BIOGRAPHY
Sinéad Ní Mhaonaigh (b 1977) graduated with a BA in Fine Art Painting from Dublin Institute of Technology in 2001. In 2010 Ní Mhaonaigh was recipient of the Hennessy Craig Scholarship and was awarded The HOTRON Award 2019 by VISUAL Carlow for outstanding work. She was shortlisted for the Marmite Prize for Painting 2016, and the John Moores Painting Prize 2018. Ní Mhaonaigh is represented by the Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, Dublin, and 532 Gallery Thomas Jaeckel, New York. Ní Mhaonaigh was recently elected a member of the RHA.
Recent solo exhibitions include Structure (2022) at 532 Gallery Thomas Jaeckel; Struchtúr (2022), Dúil Series (2021) and Teorainn (2020) at Kevin Kavanagh Gallery; Cnuasach (2021) at Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre; and Macalla (2020) at Mermaid Arts Centre. Ní Mhaonaigh exhibited as part of VOLTA New York in a solo presentation in 2016, and her work has been presented at major international art fairs, including Art Market Budapest and VOLTA Basel. Ní Mhaonaigh’s paintings are held in many important public collections, including the Centre Culturel Irlandais (Paris), Crawford Art Collection (Cork), Butler Gallery Collection (Kilkenny), Ernesto Ventós (Barcelona), Luciano Benetton Collection (Treviso), O’Brien Art Collection (Chicago) and The Arts Council of Ireland (Dublin), as well as private collections in Ireland, across Europe and in the Unites States.
A substantial publishing archive has developed around Ní Mhaonaigh’s painting practice over the years, with her exhibitions attracting significant media coverage, as well as critical and scholarly engagement through the inclusion of her work in a vast range of catalogues, books, journals and periodicals. Ní Mhaonaigh is regularly invited to deliver public lectures and participate in conferences, while she also widely contributes to Irish language broadcasting across radio and television.
ARTIST’S STATEMENT
Sinéad Ní Mhaonaigh is innately concerned with the material qualities of paint, and the physical act of painting itself. Resisting the confinements of allegory, she earnestly engages with painting as its own autonomous language. Much like a poet, Ní Mhaonaigh is interested in ambiguity and in anachronisms. It has been said that she is a painter who suggests rather than represents. Over the past two decades, Ní Mhaonaigh has presented solo exhibitions whose titles comprise singular words, derived from the Irish language, that describe the lived environment. These include Struchtúr, Cnuasach, Imlíne, Eatramh, Imeall, and Ardán – which translate into English as Structure, Cluster, Contour, Interval, Margin, and Platform. This litany of nouns serves to emphasise prevailing concerns in her work, relating to the exploration and elaboration of bounded space. One is free to interpret this in formal terms, as the construction of pictorial architecture, or as a gesture towards more symbolic or enigmatic spaces. Indeed, rather than addressing the particular or the parochial, Ní Mhaonaigh’s paintings achieve an ‘opening up’ of landscape to consider universal themes of language, ancestry, and timeless depictions of place.
CURRICULUM VITAE
Born in 1977, Dublin, Ireland.
EDUCATION
2001 BA Fine Art Dublin Institute of Technology
2018 Elected an Associate Member of the Royal Hibernian Academy
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2023 The Custom House Gallery, County Mayo
2022 Rathfarnham Castle, County Dublin
Structure, 532 Gallery Thomas Jaeckel, New York
Struchtúr, Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, Dublin
2021 Oonagh Young Gallery, Dublin
Cnuasach, Uillinn, West Cork Arts Centre, Cork
Dúil Series, Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, Dublin
2020 The Dock, County Leitrim, curated by Sarah Searson
Macalla, Mermaid Arts Centre, County Wicklow
Teorainn, Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, Dublin
2018 Achar, Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, Dublin
2016 Galway University Hospital, Galway
Dúil, Limerick City Gallery of Art, Limerick
Sinéad Ní Mhaonaigh, VOLTA NY, New York
Ardán, Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, Dublin
2015 Imlíne, The Belltable Arts Centre, Limerick
Anthony Slayter-Ralph Fine Art, Los Angeles
Imlíne, Mermaid Arts Centre, County Wicklow
2014 Triskell Christchurch, Cork
The Motorhouse Gallery, Farmleigh, Dublin
Contours, Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, Dublin
2013 LUAN Gallery, Athlone
2012 Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, Dublin
The Living Room Gallery, New York
Linenhall Arts Centre, Mayo
Millennium Court Arts Centre, Armagh
2011 Centre Culturel Irlandais, Paris
Highlanes Municipal Gallery, Drogheda
Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, Dublin
2010 West Cork Arts Centre, Cork
