The ludicrous suggestion to rebrand the Liberties as Soho (South of Heuston Station) fortunately died a death. Nonetheless, a look at the space for contemporary art in the city starts to show a few more discrete cultural quarters. So what does an art map of Dublin look like?
TEMPLE BAR
Temple Bar is literally in the heart of the city, but turning the ramshackle buildings of the area into an official Cultural Quarter had the unfortunate effect of closing (or moving out) the independent gallery spaces that had opened up there. This is changing now, with some new arrivals. Best bar: Probably the Ha'penny Bridge Inn; depends what's happening with the Clarence.
1 Temple Bar Gallery and Studios
5-9 Temple Bar. Housed in a former shirt factory, the mainstay of the area. Gallery below, and sought-after studios above.
www.templebargallery.com, 01-6710073
2 Original Print Gallery, and Graphic Studio Gallery
4 Temple Bar, and Through the Arch, Cope Street. One serves the Black Church Print Studios, the other the Graphic, both show some of the best in Irish and international printmaking.
www.originalprint.ie, 01-6773657 www.graphicstudiodublin.com, 01-6798021
3 Gallery of Photography
Meeting House Square. The building was designed by O'Donnell+Tuomey to look like a Brownie camera, and the exhibitions show how diverse and challenging photography can be.
www.galleryofphotography.ie, 01-6714654
4 National Photographic Archive
Meeting House Square. Across the square from the Gallery of Photography, shows work from the National Library of Ireland collection.
www.nli.ie, 01-6030371
5 Project Arts Centre
39 East Essex Street. Another mainstay of Temple Bar, Project has a distinguished history of hosting exhibitions alongside its theatre spaces. Art here is often much more conceptual, less works in frames, more challenging "things" on the floor, on tables, in boxes . . .
www.project.ie, 01-8819613
6 Gallery for One
5 Scarlet Row. The smallest gallery in Dublin? This tiny space in the back of a shoe shop sees some intriguing exhibitions and experiments. The shoes are pretty special too.
7 The Crow Gallery
Crow Street. Newcomer in Temple Bar, and welcome too. Artist-run space with rapidly changing exhibitions. Worth looking into.
www.crowgallery.net, thecrowgallery@yahoo.ie
8 Sebastian Guinness Gallery
18 Eustace Street. Another relative newcomer, bringing "international artists to Ireland", so expect Kenny Scharf and Andy Warhol (although not necessarily their greatest works) and others, such as Herbert Hamak and James Nares.
www.sebastianguinnessgallery.com, 01-6792014
DOCKLANDS AND NORTH CITY
Resisting the temptation to call the area north of the Liffey "NoLife", which is (a) too New York, and (b) unfair; this part of the city has some particularly interesting spaces, though they are more dispersed than in Temple Bar. Taking the Luas from Connolly through to Heuston, however, brings you through some great stops. The Red Line District? Perhaps. Luasville? Maybe. Best bar: Good bars all the way along, particularly at Capel Street.
9 Kevin Sharkey
CHQ, IFSC, Docklands. This building could
have been the site for the Irish Museum of Modern Art - indeed it could have been many great things. As a shopping centre, it now houses Kevin Sharkey's gallery, where he
sells his own paintings, sometimes at discount rates.
10 Urban Retreat Gallery
Hanover Quay, Docklands. Run by the Cill Rialaig Project, a bit of culture in the Docklands.
