ARTIST BIOGRAPHY

ÚNA KAVANAGH

Úna Kavanagh holds a B.A. & M.A. from the National College Of Art & Design, Dublin, Ireland. She has worked extensively across disciplines for over 30 years in her native Ireland, UK, America, France and the Middle East.

A figurative artist whose work includes sculpture, text, painting, drawing, performance, film, installation, animation, script writing, music composition, Performance Art and Live Art durational performances. Her practice ranges from extensive work in theatre, film, television and radio to her artistic collaborations.

She has exhibited in both solo and group exhibitions for the last 25 years. Her work is held in private collections both here and the Middle East. She represented Ireland in “Art By Country” in Abu Dhabi 2014 and again in 2019. She was shortlisted for the SKY Arts Ignition award as part of TATSOI (Art/Science Collaboration) and was the 1st Artist In Residence for the Inaugural Festival Of Curiosity in 2013.

Selected for the Florence Biennale which took place in October 2017.

A former member of Mart Studios , Platform Belfast and current member of VAult studios N.I. she works from her studio in Dublin & Belfast.

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

 2015   “Modern Irish Music” Exhibition in The Long Hall, Smock Alley. Dublin.

A collection of Special Edition Prints and Pen & Ink drawings inspired by the music compositions of Irish contemporary composers Linda Buckley, Michael Mc Glynn, Deirdre Mc Kay, Chris Moriarty-Pearson, Jane O’Leary, Eric Sweeney and Martin Tourish.

Úna also created a Live Art performance with – RTE Contempo String Quartet, Triona Marshall on Harp and Gavin Brennan Saxophone. Creating 10 large ink paintings in response to the live music.

2014   “Fata Morgana” ArtHub, Liwa, U.A.E.(Performance Art)

2007    Her largest multi-media Visual Art exhibition (over 100 artworks) that took place in Dublin. It included a retrospective of earlier work alongside new pieces. Works included bronze & ceramic sculptures, paintings, drawings and an illustrated book and animation about Climate Change voiced by Kavanagh. She collaborated with the composer David Frew who provided the original score.

2000   Ceramic Sculpture Exhibition. Mendocino, California.

2000   “Úna Kavanagh at The Mule Rooms”. Kilmainham Mills, Dublin. (Sculpture, Ceramics, Paintings)

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2026 “MAYDAY’  Bankmore gallery, Vault, Belfast.

2024 MEMBERS SHOW, Platform Arts, Belfast.

2023 MEMBERS SHOW, Platform Arts, Belfast, (Film- Constance)

2022 MOTHER Collection, Platform Arts, Belfast (Paintings & Sculpture)

2021 Members Exhibition, Platform Arts, Belfast. (Sculpture)

2020   ART for ARC  online auction. Mixed media painting.

2019   “ALDHAFRA CAMEL FESTIVAL” Painting. 120cm x 150cm, acrylic, mixed media, gold leaf and pure gold pigments. Liwa. U.A.E.

2018   “Globe On Earth” 100 Globes, National Tour (Sculpture & Special edition of Fable ‘Once Upon A Time”)

2015   “Hidden” Group Exhibition at The Doorway Gallery in association with Robert Lee Mulcahy. (Works in bronze, ceramic and watercolour)

2015   “Humroginals” & Mercurian Tomsty”, at The Open Window Gallery, Dublin. (Bronze)

2015   ” A Patch Of Green” Dhusit Thani, Abu Dhabi.(Large works oil on canvas)

2014   “Art by Country” Abu Dhabi .U.A.E.(Large works on canvas & Film)

2013   “The Blue Leaf Gallery Show” (Bronze)

2009   “Art 250” Dublin & Cil Riallig  Ballinskelligs, Kerry(Oil on canvas)

2008   “Artists for Tara” Dublin (Bronze)

1993   “NCAD Master’s Group Show”, The Royal Hibernian Academy.    (Large Ceramic Sculptures & Mixed Media)

1993   “Design at HQ Gallery”, Crafts Council of Ireland (Ceramic Sculpture)

1993   “R.D.S. Craft Exhibition” (work in Architectural Ceramics)

1992   “162nd Annual RHA Exhibition” (Large Ceramic Sculpture)

1992   “Sculpture In Context”, Fernhill Gardens(Large Ceramic Sculpture)

1991   “Oireachtas”, The Church, Dublin (Large Ceramic Sculpture)

1991   B.A. Group Show. N.C.A.D. (Large Ceramic Sculptures & Miked Media)

PERFORMANCE ART

2019   “Ceaseless” at The Manchester International Festival – ANU.

