Unforgettable faces at Flowerfield

THE GREAT and the good are rubbing shoulders with each other at Flowerfield for the month of September - as the arts centre welcomes perhaps its most prestigious exhibition yet, featuring works by Van Dyck, William Conor, Derek Hill, Louis le Brocquy and many more.

'Faces' is the latest in a series of annual joint art exhibitions organised by the Department of Finance and Personnel in Northern Ireland and the Office of Public Works in Dublin.

The exhibition was opened on Wednesday evening by special guest Dr. Martin Mansergh, who travelled from Dublin for the occasion. Also present were the Mayor of Coleraine, Councillor Sandy Gilkinson, Stephen Peover, Permanent Secretary with the Department of Finance and Personnel and Malcolm Murchison, Coleraine Borough Arts Officer.

'Faces' represents a selection of art from the collections of both departments, in addition to a number of works from Queen's University Belfast, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Assembly.

The painters are almost as famous as their subjects in this collection - Seamus Heaney on one wall tries to avoid the penetrating stare of James Joyce on another; King George VI is peered at by Charles Stewart Parnell, while in the small gallery, a bevy of politicians chase each other around the room - John Alderdice, Bertie Ahern, James Connolly and Seamus Mallon among them.

In a joint statement, the Ministers from the two departments, Dr. Martin Mansergh TD and Sammy Wilson MP, comment: 'Faces includes both contemporary and historic portraits, concentrating mainly on influential figures from the cultural, social and political landscape of the island of Ireland.

'The artists on show including many internationally renowned artists and some younger artists, who reflect changing attitudes towards portraiture over almost four hundred years.'

The artists featured include: Ross Wilson, Colin Watson, Carolyn Mulholland, Philip Flanagan, Rita Duffy and many others.

The subjects include: Seamus Heaney, James Joyce, King George VI, Charles Stewart Parnell, Bertie Ahern, Lord Alderdice,  Anthony Cronin, the Countess of Southampton, and many others.

The exhibition remains on show in the galleries at Flowerfield Arts Centre until September 26th. The galleries are open from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, and from 12noon to 4pm on Saturdays. Admission is absolutely free.

Art historian Deborah Logan, will be offering gallery talks on the exhibition on Friday and Saturday September 18th and 19th, from 11am to 12.30pm.

The centre is also encouraging schools to bring groups of art students to come and see the exhibition. If any school would be interested in attending, they are asked to please contact Flowerfield on (028) 7083 1400 and book a time you'd like to come.