By Dan Walsh
Breaking The Patterns is a three-month artist residency and work placement programme for emerging visual artists in Lisbon, Portugal facilitated by the arts departments of Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny and Carlow local authorities, and led by Carlow County Council Arts Service under the Invitation to Collaborate Arts Council of Ireland scheme.
Breaking the Patterns is part of a two-year initiative which commenced in early 2024. It fosters and cultivates creativity through international European art residencies, exhibitions, dedicated artistic mentorship, professional development and work experience in one of Lisbon’s many dedicated arts spaces.
Larry Dunne is an emerging illustrator from Enniscorthy who has been working at the Presentation Centre. An NCAD and IADT graduate, his offbeat illustrative work is intricately detailed, surreal, and often finished in vibrant colours. His work focuses on imaginative subversions of architecture, religious iconography, mythology, flora/fauna and psychology.
Larry is most well-known for his collaborations with Wexford Pride, Outrage Music Festival, Enniscorthy Arts Trail, Enniscorthy Theatre Company, and particularly for his 2019 solo exhibition Quare Taken – curated by Wexford’s renowned freelance curator Lisa Byrne – where he put a spotlight on the unchallenged homophobia and bigotry prevalent in Enniscorthy in the 90s and 00s.
The Breaking The Patterns exhibition launch will take place in NowHere, a contemporary art gallery in central Lisbon, next Saturday April 5th at 6pm. Curated by Cristiana Tejo and Luiza Baldan, it will showcase the artwork of 12 residency artists – six from Ireland, and six based in Portugal.
The exhibiting artists are Ally Nolan, Caoilfhionn Hanton, Giovanni Blandino, Guilhermo Hitos, Larry Dunne, Mafalda Riobom, Mariana Lourenço, Marie Jiménez, Roibí O Rua, Rory Foster, Sara E. Tralha and Sarah Joan Kelly.
This exhibition will run until May 3rd and is free to visit.
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