21 May 2024
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
The largest Salvador Dalí sculpture ever displayed in Ireland is to feature at the country’s biggest art and sculpture event.
Oliver Gormley, left, of Gormleys, watches with Simon Hayes as Dance of Time II, the largest Salvador Dalí sculpture ever displayed in Ireland, arrives at Castlemartyr Resort, ahead of Art and Soul, which runs at the Cork venue from this Saturday until June 23. Picture: Elaine O’Halloran.
Dance of Time II, valued at €1.1million and unveiled on Monday (May 20) at Cork’s Castlemartyr resort, will be the star attraction at Art and Soul, which begins this Saturday and runs until June 23.
It is a 405kg, 1.5m high bronze sculpture showcasing Dalí’s enduring, melting clocks motif.
The event will also feature works by Andy Warhol and Damien Hirst, and is being hosted at the five-star resort by Gormleys, which operates art galleries in Dublin and Belfast.
“The melted clock is the most well-known and beloved of Dalí’s iconoclastic images, and he chose to portray this consistently throughout his lifetime,” said Oliver Gormley of Gormleys.
“The ever-present fluidity of time is represented in this sculpture as time not only moving, but dancing in rhythm to the beat of the universe.
“Dalínian time is perpetual and dances on, stopping for no man, history or even the cosmos.”
The free event, showcasing a total of €8million worth of works by the biggest names in international and Irish art, includes an outdoor exhibition of 90 large sculptures and installations in the 220-acre grounds of the 17th-century manor estate.
Art and Soul will coincide with the Blackwater Valley Opera Festival from May 27 to June 3 at 11 venues across the Blackwater Valley, including an open air lunch time recital at Castlemartyr on June 2.
With over 300 works on display, the art and sculpture event will be the largest showcase of sculpture in Ireland to date and will feature international artists alongside leading Irish sculptors Patrick O’Reilly, Ian Pollock, Eamonn Ceannt and Bob Quinn.
The hotel’s interior will display 100 artworks by some of the world’s best-known artists, including Hirst, Warhol, Giacinto Bosco, Patrick Rubinstein and Patrick Hughes.
This will be the tenth major art and sculpture event Gormleys have organised, and the second time it has appeared at the southern resort.
“Art and Soul gives art lovers a unique opportunity to view these incredible works of art in the beautiful surroundings of Castlemartyr,” said Mr Gormley.
“Adults and children will enjoy the event equally, and our previous events in Russborough (Wicklow) and the Culloden Hotel (Belfast) attracted over 10,000 visitors.”
Brendan Comerford, General Manager of Castlemartyr Resort, said it is the ‘perfect background for our arts-centric summer, with its rich history and impressive grounds’.
“We are looking forward to welcoming guests and visitors to celebrate the extensive programme of artworks, talks, tours and musical performances that will take place,” he said.
During the event, there will be a programme of artists’ talks and daily guided tours. Art and Soul will be open to the public daily from 11am–7pm.
Castlemartyr Resort is offering special rates for Art and Soul overnight stays, afternoon tea and dining opportunities in their Michelin star restaurant Terre.
Featuring a programme of exclusive artists’ talks with daily guided tours, guests can avail of the Art + Soul Visit & Stay package from €379 per room or tailor their visit to include Afternoon Tea and award-winning dining.
More information and accommodation offers can be found on www.gormleys.ie and www.castlemartyrresort.ie.