Fergus Martin facts for kids
Fergus Martin is a famous Irish painter. He has been a member of Aosdána, a special group for Irish artists, since 2001.
Contents
Early Life and Art School
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.
Art Career and Sculptures
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. He started painting again. His first art show was in Dublin in 1990.
In 1991, he went to The New York Studio School of Drawing, Painting and Sculpture. He won awards from the Pollock-Krasner Foundation in New York. He also received The Marten Toonder Award in 1999.
Steel Sculpture
In 2007, Fergus created a sculpture called Steel. It was made for the entrance of the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA). It was put in place in 2008. Sadly, in 2011, trucks accidentally damaged the sculpture. It has not been rebuilt since then.
Lincoln Place Sculpture
In 2008, Fergus Martin had a big art show at the Hugh Lane Gallery. A book about his art was also published. In 2010, he made another sculpture called Lincoln Place. This sculpture was made for the Dublin Dental University Hospital. It fills a tall, open space inside the building.
Recent Exhibitions
Fergus Martin's solo show, "Outside Inside," was held in Dublin in 2014. In 2016, he showed new artworks at Green on Red Gallery. A special exhibition called Fergus Martin Then and Now took place at the Irish Museum of Modern Art. This show lasted from February to October 2019. It featured his paintings, sculptures, and photos from the 1990s until today.
Awards and Recognition
In 2001, Fergus Martin became a member of Aosdána. Aosdána is a group for amazing artists in Ireland. It was started in 1981 by the Arts Council of Ireland. Its goal is to celebrate artists who have made a big impact on Irish art. It also helps them focus on their creative work.
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. They 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 was in Venice, Italy, in 2003. It was called My Paradise is here. Later that year, they had another show in Dublin called My Paradise is Now. These projects were shown again in 2012 and 2013. Their art was displayed at the Hugh Lane Gallery and the Irish Museum of Modern Art. It was also shown in Brussels and France.
Their artworks are now part of important collections. These include The Arts Council of Ireland and The Irish Museum of Modern Art.
