Wexford’s Ceadogán Rugmakers is set to present a major new exhibition of hand-tufted rugs and wall hangings, created in collaboration with some of the country’s most respected contemporary artists.
The exhibition, titled Place, which is free for the public to attend, will take place at The Irish Georgian Society’s City Assembly House on South William Street, Dublin, from September 17.
Three years in the making, Place brings together original works by Serena Caulfield, Leah Hewson, Paul Hallahan, Maria Simonds-Gooding, Tom Climent, Guggi, Kathy Prendergast, Dorothy Cross, Gwen O’Dowd, Eleanor McCaughey, and The Project Twins.
Each artist has translated their individual visual language into a rug or wall hanging, hand-tufted by Ceadogán at their studio on the shores of Bannow Bay, Wexford.
For over four decades, Ceadogán has built an international reputation for hand-tufted rugs found in embassies, hotels, and private residences around the world. Every piece begins with natural fibres including silk, hemp, and wool that are worked entirely by hand in an eighteenth-century stone yard overlooking the Wexford estuary.
For Ceadogán’s creative directors, Colm Kenny, and Martina Navrátilová, the connection to Place is woven, quite literally, into the new collection. “As a business, our brand is deeply rooted in our love of nature and sustainability,” said Martina.
“In recent years, we established a herd of alpacas at our Wexford studio, and much of the fibre used in the new works has been shorn, spun, and dyed from wool raised on site, grounding each finished piece in the fields that surround the workshop, before it ever reaches Dublin’s gallery walls,” she added.
Each artist-designed rug comes in an edition of five and the exhibition will culminate in an auction of the first editions hosted by Whyte’s auctioneers and set to take place on Sunday, September 27.
In keeping with the brand’s ethos of giving back to nature, ten percent of the profits will be donated to the Irish Wildlife Trust. The artists’ rugs are expected to fetch between €1,500 and €16,000; a previous Ceadogán-designed rug by artist Sean Scully sold for €85,000 in February 2023.
Speaking ahead of the exhibition, Ceadogán’s Colm Kenny invited visitors to “come and be inspired”.
“We’re thrilled to be presenting this new collection, as each piece has been a genuine collaboration with the selected artists.
“For collectors and design enthusiasts, it is a rare opportunity to see textile art elevated to the level of fine art,” Mr Kenny continued.
“The exhibition is about connection to our work, to our place, and to the incredible creative community humming right across the island of Ireland,” he concluded.
On the final day of the exhibition, Sunday, September 27, the new collection will be auctioned off online via Whytes Auctioneers. Meanwhile, as part of Culture Night Dublin on the evening of September 18, members of the public will have the opportunity to meet some of the exhibiting artists.
For further information and to view the collection, see ceadogan.ie.