Glass artists showcase their exquisite work at Cashel Arts Festival exhibition
The THREADS exhibition of glass art continues until the end of Cashel Arts Festival
The exquisite work of 27 glass artists from all over Ireland is currently on show at Cashel's historic Cathedral Chapter House as part of the Cashel Arts Festival.
The THREADS curated exhibition of contemporary glass art opened on August 27 at the launch of the arts festival's brochure at the historic venue that was formerly home to the Bolton Library.
The showcase, presented in partnership with the Glass Society of Ireland, continues until the end of the festival, which runs from this Thursday, September 10 to Sunday, September 13.
THREADS explores the relationship between contemporary art and the rich history of the building in which it is being exhibited - the former Bolton Library.
Artists were invited to create works that would engage with the history and character of the building and its former role as a library.
The resulting pieces are displayed in museum-style cases, all of which were originally used to house and display some of the library’s historic books.
The exhibition creates a fascinating dialogue between the building’s past and the contemporary glasswork now occupying these historic cases.
The opening evening of the exhibition featured a special presentation by Ken Bergin of the Special Collections Section of the University of Limerick's Glucksman Library. He presented a video exploring the restoration and cataloguing of the historic books following their departure from Cashel.
His presentation was followed by a lively question-and-answer session with an interested and engaged audience.
The opening provided a fitting start to both Cashel Arts Festival and THREADS, bringing together the history of the Bolton Library, the preservation of its collections and the creativity of contemporary Irish glass artists.