Art lecturer and graduates win top awards at Claremorris Open Exhibition

GMIT’s newly formed Centre for Creative Arts and Media (CCAM) is continuing to grow a legacy of award-winning lecturers and students. Two graduates and a lecturer have won top prizes at this year’s Claremorris Open Exhibition, which runs until 5 October.

The Claremorris Open is the most prestigious independently curated exhibition in the western region. It is curated annually by a key expert from the international art world. This year’s curator is Andrew Wilson of Tate Britain, (London) and he has selected some 27 artists of a total of 300 entries.

Lecturer Fionna Murray and two recent graduates of GMIT Galway’s Centre for Creative Arts and Media, Aimee Nolan and Ruby Wallis, were all prizewinners in the Mayo exhibition. GMIT art graduates Loretto Cooney, Selma Makela, Will O'Kane, Roisin O'Sullivan and Teresa Ward were also selected to show their work in the exhibition. They are all recent graduates of the Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Art & Design programme at GMIT’s Galway campus.

Speaking at the event, Mr Wilson says all artists were worthy of prizes. “It honestly has been a very difficult decision to make because all 27 artists were equally strong. The variety and strength of the art and artists is testament to the COE, and I am delighted to have had the opportunity to be part of such a unique event.”

Sarah Searson, Head of the GMIT Centre for Creative Arts & Media, Galway, says: "I am absolute delighted in the success of our recent graduates and my colleague Fionna Murray at this year’s Claremorris Open. As one of Ireland’s leading independently curated exhibitions this is further endorsement and public acknowledgment of the quality of the learning and artistic practice that is part of our community here in the GMIT Centre for Creative Arts and Media."