This May, the MAC launches its Guest Curator programme, part of the organisation’s curatorial development strand, with an exhibition entitled I will go there, take me home, curated by Derry-based Gregory McCartney. The exhibition will showcase the work of Romanian artist Adrian Ghennie, South African artist Pieter Hugo and Polish artist Olaf Brzeski. This will be the first time any of these internationally renowned artists have shown in Ireland and will cement the MAC’s reputation for presenting new work never before seen by audiences here.
Last week, the venue was announced as one of six finalists for the prestigious Art Fund Prize for Museum of the Year 2015 – a national prize which offers £100,000 to the winner. Open just three years, the MAC is the youngest of any venue on the shortlist and this marks a major milestone for the organisation’s national profile.
Hugh Mulholland, MAC Curator said: "The visual art programme for 2015/16 builds on the tremendous success of 2014, a year for which we have recently been nominated a finalist for the Art Fund Museum of the Year Prize 2015 – a major national prize which recognises the best galleries and museums across the UK.
“Last month, the MAC was also invited to join the Plus Tate network, affording us the opportunity to become an active contributor to the well-established network of UK galleries who already make up Plus Tate and who share our desire to be part of the national and international discourse around contemporary visual art.
“With this latest exhibition, guest curated by Greg McCartney, we continue to build on that reputation by showcasing major works by leading international art world figures including Adrian Ghennie, Pieter Hugo and Olaf Brzeski. Later this summer, we also continue to create prominent opportunities for a number of important Irish artists including Paddy McCann, Barbara Freeman, ending the year with Felix Gonzalez-Torres, a major exhibition curated by Eoin Dara”.