Banish the winter blues with some botanical vibrancy, scarcely-known Picasso paintings and mirrored mosaics…
Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian – Sunset, Sunrise
Marking her inaugural showcase on Irish shores, the forward-thinking Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian has had a remarkable life route – spending her formative years in Warhol-era New York and surmounting exile from her native Iran, finally returning in 2004 after more than two decades away.
With IMMA visitors left spellbound by over 70 of her works, this East-Meets-West exhibition (to give its compelling premise a nutshell summary) wraps on Sunday, leaving you several days to soak it up. Until 25th November – www.imma.ie
Whether you missed out on snatching a prized seat at Grayson Perry’s National Concert Hall show, Us and Them, or are simply craving a second round, there’s plenty more Perry material to consume this month. His socially-charged tapestry series, The Vanity of Small Differences, made landfall in Dublin earlier this year, but can be perused in all its polychromatic glory through the accompanying book (a perfect addition to your coffee table). Alternative, aptly-timed reads include The Descent of Man, Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Girl and – for the aurally-inclined – his recent, irreverent interview on BBC Radio 5’s Headliners. @Alan_Measles
IFI French Film Festival – Clouzot: The Mystery Of Picasso
A veritable gem within the FFF’s 2018 programme, this 1956 documentary explores the master Cubist’s creativity at work, exploring his real-time output from the monochromatic to the multi-hued. With many of the depicted works destroyed by the end of the film, the paintings remain preserved only through this recording – no wonder the French government declared the latter a “national treasure”. Resplendently shot by Claude Renoir (son of filmmaker Jean, grandson of painter Pierre-Auguste), soundtracked by Georges Auric and directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot, the behind the scenes credits prove just as eye-catching. 25th November – www.ifi.ie
From a botanical perch in Bangor, County Down, Frances Ryan paints flora-filled scenes that are plucked half from memory, half from imagination. Dublin dwellers with a penchant for colourful oil-on-canvas should head to Solomon Fine Art – its acclaimed annual Winter Group Show opens on Friday, with Ryan exhibiting amongst an assemblage of well-recognised talents. From generous amounts of cerise and cerulean to dustier shades of clover pink and sage green, no corner of the colour wheel is ignored. @frances.ryan.art
As self-entitled “architects in clay”, the pottery sorcerers over at Arran Street East are mostly known for their finished creations. For those looking to gift someone – or themselves – a new set of skills, however, their weekend workshops are especially fitting. Start off with a Handbuilding Workshop on Saturday 8th, followed by a one-day throwing session (held on Saturdays and Sundays) to further cement your new-found craft. A myriad of courses are on offer across early 2019, making them perfectly suited to Christmas presents; secure early. @arranstreeteast
Words: Amelia O’Mahony-Brady
