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Press Release June 2006 26 June - 22 October
2006 Since its foundation in 1731, the Royal Dublin Society (RDS) has been instrumental in the development of Fine and Applied Arts in Ireland. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries the RDS Drawings Schools (now National College of Art and Design) provided free education and produced many of Ireland's leading artists. In 1854 Captain George Archibald Taylor of Mespil Parade, Dublin, bequeathed £2000 to be applied to the promotion of Art and Industry in Ireland. It was through this generous legacy that the Taylor Art Awards were established in 1878, and they continue to be one of the most important awards available to artists. This display is the National Gallery of Ireland's contribution to the 275th anniversary celebrations of the Royal Dublin Society. It aims to give an insight into the history of the Taylor Art Awards and an overview of the work of those who have benefited from it - from William Osborne in 1882 to Maria McKinney in 2005. For the last 128 years, awards have been presented by means of a competition open to art students under the age of twenty five. Traditionally the three judges are nominees of the Royal Hibernian Academy, Governors of the National Gallery of Ireland and Royal Dublin Society. In the formative years of the Awards, prizes were given in the categories of Painting, Sculpture and Watercolours. Today the Taylor Art Awards promote the work of young artists working in a diverse range of formats; multimedia, photography, painting, print-making and installation work. Included in the display will be highlights of award winning compositions by Walter Osborne (The Tempting Bait, 1882), Patrick Tuohy (Supper Time, 1912), Rose Brigid Ganly (Pity, 1929), Dorothy Cross (Pierrot, 1977), James Hanley (Captain Courageous Land Lover, 1991), and Neva Elliott (Without Breaking and Clean Break, 1999). The exhibition is curated by Janet McLean (National Gallery of Ireland) who has also written the accompanying brochure.
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