LEGACY
Celebrating the life and work of sculptor Fred Conlon with his son Finn Conlon
30th January - 1st March 2025
LEGACY is an exhibition to mark the 20th anniversary of the passing of Sligo sculptor Fred Conlon.
The exhibition features a wide array of bronzes: Unique, Artist Editions and Limited Editions of commissioned public and private works from Fred’s career as one of Ireland’s foremost contemporary sculptors.
LEGACY is also Finn Conlon’s first solo exhibition in Sligo, and the first time he has exhibited his sculpture alongside his fathers.
Exhibition opening
Thursday January 30th from 6pm
LEGACY will be opened by sculptor Eileen Mac Donagh.
Special Event
Saturday February 8th 2025 2:30 p.m. at Hamilton Gallery
A Celebration; An interactive presentation on the life and work of sculptor Fred Conlon.
By Martin Enright and Jack Harte.
FINN CONLON
FRED CONLON
About Finn Conlon
At an early age Finn was exposed to the world of art, in particular sculpture. His father Fred Conlon (1943-2005) was a prolific sculptor, working in stone , bronze and wood and fired his son's imagination with adventures of giants and warriors.
" Sculpture is in my DNA, rooted in mythological stories told by my father of Ireland's ancient past along with visiting cathedrals , museums and art galleries across many European cities during family summer holidays. " Finn Conlon
Completing his studies in visual communications in 2007, Finn initially worked as a graphic designer whilst also pursuing his exploration of sculpture by enrolling for night classes in NCAD.
He joined the D15 Stone Carving Collective and secured the Emerging Artist's Award for Sculpture in Context ,Botanical Gardens, Dublin. Following this achievement, Finn was represented by the Mill Cove Gallery in Cork.
2012 Finn qualified as an Art Teacher from the Limerick School of Art and Design. Locating in the UK, he taught art in an East London secondary school for 8 years while pursuing his passion for sculpture and succeeding in obtaining private commissions.
2021-2023 Forever in pursuit of working in stone in particular, Finn was accepted into the graduate diploma in Architectural Stone Carving at the City and Guilds of London Art School.
2022 Finn was meritted for the British Art Medal student award.
2024 He was finalist with the Drapers' Company, stone carving competition.
2024 He was awarded a place on the Homo Faber Fellowship which is sponsored by the Michelangelo Foundation.
Currently Finn works under the stewardship of sculptor Helen O 'Connell. As part of their Fellowship Duo, their collaborative sculptural works will be exhibited for the House of Switzerland, during the Salone del Mobile in Milan in April 2025.
About Fred Conlon
“Fred Conlon’s work offers a remarkable illustration, may I suggest, of the encounter between the sensible and invisible which has been at the heart of the art sculpture since ancient times”. - President Michael D Higgins, at the formal celebration of Shekina Sculpture Garden,Glenmalure, County Wicklow on June 9th, 2017
Fred Conlon was born in Easkey, Co Sligo in 1943, and died February 24th, 2005. He lived in Tully, Strandhill, Sligo, where he also built his studio. He attended Easkey Vocational School, then the National College of Art and Design (NCAD) (1962 – 1967), set up the Art Department at IT Sligo, now Atlantic Technological University (ATU) and lectured there until he took early retirement in 1987.
Fred was an assistant Professor of Sculpture at NCAD (1969–1972), a lecturer in the Art Department at IT Sligo now ATU,(1972 – 1987), and a Full-Time Sculptor (1987–2005). He won several major Awards and Commissions and participated in many exhibitions and sculpture symposia at home and abroad.
“Sculpture is for me a vehicle which enables me to express my humanity and mark my existence in time – it gives expression to my cultural and historical roots – it enables me to explore my spiritual and intellectual facilities. The work I create is physical, it is an invitation to a circle in space: to touch, to sense, to contemplate. Sculpture is my mantra – a celebration of life and time” - From Fred Conlon’s Introduction as an invited sculptor, to the International Sculptors Symposium in Karnataka, India, December 25th 1992
From the beginning of his illness in 2004 Fred came to terms with the dissolution of his physical powers in a remarkably philosophical way . Wit the help of his carers Mitzie and Sam and his youngest son Finn, he continued to paint and to draw throughout his illness. Fred used the metaphor of the mythological Balor being slain by his progeny and his own body being attacked by its cells. The final work ‘Become Installation’ was produced as a video installation by filmmaker Frank Conway. ‘Become’ was later showcased at Sligo’s Model Niland Gallery.
“My work has been in conjunction with the spiral. The centre is everything. There is nothing without a point of energy. There is in nature and man a great centre of force ... for me, what matters now is to be part of that continuity, the second dance of the spiral. My energies are going into a positive flow. This will give me courage and sustenance. I need to have a power greater than myself” - Fred Conlon Diaries June 12th 2004 following a brain tumour diagnosis
Following Fred’s death on Feb 24th 2005 his wife Kathleen in co-operation with Leitrim Sculpture Centre and Sligo County Council facilitated ‘Anu’ Fred’s Killeenduff studio to be the location of an artists’ residency. Amongst the awardees were Patricia Curran Mulligan (Sligo) and Shiro Masuyami (Japan).
Carrera Marble stone
21 cm x 30cm x 30cm