11 Oonagh Young Gallery
1 James Joyce Street, Liberty Corner. So
new the paint is still practically wet. First exhibition included work by Mary Ruth Walsh, Shane Bradford and Kris Emmerson; expect good things. This is in an increasingly "arty" area of the city. Check website for opening times.
www.oonaghyoung.com, 01-8558600
12 The Lab
Foley Street. Experimental in the best sense of the word. Established artists trying new things, new artists doing their things. Sometimes it's toy soldiers, sometimes videos, once a cardboard caravan. Always good.
www.dublincity.ie, 01-2225455
13 Talbot Gallery
51 Talbot Street. Gallery and studios, showing the work of emerging artists. Recent graduates, and some more "emerged" than others.
www.talbotgallery.com, 01-8556599
14 Hugh Lane
Parnell Square North. Celebrating it's 100th birthday this year, it's a bit of a walk from the Luas to be sure, but well worth the effort - the Lane Bequest, the Scully Room, contemporary exhibitions, the coffee shop, and so on.
www.hughlane.ie, 01-6755550
15 Hillsboro
49 Parnell Square West. Strong programme of established artists, with a special interest in the St Ives group. Acts as an agent for artists including Alex Katz, Michael Warren, Patrick Graham and Gillian Ayres.
www.hillsborofineart.com, 01-8788242
16 Bridge Gallery
Upper Ormond Quay. Craft upstairs, and occasional contemporary exhibitions downstairs.
www.thebridgegallery.com, 01-8729702
17 Kevin Kavanagh
Great Strand Street. Great gallery, showing Irish artists with an international profile and international artists attracting notice here. Moving this summer to a larger contemporary space near St Patrick's Cathedral.
www.kevinkavanaghgallery.ie, 01-8740064
18 This is Not A Shop
26 Benburb Street. In answer to a query "Do you sell sweets?", the artists who run this space said "No, but we damn well should, make an art piece out of sweets and we'll flog it." Great fun.
www.thisisnotashop.com, thisisnotashop@gmail.com
19 Mother's Tankstation
Watling Street. Innovative gallery in a former factory, run by artist Finola Jones. Consistently exciting.
www.motherstankstation.com, 01-6717654
20 IMMA
The Irish Museum of Modern Art is at the "other" end of Luasville from CHQ, and a day out in itself.
www.modernart.ie, 01-6129900
LIBERTIES
It's no surprise that interesting, if not always long-lived, art spaces appear around the National College of Art and Design. Plans to turn the Liberties into another cultural quarter might strike fear (for those who remember Temple Bar's diversity before it got all the money) into the hearts of some who live there (myself included), but there's no doubt that parts of this area could do with a little TLC. Best bar? Fallon's at the bottom of Francis Street.
21 Digital Hub Warehouse
10-13 Thomas Street. Not a regular arts space, but when the graduate shows take it over, it makes you realise how Dublin is crying out for a warehouse-type venue for art exhibitions.
www.thedigitalhub.com, 01-4806200
22 La Catedral and Back Loft Gallery
Augustine Street. Ad hoc venue with some interesting shows. Going up the stairs makes you finally feel as if Dublin has an alternative artistic culture going on.
23 Cross Gallery
59 Francis Street. Well established, changing exhibitions of gallery artists. Strong shows, and some lovely works.
www.crossgallery.ie, 01-4738978
24 Monster Truck
73 Francis Street. Artist-run gallery and studios that have been adopted by the Royal Hibernian Academy during their own closure for renovations.
www.monstertruck.ie, www.royalhibernianacademy.com, 01-6612558
25 Bad Art Gallery
79 Francis Street. Well, it's not all bad, but some of it is. Generally group shows, with a wide variety on display. Approachable and affordable is their motto, but while there, check out Monster Truck for something a little edgier.
www.thebadartgallery.ie, 01-4537588
26 Chester Beatty Library
Dublin Castle. Not really in the Liberties, but just on the edge, and worth visiting for the permanent collection, the great Silk Road cafe and, occasionally contemporary, exhibitions.
www.cbl.ie, 01-4070750
TRINITY AND ENVIRONS
Home to thousands of students and two galleries, the Trinity College campus is so large that the galleries around it seem quite dispersed. Cutting through Trinity's grounds, however, means an escape from the traffic and a pleasant stroll. Suddenly the Green on Red gallery and the Douglas Hyde aren't so far apart after all. Best bar: Depends how you feel about students.
