Out Now | September October issue of The Visual Artists’ News Sheet
VAN Sept/Oct 2026 issue contains the Event Guide for VAI Get Together 2026 – Ireland’s annual networking event for visual artists, happening on Friday 11 September at TU Dublin, Grangegorman. This year’s programme includes a keynote lecture by feminist art collective, Claire Fontaine, The After Sessions with art historian Hettie Judah, panel discussions, and Artists Speak, as well as the ever popular Speed Curating, Specialist Clinics, and VAI Café.
As part of the Get Together 2026 programme, VAI is hosting the international curatorial conference, Navigating Power in Contemporary Curating on Thursday 17 September. This online event will explore the impact of shifting political, social, and economic conditions on contemporary exhibition-making. Six esteemed international curators will each present their research exploring how institutions can maintain criticality in response to the increasing pressures and responsibilities they face today.
In Career Development articles for this issue, Aengus Woods interviews Aleana Egan about her motivations, processes, and materials, Tom Lordan interviews Eamon Colman about his latest paintings, and Cherry Smyth reflects on the sensory connections between poetry, painting, and curation. There are Member Profiles on the work of Christine Prescott, Tom Doig, and Reuben Brown, while international coverage includes Nan Goldin’s survey exhibition at Grand Palais in Paris, and a triple-page feature article on the participation of Irish artists at the 61st Venice Biennale.
On The Cover:
Aleana Egan, ‘A maritime child’, installation view, Interface, Inagh, July 2026; photograph by Ros Kavanagh, courtesy of the artist.
ON THE COVER
Aleana Egan, ‘A maritime child’, installation view, Interface, Inagh, July 2026; photograph by Ros Kavanagh, courtesy of the artist.
FIRST PAGES
6 Roundup. Exhibitions and events from the past two months.
8 News. The latest developments in the arts sector.
COLUMNS
9 A Couple of Birdhouse Painters. Cornelius Browne discusses a recent joint exhibition with his wife Paula Corcoranat An Gailearaí.
Out Walking in All Weathers. Lian Bell considers ideas emerging from the Dissident Paths project in Berlin.
10 Cornafulla Bog. Meg Linton reflects on Amanda Ralph’s wetlands project in the midlands.
Entangled Life. Cristina Nicotra discusses her programme exploring ecosystems where climate, art and community intertwine.
11 Philosophy of Abstraction. Anna Liesching outlines the colour philosophy of the late Austrian artist Alice Berger Hammerschlag.
From the Heart of Leitrim. Iarlaith Ní Fheorais outlines recent training as part of the Kunstverein Projects’ Creative Producers Programme.
FESTIVAL/BIENNIAL
12 Linguistic Threads. Aengus Woods discusses the participation of Irish artists at the 61st Venice Biennale.
GET TOGETHER 2026 EVENT GUIDE
15 Event Overview
16 Keynote: Claire Fontaine
17 The After Sessions with Hettie Judah
18 Panel Discussions
19 Artists Speak
20 Speed Curating
23 Specialist Clinics
24 Event Timetable
25 VAI Café
26 Curatorial Conference
CAREER DEVELOPMENT
28 A Gestalt Thing. Aengus Woods interviews Aleana Egan about her motivations, processes, and materials.
30 Curated by Rain. Tom Lordan interviews Eamon Colman about his latest paintings.
31 Something from Anything. Cherry Smyth reflects on the sensory connections between poetry, painting, and curation.
INTERNATIONAL
32 Phantom Carousel. John Graham reviews Nan Goldin’s survey exhibition at Grand Palais in Paris.
SOCIALLY ENGAGED PRACTICE
33 Bones of Contention. Marie Brett highlights the need for health and wellbeing supports for socially engaged artists.
EXHIBITION
34 These Four Walls. Rachael Gunning discusses a recent group exhibition installed in Sadbh O’Brien’s home in Dublin 8.
36 Another Kind of Freedom. Phillina Sun responds to a recent exhibition byPhil Collinsat The Model in Sligo.
37 Dungannon Tropicana. Michaela Razafima Nash considers a new film recently shown at the MAC.
38 Panorama Europa. Sarah Long reviews the current exhibition at The Glucksman in Cork.
40 Reading Sideways. Tanad Aaron interviews Blaine O’Donnell about his recent exhibition in Wexford Arts Centre.
MEMBER
41 Rites of Homing. Christine Prescott reflects on her recent solo exhibition at Custom House Studios + Gallery.
42 The Sum and Its Parts. Benjamin Stafford discusses the collage work of Cork-Based artist Tom Doig.
43 A Space to Be Constructed Within. Reuben Brown discusses his research and the ephemeral archives of queer nightlife.
PUBLIC ART
44 Ghost Riders in the Sky. Eileen McDonagh outlines a sculpture restoration project in Hazelwood, Sligo.
45 Public Art Roundup. Site-specific works beyond the gallery.
LAST PAGES
46 VAI Lifelong Learning. Helpdesks, cafés, and webinars.