Seven contemporary Irish artists lead in a European First

Unveiled earlier this month, the giant digital screen at Wilton Park off Dublin’s Baggot Street debuted with a series of short pieces, paying tribute to the area’s rich literary connections.

Now, leading Irish artists take centre stage, and the Living Canvas screen becomes an unparalleled public exhibition platform, as Dublin hosts Europe’s largest ever outdoor screen dedicated to contemporary art.

Programmed by a group of representatives from institutions including the Royal Hibernian Academy (RHA), the Arts Office of Dublin City Council, Museum of Literature Ireland (MOLI), and creative production studio Algorithm, the first artists are Clare Langan, Bassam Al Sabah, Barbara Knežević, Ailbhe Ni Bhriain, John Beattie, Aideen Barry, and Alan Butler, who this year was part of Ireland’s representation at the Venice Biennale.

A new departure in art viewing, Ireland leads the emerging phenomenon of giant digital screens dedicated to democratising culture. The screen in Dublin is the largest ever in Europe and one of the first in the world used as a platform solely for public art.

While each of the selected artists already has a strong international reputation, showcasing their work on Living Canvas extends their audiences, creating new conversations in the city, and in the country, as well as overseas. Ailbhe Ni Bhriain is simultaneously showing in the inaugural exhibition at the newly opened Irish Arts Centre in New York, while Aideen Barry’s work will be shown to coincide with her exhibition at the Limerick City Gallery of Art.

Layered City

Three years in the making, the custom designed Living Canvas screen is part of IPUT Real Estate’s commitment to creating a layered city, in which spaces for arts and culture are valued alongside places to live and work. As Covid 19 changes how we spend our leisure and social time and draws attention to the need to reignite pride in the city, the arrival of Living Canvas is a timely intervention, offering new ways to enjoy arts and culture in a safe setting.

More to Come in 2022

IPUT and the programming team’s commitment to Living Canvas sees more artists currently working on commissions for the screen, premiering in 2022. The platform itself was designed and produced by Algorithm who also worked on the inaugural exhibition, ‘Something in the Water’.