The Art of a Nation – Irish Works from the Allied Irish Banks and Crawford Art Gallery Collections, Mall Galleries, London SW1, until 31st May 2015
On The Run, War of Independence – 1921
© Séan Keating
Courtesy Crawford Art Gallery / AIB Collection
On seeing this hugely enjoyable exhibition the viewer may well wonder why this is the first major celebration of Irish Art in London for over thirty years. The featured works are drawn from the collection of Allied Irish Bank and cover a wide range of media – paintings, photography, tapestry, sculptures and video.
Corpus Christi Procession – c. 1908
© Aloysius O’Kelly
Courtesy Crawford Art Gallery
/ AIB Collection
The story of the last one hundred and twenty-five years of Irish Art examines the work of seventy of the country’s noted artists, including Sir John Lavery, Jack B. Yeats, Sean Scully, Caroline McCarthy and self-taught Shane Blount.
It’s a Blue Giraffe – 2007
© Shane Blount
Courtesy AIB Collection
I totally agree with what, Richard Pym, the AIB Chairman, says “The AIB collection is regarded as one of the finest in Ireland, scrupulously put together over more than three decades. We are delighted that the public in Britain has this opportunity to see the depth of Ireland’s culture and heritage”.
Still Life – c. 1959
© Norah McGuinness
Courtesy AIB Collection
Tim Forrest's E & A 
They, the little that is shown here, look totally lovely.