40/40/40 Exhibition - celebrating Ireland in the EU

Minister Hayes and Minister Creighton viewing some of the art work before the exhibition began its tour.

40 artists under 40 help celebrate the 40^th anniversary of Ireland’s membership of the European Union, bringing contemporary Irish culture to a European audience.

The 1^st of January 2013 marked the 40^th anniversary of Ireland’s membership of the EU. To celebrate 40 years of our EU membership, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade partnered with the Office of Public Works (OPW) to curate an exhibition of Irish contemporary art to tour a number of prestigious European venues. ‌

The 40/40/40 exhibition comprises works from the State Art Collection by 40 artists under the age of 40, who are Irish or are based in Ireland. 

This exhibition shows a side of Ireland that is young, diverse, creative and confident.

The exhibition includes photography, drawing, sculpture and painting to represent the diversity of current visual art practices and was drawn from over 15,000 pieces that are usually located in Ireland’s public buildings. The exhibition visited:

• the Conde Duque Cultural Centre in Madrid
• the Warsaw University Library
• the Italian Foreign Ministry – the Farnesina Palace – in Rome.

This exhibition brings the work of talented young artists in Ireland to the attention of audiences in some of the cultural centres of Europe.  It is a statement of the strength of our artistic community as well as our strong commitment to Europe.

This exhibition is a good example of the work we do to promote Ireland’s culture abroad and, by doing so, to foster a positive image of Ireland and build our international connections. Experiencing Irish culture is often the most effective way for people worldwide to learn about and appreciate the creativity and talent of Ireland’s people.

See our Image Gallery of the exhibition on tour and it on display in Dublin

Ireland’s Embassy network works hard to ensure that we maintain and build upon our international connections, negotiating market access for Irish products and assisting the State Agencies in expanding our trade links and attracting investment. Promoting Irish culture is an important aspect of this work. Experiencing Irish culture is often the most effective way for people worldwide to learn about and appreciate the creativity and talent of Ireland’s people.