27 Douglas Hyde Gallery
Trinity College. Houses one of the City's largest exhibition spaces, and also one of the smallest - with Gallery 2, a little jewel box of a space, showing Irish and international artists who've "made it", or who will do very soon.
www.douglashydegallery.com, 01-8961116
28 Science Gallery
Trinity College. At the other end of the campus to the Douglas Hyde, this new gallery shows work that fuses the latest ideas in art and science. Sometimes, as with their recent Pills exhibition, the artists got there first (eg Damien Hirst's Pharmacy installations from the early 1990s)
www.sciencegallery.com, 01-8964091
29 Stone Gallery
70 Pearse Street. Used to feel a little "off the beaten track", but now Grand Canal Square is opening up, this gallery is definitely going places. Strong shows, and some really good finds.
www.stonegallery.ie, 01-6711020
30 Green on Red
26-28 Lombard Street. One of Dublin's main contemporary art galleries at international level, exhibitions change monthly, with work by artists including Gerard Byrne, Patrick Hall, Alice Maher, Bea McMahon, Bridget Riley and Corban Walker.
www.greenonredgallery.com, 01-6713414
31 Lemonstreet
24-26 City Quay. Mainly limited-edition prints by contemporary Irish artists, it sells work by exhibition and from portfolios of work available.
www.lemonstreet.com, 01-6710244
32 Leinster Gallery
27 South Frederick Street. Twentieth-century and contemporary art. With landscapes and still lifes, it works to charm rather than challenge.
www.leinstergallery.com, 01-6790834
33 Gormley's Fine Art
24 South Frederick Street. Showing what they describe as "a varied portfolio" of "both living and deceased artists", Gormley's also have branches in Belfast and Omagh. Buy and sell works at various levels.
www.gormleys.ie, 01-6729031
34 Oisín Gallery
44 Westland Row. More "fine art" than cutting-edge contemporary, Oisín holds exhibitions and has a stock of work for sale.
www.oisingallery.com, 01-6611315
35 Oriel Gallery
Clare Street. The Oriel is the oldest independent gallery in Ireland (founded in 1968), the artists with work available to buy reflect the history of the place. Includes Markey Robinson, Paul Henry and Percy French.
www.theoriel.com, 01-6763410
36 National Gallery
Merrion Square West & Clare Street. Ducking into the National Gallery offers such a lovely escape from the world. While it's not strictly "contemporary" art, occasional shows in the Millennium Wing edge over into the modern.
www.nationalgallery.ie, 01-6615133
GEORGIAN QUARTER
This is the Dublin the tourists are looking for, and Georgian Dublin doesn't disappoint. The Georgian Quarter also has more galleries than Temple Bar, and some of the leading ones at that. From the so-sharp-you-could-injure-yourself cutting edge, to works that wouldn't look out of place in your granny's parlour, you get the feeling that different art worlds pass each other on the streets around here without even realising it. The main auction houses are also all here (Whytes, de Veres, Adams, Sothebys), and so are some unexpected pleasures. Best bars: You're spoiled for choice in this area. The Shelbourne has its moments, of course, but upstairs at Doheny and Nesbitt's after an RHA opening is hard to beat.
37 Rubicon
10 St Stephen's Green. Artists include Maud Cotter, Blaise Drummond, Donald Teskey, Nick Miller, Stephen Brandes. In the top tier of Ireland's contemporary galleries at international level. Exhibitions change monthly.
www.rubicongallery.ie, 01-6708055
38 Jorgensen Fine Art
29 Molesworth Street. Featuring artists from Irish and European art history, including Roderic O' Conor, Paul Henry, Grace Henry, Mary Swanzy, Norah McGuinness and Nano Reid. Some contemporary exhibitions too.
www.jorgensenfineart.com, 01-6619758
39 Molesworth Gallery
16 Molesworth Street. The Molesworth's programme has been getting more interesting. With an emphasis on representational works, there are some worthwhile surprises such as JP Donleavy, Jennifer Trouton and Blaise Smith.
