Championing Irish sculpture in annual East Cork exhibition

CORK culinary hot-spot, Ballymaloe House, is hosting a unique collection of sculptures from Richard Scott Gallery, bringing art to the great outdoors.

Driving through the lush grounds, you can see the magnificent pieces set atop their pedestals, arranged in a circular shape.

Humming Bird in Blue, Life Does Goes On, Moon Gazer, Striptease, and Glide, are among almost 50 sculptures that are on display at the grounds this summer.

The exhibition, free of charge, continues until August 31.

“I am so grateful that the artists trust me to represent them,” says Richard Scott, from Douglas.

The world-renowned hotel in East Cork has partnered with the prominent local art curator to run an outdoor sculpture exhibition for the ninth year.

Laura Behan, general manager of Ballymaloe House Hotel, said; “We are very much embedded in the local community here at Ballymaloe, and we love to champion Irish artists through the many events we hold throughout the year.

It’s an absolute pleasure to host the Richard Scott Sculpture exhibition once again, and we’d encourage visitors to take a walk through the vast expanse of the estate to see all the sculptures on display here this summer.

Richard says he is more than happy to bring the work of 27 artists from his gallery to a place as beautiful as Ballymaloe.

“There’s nothing I love more than to showcase the pieces created by phenomenal artists that I work with, and we feel privileged to be able to put these sculptures on display at Ballymaloe House. I know visitors who come to see the exhibition will love the creations as much as I do. These are a cultural asset to Cork and beyond and they deserve to be displayed in such a great setting.”

Among the 47 pieces created by 27 Irish artists on display are an intricate violin and bow sculpture in bronze by Darragh Wilkins entitled Siabh Luachra. His father, Mick Wilkins, also based at Kilnagleary Studios Carrigaline, is exhibiting Glide.

For the past 30 years, he has explored the qualities of Kilkenny Limestone through carving, cutting, laminating, sandblasting, polishing, surface treatment and drawing on the ancient and durable material.

What is Mick’s sculpture at Ballymaloe based on?

“My sculpture for the annual show at Ballymaloe is based on a gliding seabird whose wing tip touches a wave,” says Mick.

“I have blended the bird and wave into one to portray this connection. I cast this in bronze at our foundry in Carrigaline. 

"There are ten artists working in various disciplines based at the studios, two of which are also exhibiting at Ballymaloe this year; my son Darragh and also Peter Killeen.”

The annual Ballymaloe Sculpture Exhibition has become a showcase for contemporary Irish work.

The Gallerist, Richard Scott used to be a vet!

“I did!” says Richard. “I am a big animal lover and I still love the horses and the breeding industry. I studied veterinary medicine in UCD. From there, I went working in the Curragh and London, before travelling to Cornwall, where I worked in the early 1990s. I found the work very satisfying. I really enjoyed it.”

Richard moved to Dublin.

I was there for 12 years, before returning to Cork where I wanted to set up my own practice.

The timing wasn’t right.

“The recession hit in 2008 and I got cold feet about my plans,” Richard adds.

He looked to another area to occupy himself.

“When I was living in Cornwall, I started buying work by a seascape artist called Paul Lewin,” Richard says.

Paul Lewin is an artist who resides in Oakland, California. He was born in Kingston, Jamacia, in 1973 and relocated to Miami with is family when he was five.

“Paul contacted me expressing an interest in doing a painting exhibition here and we opened an exhibition for him in the Grainstore. Another artist, Carl Cathcart also featured in the show,” says Richard.

Richard had found his niche.

“Because of the recession, I was having doubts about the financial feasibility of setting up a veterinary practice,” he says.

And I decided to dedicate myself to being a gallerist.

A gallerist is a person who owns an art gallery or who exhibits and promotes artists’ work in galleries and other venues in order to attract potential buyers.

Richard got a break.

“A key moment was almost 11 years ago when Mount Juliet got in touch with me.

“They were keen to do an outdoor sculptural exhibition. Afterwards, I approached Ballymaloe to see if they would like to host something similar at Ballymaloe House. I knew Fawn, Hazel and Rory’s daughter, who was managing the Grainstore at the time. From there we started doing exhibitions and this current exhibition is our ninth.”

How does Richard do his research?

“Early in the year, I travel to as many sculptor’s studios as I can,” he explains.

“I have about 70 sculptors on the books. They are all very willing to be involved in the sculptural exhibition at Ballymaloe. I see and discuss what they might have for the Ballymaloe show. Then I start locking in the list of artists, and how their work is going to be delivered to Cork and displayed.

“Siting the exhibition is labour intensive, and it takes about five weeks to set up in the lead up to the opening. 

"The grass has to be cut in a certain pattern so that it looks good, and the sites for the sculpture have to be staked out; they are sited in a central circle in a relatively small area.”

Richie is working on another task today.

“I’m going down now with my bucket of water and wire brush to get the bird s…t off the pieces!”

Richard adds: “During the summer, the focus is on highlighting the exhibition.

“Every Thursday at 5.30pm at Ballymaloe, we give people a free tour and talk on the sculptures.”

The tours are free and booking is not required.

At the end of August, everything has to be de-assembled, and the sculpture goes to its new home if it has been purchased, or it goes back to the sculptor.

“We are so blessed in Ireland with the sculptors we have,” says Richard.

This year we have 47 sculptors represented. The show runs until August 31.

“It is open every day from 9am to 9pm, and it is free of charge.”

Does Richard enjoy being a gallerist, despite the chores that go with it?

“I enjoy my relationships with the sculptors and the buyers,” says Richard.

“Sculpture is expensive and you’re depending on a small number of people to support the gallery, so you have to take care of them.

“With the artists, it’s about crating an alliance with them so when a piece is sold and they’re paying you, they say, ‘I know exactly why that fee was charged, it was well worth it’.”

The Ballymaloe Sculptural Exhibition is well worth a visit too.

For more see https://www.ballymaloe.ie/outdoor-sculpture-exhibition