Arlene McPadden's 'Untitled'

Luan gallery to show RDS art award winners

Luan Gallery Athlone's fall 2013 exhibition programme features prize winning works and selected entries from the RDS Student Art Awards. From architectural paintings and a stuffed piglet, to drug abuse both prescribed and recreational and scientifically inspired drawings by a former veterinary surgeon, the work by this year’s award winners is certainly varied.

This year’s winners include Joe Scullion from the National College of Art and Design, who won the RDS Taylor Art Award with a prize of €5000. Awarded since 1860 it is the longest running student art award in the world.

Other prize winners include Michael Geddis, Laura Maloney, Peter Bradley, Clara Ryan, and Arlene McPadden.

Catherine Yorke, arts co-ordinator at Luan Gallery said: 'RDS Student Art Awards provide an exhibition of variety that hasn’t been yet seen in Luan Gallery. Taxidermy animals, videos, prints, photographs, paintings will fill the space. It took a lot of effort to plan out the layout of the exhibition but with the kind support of a sponsor Milestone Electric we were able to ensure the technical requirements were met. We are also really pleased we can provide the opportunity to this emerging Irish talent to be viewed by a wider audience during the two months in the gallery. We support initiatives which recognise excellence in young emerging Irish artists and provide support to enable them to further their talent and artistic development. '

As a new flurry of aspiring artists take up positions around the country and a new load of leaving cert students prepare their portfolios for entering colleges next year we are delighted to exhibit the RDS Students Art Awards Travelling Exhibition.

Watch this space for Culture Night activities on 20th September based on the exhibition.

Luan Gallery will host a drinks reception to celebrate the launch of the new exhibition on Friday 6th September at 6pm. Chairman of the RDS Committee of Arts, David Horkan, will open the show.

Admission to the gallery is free for groups and individuals. School or group tours and workshops can be arranged by contacting the gallery in advance on 090 6442154.

Luan Gallery is open Tuesday – Saturday 11am to 5pm, Sunday 12noon – 5pm and is closed on Mondays.