www.molesworthgallery.com, 01-6791548
40 Peppercanister
3 Herbert Street. Shows contemporary work (Robert Janz, Neil Shawcross, Sonja Landweer), as well as artists from the 20th century, including Mainie Jellet, Tony O'Malley, Mary Swanzy and Evie Hone.
www.peppercanister.com, 01-6611279
41 Paul Kane
6 Merrion Square. Moved from South William Street to gorgeous light-filled galleries. Expanded their remit to show international artists, alongside young and more established Irish artists. Includes Jackie Nickerson, Megan Eustace and Clifford Colley.
www.thepaulkanegallery.com, 087-6478423
42 Hallward
65 Merrion Square. From figurative to abstract, works by Hallward Gallery artists are often rather lovely. Five doors down from the Arts Council, the Hallward has been going strong since 1991. Recently merged with the Millcove in Cork.
www.hallwardgallery.com, 01-6621482
43 The Return: Goethe-Institut
7 Merrion Square. Another contender for "smallest gallery in Dublin", this one is on the return, where the staircase turns in the Goethe-Institut. For the past few years, artists have been creating installations here. Sometimes serious, sometimes banal, often great fun.
www.goethe.de/dublin, 01-6611155
44 Royal Hibernian Academy
Ely Place. Presently closed for renovations but due to reopen in October of this year. Enormous galleries and great programming makes this one of Dublin's key spaces.
www.royalhibernianacademy.com, 01-6612558
45 Taylor Galleries
16 Kildare Street. Highly respected gallery, thirty years in the business. Shows top-level artists, including Louis le Brocquy, Cecily Brennan, Patrick Scott, Sean McSweeny and Timothy Hawkesworth.
www.taylorgalleries.ie, 01-6766055
46 Apollo Gallery
51 Dawson Street. More TK Maxx than Fine Art Boutique, art is hung floor-to-ceiling, but it can be a challenge to find something to want to bring home.
www.apollogallery.ie, 01-6712609
47 Solomon Gallery
Powerscourt Townhouse. Showing mainly representational art - the Old Masters of the future, perhaps. Good taste confirmed rather than challenged.
www.solomongallery.com, 01-6794237
48 Kerlin Gallery
Anne's Lane. Celebrating 20 years this year, with artists including Sean Scully, Phil Collins, Dorothy Cross, David Godbold, Isobel Nolan and Maureen Gallace. Another of Ireland's top-tier leading galleries. Manages to be "blue-chip" and "cutting-edge" at the same time.
www.kerlin.ie, 01-6709093
49 Origin Gallery
83 Harcourt Street Run by Noelle Campbell Sharpe. Some contemporary, some traditional, with work from the Cill Rialaig artists retreat in Kerry. Sister gallery to Urban Retreat.
EDGE OF THE CITY
There are more spaces worth travelling to discover. With arts centres such as Draíocht in Blanchardstown (www.draiocht.ie) and Axis in Ballymun (www.axis-ballymun.ie) bringing exhibitions away from the centre, there are also a couple of spots that you could (just about) walk to from town.
Farmleigh in the Phoenix Park hosts occasional exhibitions, including, most recently, the work of Gerard Byrne and Willie Doherty from the 52nd Venice Biennale (www.farmleigh.ie).
Pallas Contemporary Projects, at No 111 Grangegorman Road Lower hold exhibitions and installations at the sharp end of cutting-edge (www.pallasprojects.org).
And Broadstone XL, at Broadstone Studios, 36-40 Upper Dominic Street shows ambitious and experimental solo and group exhibitions that are worth the expedition to this 1940s modernist space above a car showroom (www.broadstonestudios.com).
Please note, with one or two exceptions, I have focused on galleries showing a programme of contemporary exhibitions of work by different artists. Apologies for any spaces unintentionally left out, or anything so new I haven't even found it yet!
