Young Laois artist selected for major national show

A DISUSED park bench from Laois is an unlikely but essential prop in striking artwork by a young Abbeyleix woman, who has been selected for a prestigious national exhibition.

Aoife Dunne is one of only 12 emerging artists nationwide selected for the inaugural RDS Visual Art Awards exhibition, which will run from November until January.

A graduate of both Abbeyleix FETC and Limerick School of Art and Design (LSAD), Aoife’s work will be showcased in the first exhibition at ‘Gallery at RDS’, which will open on 6 November at a new two-storey venue on Simmonscourt Road, Dublin.

The show will feature work from some of Ireland’s most promising emerging artists, who were selected following a nationwide search of graduate exhibitions.

Aoife graduated this year from LSAD where she studied sculpture and combined media, having previously attended Abbeyleix FETC where she gained a Level 6 in Art four years ago.

Her imaginative and thought-provoking work spans a wide range of disciplines that include sculpture, installation, drawing, photography, sound, cartography and publication.

Her artistic practice explores the relationship between the body, personal identity and the surrounding environment, with a particular focus on disability, accessibility and the use of public spaces.

Aoife’s graduate installation, titled ‘Connective Tissues/Cognitive Mapping’, brought together a sound walk, audio installation, sculpture and a printed publication.

The project also incorporated a disused park bench donated by Laois Co Council, to examine themes of movement, disability and access to public spaces.

Through the innovative and thought-provoking installation, Aoife reflects on her status as a disabled woman and how she ;considers public space and the movement of a disabled body through it;.

Announcing the 12 selected artists on 20 October, an RDS spokesperson said: ‘This year’s artists represent a diverse range of emerging talent and contemporary visual art practices from across Ireland.

‘The exhibition marks an exciting new chapter for the RDS Visual Art Awards, providing a dedicated platform for artists as they transition from art college into professional practice.’ 

Aoife has already received recognition and acclaim for her distinctive work, including a Percent for Art commission and reaching the shortlist for a Spacecraft Graduate Residency.

She has also featured on RTÉ 2’s ‘This Is Art’ and previously worked as a NASC Network Young Curator at the Dunamaise Arts Centre, Portlaoise. Her selection for the RDS Visual Art Awards represents another significant achievement in her emerging artistic career.

The 12 artists were chosen by six independent curators who visited graduate exhibitions at art colleges across Ireland during April, May and June.

The exhibition will showcase a variety of artistic disciplines, including painting, sculpture, photography, film, textiles, sound and installation and will run until 23 January 2027.

The RDS Visual Art Awards also offer a combined prize fund of €32,500, providing financial support and exposure to artists beginning their professional careers.

Paul McAree, curator and one of this year’s judges, said the exhibition provides an important platform for emerging talent.

He said: “The RDS Visual Art Awards provide an important opportunity to encounter the breadth and ambition of emerging visual art practice in Ireland, at a pivotal point in these artists’ careers.

“This year’s selection reflects the diversity of approaches and perspectives coming through our art colleges and it is particularly exciting to bring these artists together as the first exhibition at Gallery at RDS.” 

He added that the new gallery would provide a dedicated space for audiences to engage with contemporary visual art.

Judges for the 2026 awards were Rachel Joynt, Christina Kennedy, Paul McAree, Sarah McAuliffe and Patrick Murphy. The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on 19 November.