Tadhg Crowley is a Senior Curator at the Glucksman Museum in Cork where he has devised and delivered numerous projects that enable diverse communities to engage with contemporary art. He has expanded the Glucksman's schools programme with imaginative workshops that invite children to create art for public display in exhibitions such as Monsters in the Museum, A Greener, Brighter Future and The Big Picture.
What is your job?
In my role as Senior Curator for Education and Community at the Glucksman art museum in University College Cork, I design and deliver projects and programmes for people of all ages and abilities. I really enjoy giving individuals, schools and communities the opportunity to collaborate with artists, to discover their own creativity and to be part of something unique.
Do you have a favourite type of art?
Art that is truthful. Art that shares something about the artist or makes me a question or reflect on an aspect of our world.
Why is art important ?
Art provides us with an important way of thinking and communicating. It captures the beauty or pain of life and the experiences and ideas of an artist at a specific moment in time.
What is the job of art (or of artists)?
Art helps us to understand our world and makes us think in new ways, it is the job of the artist to ask questions and share stories.
How will you judge This is Art! and what will you be looking out for ?
I'd like to see you share something about your life, your ideas or your experiences. 2020 has given us all an opportunity to reflect on what is important. This is an opportunity to tell us about what you think is important - that could be memories of times spent with family and friends or you may have ideas about how to make our world a better place. I'll be looking for artworks that are really innovative, so think about the materials you use, experiment with them and try out different approaches before settling on your final piece.
What is your favourite artwork in the Glucksman?
The Glucksman hosts temporary exhibitions of Irish and International art so the artworks we exhibit are usually only with us for a few months. We've exhibited some amazing work by amazing artists over the past number of years. One work that we displayed in 2016 stands out, it was by German artist Thomas Rentmeister and he painted an enormous artwork (40 ft x 12ft) using Nutella. It was quite incredible and the museum smelt so good!!!!
Is an artist statement important to you as a viewer?
An artist statement can provide that additional insight into the artists motivations and that extra information can allow more people to connect with the work. A statement can reveal something that may not be obvious on first glance. Some artists don't reveal too much about their artworks because they want viewers to find their own meaning in the work. Think about your own artwork and only share information that you feel is important for the viewer to know.
When did you know you wanted art to be your 'job'?
In Secondary School I fell in love with art and would spend time everyday drawing and painting. I was lucky enough to go on to study painting at Limerick School of Art but soon realised that I got much more joy from enabling other people to make and experience art than I got from making art myself. I'm really appreciative that my role at the Glucksman allows me to bring the beauty and enjoyment of art to lots of people.
What advice do you have for young artists?
Find a way of being creative that brings you joy! It doesn't matter if that is sketching on an iPad, taking photos with your phone, tracking your day in a visual diary or painting portraits of your family and neighbours. And every so often challenge yourself to try something new, use new materials, try new approaches and have fun!!
How do you know if you are a good artist?
All the best artists I know struggle with their own creativity but they all love what they do! So, find enjoyment in what you do and the more time you spend being creative the more interesting work you'll make.
What is art?
Art is joy, Art is pain, Art is truth and Art is beautiful!
