Fergus Martin facts for kids
Fergus Martin is a famous Irish painter. He has been a member of Aosdána, a special group for artists in Ireland, since 2001.
Contents
Early Life and Learning
Fergus Martin was born in Cork, Ireland. He loved art from a young age. He studied painting at the Dún Laoghaire School of Art. This was from 1972 to 1976.
Artistic Journey
From 1979 to 1988, Fergus lived and worked in Italy. He taught English at the University of Milan.
In 1988, he came back to Ireland and started painting again. His first art show by himself was in Dublin in 1990. In 1991, he went to The New York Studio School of Drawing, Painting and Sculpture to learn more.
Awards and Recognition
Fergus Martin has won several important awards for his art.
- He received awards from the Pollock-Krasner Foundation in New York in 1999 and 2006.
- He also won The Marten Toonder Award from The Arts Council/An Comhairle Ealaíon in 1999.
Public Sculptures
In 2007, Fergus created a sculpture called Steel. It was placed at the entrance of the Irish Museum of Modern Art in Dublin. This artwork was made of stainless steel. Sadly, in 2011, the sculpture was damaged by trucks and was not put back.
In 2010, he made another sculpture called Lincoln Place. This artwork was for a new four-story area at the Dublin Dental University Hospital.
Art Exhibitions
In 2008, Fergus Martin had a big art show at the Hugh Lane Gallery. A book about his art was also published for this show. His solo exhibition, "Outside Inside," was held at the Green on Red Gallery in Dublin in 2014. In 2016, he showed new artworks at the same gallery. A large exhibition called Fergus Martin Then and Now took place at the Irish Museum of Modern Art in 2019. This show featured his paintings, sculptures, and photographs from the 1990s until then.
Special Achievements
In 2001, Fergus Martin was chosen to be part of Aosdána. This is a special group for creative artists in Ireland. It was started in 1981 by the Arts Council of Ireland. Aosdána honors artists who have made a great impact on Irish art. It also helps them focus on their art.
In 2010, he won the Curtin O’Donoghue Photography Prize. This was at The RHA Annual Exhibition in Dublin. In 2014, he received the Irish American Cultural Institute O’Malley Award.
Martin & Hobbs Collaboration
Martin & Hobbs was a special art project. It was a team-up between Fergus Martin and photographer Anthony Hobbs. They started working together in 2001. Both artists wanted to explore new ways to show the human body in art. They combined their skills as a painter and a photographer.
Their first art show together was called "My Paradise is here." It took place in Venice, Italy, in 2003. Also in 2003, they had their second show, "My Paradise is Now," in Dublin. These two projects were shown again in 2012 and 2013. They were displayed at the Hugh Lane Gallery, the Irish Museum of Modern Art, and in Brussels.
Their artworks are now part of the collections at The Arts Council of Ireland and The Irish Museum of Modern Art.
