John Gerrard has already accomplished more than most art students manage during their hazy college days and the best is yet to come. After a brief spell at NCAD, he headed of to the prestigious Ruskin School of Art in Oxford and by the time he completed his BA degree there, he had a range of impressive commissions. He managed to combine commercial successes like designing the "Absolut Oxford" bill board with putting together work for the 1997 Victor Treacy Award show in Kilkenny, where he earned the imprimatur of Irish Times arts critic Brian Fallon: "an artist to watch for in the next decade".
On Tuesday, John opened an exhibition entitled "18 Great Irish Landscapes" - stunning views viewed through the archetypal bungalow blitz window - in Tosca restaurant. Quite apart from displaying his work in progress, he also hopes the exhibition will be a bit of a fundraiser. He has been accepted into the top art school in the US, the Art Institute of Chicago (Yale wanted him, too, but John plumped for Chicago's art and technology programme); and while he has been awarded a Trustee Scholarship worth $38,000, this only covers the fees. A huge crowd arrived on Tuesday night to support him and take a look at the work. Tanya Kiang, director of the Gallery of Photography urged people to get out their wallets before it was too late. The guests obviously took her at her word and the entire edition of five prints of the view of Rossnowlagh Beach in Donegal sold out. "Someone's getting very inspired by these Sea Breeze cocktails," said one observer.
Given the combination of architectural and photographic concerns in Gerrard's work, it was no surprise to see a clatter of architects and photographers at the opening night. Will Dimond from O'Donnell & Tuomey, who is currently occupied with the stunning new multi-denominational school in Ranelagh, was there as were fellow architects Simon Walker, Peter Carroll and Paul Byrne. Photographers included Dave Morley, newly-weds Richard Kingston and Natasha Stein, and Gordon Ireland. Film-maker Nicholas O'Neill arrived with the ever-glamorous Cha Cha Seigne while regrets were sent by John's friend Jasmine Guinness, who is currently modelling in New York. Darren and Lorraine Robinson, the couple behind trendy furniture shops Decor, came along with their baby, Sol. For them it was a good break from organising their own exhibition - their annual show of handcrafted pieces from their travels which goes up in Newman House this weekend.
The extended Gerrard clan were almost all there - mother Mide Gerrard and six siblings - although John's father, Peter Gerrard, couldn't make it back from the Middle East for the party. Other guests included Ivana Bacik, the Reid Professor of Law at Trinity College together with her sister Milada Bacik; artist David MacDermott; actor Cillian Murphy just back from performing Disco Pigs in London with his girlfriend Yvonne McGuinness; Principal Management hot-shot, Trevor Bowen, and Colm Walsh of Velure Productions.