Ard Bia, Galway
Dunamaise Arts Centre, Laois
The Living Room Gallery, New York
Ryan’s Electrical, Kilkenny Arts Festival, Kilkenny
2009 Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, Dublin
Wexford Arts Centre, Wexford, curated by Clíodhna Shaffrey
Galway Arts Centre, Galway
2008 Orange, Weiss, Gelb, Ard Bia, Berlin
Ard Bia, Galway
Áras Éanna Arts Centre, Inis Oírr, Galway
Platform, Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, Dublin
2007 County Buildings, County Wicklow
2006 An tImeall, Mermaid Arts Centre, County Wicklow, curated by Pádraic E. Moore
Eatramh, Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, Dublin
2004 Deoraíocht, Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, Dublin
2001 The Chaple, Dublin Institute of Technology, Portland Row, Dublin
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2022 GENERATION 2022: New Irish Painting, Butler Gallery, Kilkenny, curated by Anna O’Sullivan
RHA Annual Exhibition, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin
St.Brigid’s Well, Hamilton Gallery, Sligo
2021 The Annual 44 Art Exhibition, Waterford
RHA Annual Exhibition, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin
We Can Dance, Castlefreke, West Cork
Pathos, Rathfarnham Castle, County Dublin, curated by Diana Copperwhite
Boyle Arts Festival, County Roscommon
Drogheda Municipal Art Collection, Highlanes Municipal Gallery Drogheda
Awakening, Pablo’s Birthday, New York
Home:Being and Belonging in Contemporary Ireland, The Glucksman, Cork, curated by Christopher Clarke and Fiona Kearney
John Moores Painting Prize 2018, digital presentation, Shanghai Minsheng Art Museum, China
Meditations in Time of Civil War, Hamilton Gallery, Sligo
2020 RHA Annual Exhibition, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin
Highlanes Open, Highlanes Municipal Gallery Drogheda
RHA Collection, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin, curated by Eithne Jordan, RHA Keeper
Eva Gore-Booth, The Museum of Literature Ireland, UCD Newman House, Dublin
2019 Utopia / Dystopia, Municipal Gallery dlr Lexicon, Dún Laoghaire, curated by Aoife Ruane
Peripheries, Periphery Space, Gorey
Winter Open, Rua Red Arts Centre, Dublin
Silver, Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, Dublin
Legacy, 30th Anniversary of the Boyle Arts Festival, County Roscommon
Dearly Beloved, ARTWORKS 2019, Carlow Arts Festival, VISUAL, Carlow
Nineteen Hundred and Nineteen, touring exhibition to: Hamilton Gallery & Yeats Building (Sligo); Irish Consulate, New York
RHA Annual Exhibition, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin
St.Brigid’s Day, touring exhibition to the following venues: 12 Star Gallery (London); Hamilton Gallery (Sligo); The Department of Food and Marine (Dublin); Irish Embassy (Berlin)
2018 John Moores Painting Prize, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
Group Show, The Custom House Studios, County Mayo
Cairde Arts Festival, The Model, Sligo
Island Life, Westport Arts Festival, The Custom House Studios, County Mayo
Peripheries, Municipal Gallery dlr Lexicon, Dún Laoghaire
Drogheda Municipal Art Collection, Highlanes Municipal Gallery, Drogheda
RHA Annual Exhibition, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin
2017 Drogheda Municipal Art Collection, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin
Wexford Opera Festival, Greenacres Gallery, Wexford
RHA Annual Exhibition, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin, Invited Artist
2016 Wexford Opera Festival, Greenacres Gallery, Wexford
The Marmite Prize for Painting V, Highlanes Municipal Gallery, Drogheda
Informed Painting, Pablo’s Birthday, New York
The Marmite Prize for Painting V, Block 336, London
Hermione Art Exhibition, ALEX 150, Alexandra College, Dublin
RHA Annual Exhibition, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin
2015 Hold to the Now, S L A G Gallery, New York
Group Show, S L A G Brunswick Gallery, New York
Wexford Opera Festival, Greenacres Gallery, Wexford
Here and Now, Greenacres Gallery, Wexford
RHA Annual Exhibition, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin, Invited Artist
PANORAMA, Pallas Projects, Dublin
Cú Chulainn Comforted, Basic Space, Dublin, curated by Joshua Sex
Home, Municipal Gallery, dlr Lexicon, Dún Laoghaire
2014 Colección olar VISUAL, Museu d’Art de Cerdanyola MAC, Barcelona
Wexford Opera Festival, Greenacres Gallery, Wexford
Boyle Arts Festival, County Roscommon
Chancery Lane, Dunamaise Arts Centre, Laois
Instant Crush, Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, Dublin
2013 40/40/40, Office of Public Works touring exhibition to the following venues: Centro Cultural Conde Duque (Madrid, Spain); Biblioteka Universidad (Warsaw, Poland); Ministero degli Affari Esteri, Palazzo della Farnasina, (Rome, Italy); Rathfarnham Castle (Dublin); OPW Headquarters (Trim, Meath).
