LCGA Exhibitions

PRINTS FROM LIFE curated by Caitlin Quinn

22nd January - 13th March 2015

The Michael O'Connor Poster Collection is made up of approximately 2800 international poster; ephemeral and historical items dating from the later 1960's to the early 1980's.  Michael O'Connor of Listowel, County Kerry, categorically amassed the collection over the course of 20 years, at the great personal expense.  He generously donated it to the Limerick City Gallery of Art in 1989.  This eclectic and personal collection grew alongside Michael O'Connor's years, taking its shape from the line of his life. 

The collection contains posters from provenances as diverse as celebrated American graphic designers and the Polish Poster School - an aspect of the Polish cultural phenomenon that lasted from the later 1950's through to the later 1980's.  Michael meticulously catalogued his posters, categorising them according to country or origin and sub-categorising them by theme.

The still-growing collection was initially displayed during Listowel Writer's Week in the early 1970's.  While the posters were still in Michael's possession, his chosen method of storage was to keep them in his loft, rolled in cardboard tubes.  Michael died in 2010.  The specific details of the motivation for and methodologies behind his collecting remain elusive. 

This exhibition of posters was selected to be dynamic, vibrant, eclectic and honest; it reflects the nature of the Michael O'Connor Poster Collection as a whole.  Due to the vast and delicate nature of the poster collection, it has rarely been seen by the public; this exhibition of posters is the largest to date. 

Biographical Note:   Catilin Quinn is a designer and researcher currently based in Dublin.  She is particularly interested in design for arts and culture.  Her work is especially concept-driven though often minimal, it maintains playful, self-aware elements.  She studied the Michael O'Connor Poster Collection as an aspect of her MA by Research Scholarship at Limerick Scholl of Art and Design, from which she graduated in 2014.       www.caitlinquinndesign.com

Information sheet on exhibtion PRINTS FROM LIFE curated by Caitlin Quinn MOC info sheet (140 Kb)

For further information please contact artgallery@limerick.ie  Tel: 061 310633 

Opening Hours:    Monday- Friday 10-5.30, Thursday 10-8.30; Saturday 10-5pm & Sunday 12-5pm

Closed on Bank Holidays

Exhibition installation views from LCGA