Behind the Curtain

2024’s ARTWORKS exhibition, Behind the Curtain, considers things that are hidden and revealed, and how the use of methods from theatre, film, performance, and art-historical traditions can be used in artmaking today.

The exhibition’s thematic is informed by both historical and contemporary art-practices, including The Reverse of a Framed Painting, by 17th-century Flemish painter Cornelius Norbertus Gijsbrechts, and contemporary visual artist Ulla von Brandenburg, who will present a solo exhibition in VISUAL's Main Gallery.

The exhibition includes invited and commissioned works along with Irish and international artists selected through VISUAL and Carlow Arts Festival’s annual Open Call, which invited submission of works that broadly can be understood through the themes of these artists, such as disguise, transformation, illusion, masking, costume, world-building and role-playing, becoming other.

Five ARTWORKS Prizes of €1,000 each for outstanding pieces of work from promising practices will be presented at the exhibition launch at VISUAL on Thursday 6 June at 6pm.

Launch: Thursday 6 June | 6pm | Free
Guided tour: Friday 7 June | 1pm | Free

Several performances a day will occur on the 6, 7 and 8 June – check VISUAL’s website and social media for more details, including times.

ARTWORKS continues at VISUAL until 1 September

Funded by the Arts Council | An Chomhairle Ealaíon

Supported by