Selective Perspectives, Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, Dublin
Boyle Arts Festival, County Roscommon
2012 Into the Light, 60th Anniversary of the Arts Council, Crawford Art Gallery, curated by Dawn Williams
Last, Douglas Hyde Gallery, Dublin
Assembly, Drogheda Municipal Art Collection, Highlanes Municipal Gallery
Group Exhibition, Ron Mandes, Amsterdam
RHA Annual Exhibition, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin
Boyle Arts Festival, County Roscommon
MIND HEAD, JiM Contemporani, Barcelona, curated by Rose Burlingham
2011 Room Outside, Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, Dublin
The Pink Show, Harlem Townhouse, New York, curated by Rose Burlingham
RHA Annual Exhibition, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin
Unfolding Collections, Galway Arts Centre, Galway
2010 UNBUILDING, two person exhibition with Bea McMahon, Mermaid Arts Centre, curated by Clíodhna Shaffrey and Rosie Lynch
Recent Acquisitions, Drogheda Municipal Art Collection, Highlanes Municipal Gallery
RHA Annual Exhibition, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin
Boyle Arts Festival, County Roscommon
Regarding Painting, Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, Dublin
Group Show, Living Room Gallery, New York
Preview, Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, Dublin
2009 Above the Fold, Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, Dublin
RHA Annual Exhibition, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin
Boyle Arts Festival, County Roscommon
Futures, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin, curated by Patrick T. Murphy & Ruth Carroll
AIB Art Prize, AIB Headquarters, Dublin
2008 Group Therapy, Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, Dublin
RHA Annual Exhibition, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin
Boyle Arts Festival, County Roscommon
Greenstar Open, Mermaid Arts Centre, curated by Theo Dorgan
2007 Emerging Artists ( and some old friends ), Boyle Arts Festival, Invited Artist
RHA Annual Exhibition, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin, Invited Artist Group Show, Wicklow County Buildings, County Wicklow
Greenstar Open, Mermaid Arts Centre, curated by Clíodhna Shaffrey
2006 Greenstar Open, Mermaid Arts Centre, curated by Amanda Ralph
2004 Living Landscape, West Cork Arts Centre, Cork, curated by Therry Rudin
2000 DIT Group Exhibition, The Atrium, Temple Bar Gallery + Studios, Dublin
1999 DIT Group Exhibition, The Atrium, Temple Bar Gallery + Studios, Dublin
ART FAIRS
2022 Hamptons Fine Art Fair, New York (with 532 Gallery Thomas Jaeckel)
Art Rotterdam, Netherlands (with Kevin Kavanagh Gallery)
2018 VUE, National Contemporary Art Fair, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin (with Kevin Kavanagh Gallery)
2017 VUE, National Contemporary Art Fair, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin (with Kevin Kavanagh Gallery)
2016 VOLTA NY, Solo Presentation, New York (with Kevin Kavanagh Gallery)
VUE, National Contemporary Art Fair, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin (with Kevin Kavanagh Gallery)
2015 VUE, National Contemporary Art Fair, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin (with Kevin Kavanagh Gallery)
VOLTA 11, Basel (with Kevin Kavanagh Gallery)
2014 ArtMarket, Budapest (with Kevin Kavanagh Gallery)
VOLTA 10, Basel (with Kevin Kavanagh Gallery)
2012 VOLTA 8, Basel (with Kevin Kavanagh Gallery)
VUE, National Contemporary Art Fair, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin (with Kevin Kavanagh Gallery)
2011 VUE, National Contemporary Art Fair, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin (with Kevin Kavanagh Gallery)
2010 Art 2010, RDS Dublin (with Kevin Kavanagh Gallery)
2009 Art 2009, RDS Dublin (with Kevin Kavanagh Gallery)
2008 Preview Berlin (with Ard Bia Berlin)
Art 2008, RDS Dublin (with Kevin Kavanagh Gallery)
Art Cologne (with Kevin Kavanagh Gallery)
2007 Aqua Art 07, Miami USA (with Kevin Kavanagh Gallery)
Year_07 Art Projects, County Hall, London (with Kevin Kavanagh Gallery)
Art 2007, RDS Dublin (with Kevin Kavanagh Gallery)
AWARDS
2022 Wicklow County Council Art Bursary
2020 The Dock Commission Highlanes Open (shortlist)
2019 The Hotron ARTWORKS Award
Wicklow County Council Art Bursary
2016 The Marmite Prize for Painting V (shortlist)
2014 The Arts Council, Visual Arts Bursary Award
2010 The Hennessy Craig Scholarship
Royal Hibernian Academy Studio Award
Wicklow County Council Art Bursary
2009 AIB Prize (shortlist)