2018   “Floats In The Aether” in collaboration with Amanda Coogan,

The National Gallery Of Ireland.

2014   ” Fata Morgana”, Art Hub Inaugural International Exhibition, Liwa,Empty Quarter. U.A.E.

2013   “13 Women”, In collaboration with Amanda Coogan, Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin .-ANU.

2012   “Taking To the Bed”,  The Phizz Fest, Dublin- ANU.

2012   “Linenopolis in “What if”. The Sunken Gallery, The Mac, Belfast- ANU/Prime-Cut/The Mac.

ARTISTIC COLLABORATION WITH ANU PRODUCTIONS (2010-2025)

 It is her work as a co-creator, writer & performer with the multi award winning, ground-breaking ANU Productions that Úna is best known for. Úna is a founding company member and hasbeen a leading artist on some of the company’s most searing works, including THE MONTO CYCLE 2010-2014; THE ANU TRIPTYCH 2016;THESE ROOMS-LIFT 2018; THE ANVIL, Manchester International Festival 2019. In 2022 Úna collaborated on four new works with ANU and in 2023
HAMMAM, a co-production with The Abbey theatre. THEDEAD, 2024/25 marks the 22nd project Úna has created with ANU. She is currently developing “Goat Songs” with the company.

ART/SCIENCE (2011-2013)

Úna co-founded “TATSOI” an ART/SCIENCE collaboration (2011-2013) who were shortlisted for the SkyARTS Ignition award 2013/14.

Work during this period included a National Tour of “That’s About The Size Of It”, an interactive visual performance piece about “What If?” moments in life, CERN, String Theory & Dimensions.

“Sum-Cumalative Reader” an interactive digital experience embedded in technology,  paintings, film and live performance, for “LIVE COLLISION”, Ireland’s foremost Live Art Festival. 2013.

TATSOI were the inaugural Artist’s In Residence for Dublin’s “FESTIVAL OF CURIOSITY” 2013, the legacy festival from Dublin, European City of Science 2012. For their residency they created an IOS interactive app and sound installation based on Curiosity, Eureka and Aha moments win people’s lives.

Úna also created a Live Art performance in Temple Bar Galleries where she created eight canvasses based on 30 interviews into Curiosity, Inspiration and Eureka moments in life.

Úna also composed the score that accompanied the audio installation.

AWARDS

2023.      The Maven’s Playwriting Programme. Ireland.

2022/23  Arts Council of Ireland. Creation Award recepient.

2022        Space Programme. Performance Corporation.

2021        Axis Assemble Artist Bursary Award.

2021        Arts Council of Ireland. Theatre Bursary Award.

2021        Arts Council of Ireland Agility Award for Visual Arts.

2021.        Art’s Council Agility Award in Visual Art.

2020        Actor as Creator award from Screen Ireland

2020        Screen Ireland & Bow Street Academy. Actor as Creator Commission.

2019        Art Hub, Liwa, UAE. International Residency, (Representing Ireland)

2017        Arts Council of Ireland. Theatre Bursary Award recipient.

2015      Won Best Actress Award at The Underground Film Festival for the role of Ma Taggart in “The Good Word”, playing opposite Conleth Hill.

2014        International Residency at ART Hub Abu Dhabi, (Representing Ireland)

2014.       Úna has been nominated for her work on stage including Winner of Best Ensemble and Production at Manchester Theatre Awards 2014 for ANGELMEADOW.

2013        The DCC Incubation Award.

2012,       LAUNDRY won Best Production at The Irish Times Theatre Awards and is The Irish Times Artwork of 2011.

2011        Won the Best Actress Award at The Underground Film Festival for the role of Kate in the film “Voices”.

2009       Internationally nominated for her work on screen. In 2009 she was            nominated for Best leading actress at The Golden Nymph Award, Monte Carlo, Monaco alongside Julie Walters & Isabella Adjani.

2006        Nomination for Best Actress at the Rose d’Or Awards, Lucerne, Switzerland.

1993 Awarded the Royal Dublin Society Decorative and Architectural Ceramics.

1993 Certificate of Merit and the Associateship of The National College of Art & Design. ANCAD.

1993 Úna was awarded The Royal Dublin Society Decorative and Architectural Ceramic  Certificate of Merit  and the Associateship of The National College of Art & Design. ANCAD.