Artist Talk & Exhibition Opening

The Dock is pleased to present a group show with artists Helen Comerford, Barbara Freeman, Patricia Hurl, Rachel Parry Therry Rudin, and Gerda Teljeur, art historian/curator Catherine Marshall, and composer Carole Nelson who came together in 2020 to form the artists’ collective, known as Na Cailleacha from the Irish word ‘cailleach’ meaning a witch or a divine hag. The Collective explores what it means to be women who are getting older and arguably becoming invisible and what strategies we devise to overcome the challenges of sustaining creativity and art practice as we age.

The exhibition Na Cailleacha with reference to Paula Rego curated by Catherine Marshall and Sarah Searson, will present work made during the past two years and a body of new work referencing the artist Paula Rego, who died during this period and whose long career embodied many of the experiences and practices explored by Na Cailleacha. In making work related to her the Cailleachs want to honour a ground-breaking feminist artist.

The members of Na Cailleacha are;Helen Comerford, a painter and educator, based in Co. Kilkenny. Barbara Freeman, a new media artist, based in Belfast. Patricia Hurl, a painter and performance artist, based in County Tipperary. Catherine Marshall, a curator and art-writer, based in Dublin and County Kilkenny. Carole Nelson, a musician, composer and performer, based in County Carlow. Rachel Parry a sculptor based in Béara peninsula in Co. Cork. Therry Rudin a painter and film-maker, based in County Tipperary. Gerda Teljeur, whose work explores the linear potential of ink on paper, based in Co. Wexford

This exhibition features Na Caillleacha, Child’s Play 2 (2021), seven photographs on loan from the collection of the Hugh Lane Gallery.