BAM is the only dedicated public collection of works from 20th century West Cork artists in the world. Our aim is to acquire, conserve and display as many high quality examples as possible.
In the coming years we will launch a series of exhibitions – watch this space! We need your help to find and acquire works – preferably donated – to consolidate the collection. Please use the contact form on this website to let us know of any works which might become available: paintings, prints, ceramics, posters, photographs, books – all are of interest.
In 2018 we began to collect works and, through donations and bequests, we have built up a modest pool of material from the period, enabling us to hold our first exhibition, ‘Bohemians in Ballydehob’ (see the exhibition brochure below). This was highly acclaimed and brought many visitors into the town.
In 2019 we have mounted two exhibitions:
Ballydehob on Bahnhofstrasse tells the story of a group of twelve artists from the Ballydehob community who travelled to Zurich in 1985 to exhibit their work to a wider audience. Brian Lalor has assembled photographs, posters, catalogues and examples of the work of some of these artists.
An offbeat part of this story – hitherto untold – reveals that in order to gain publicity in the city and bring people in to see the works, some of the artists took part in a bizarre street performance that involved sculpture, music, song – and the unveiling of a specially created character: Jack O’Metti!
The Irish Tea Ceremony – a new way to look at the work of the Ballydehob potters and craft producers, with examples from the Museum’s permanent collection.
…If the Japanese Tea Ceremony is concerned with tradition, order, tea-drinking, ritualised artefacts and strictly observed spirituality and courtesy, allied to the passage of time, The Irish Tea Ceremony is concerned with hospitality, tea-drinking, food, conviviality, humour, abundance, and possibly much more that is primarily social… (Brian Lalor)
In 2020 we were planning a new exhibition featuring the work of Ian and Lynn Wright. However, the Covid19 pandemic forced temporary closure of the Mizen Gateway Tourism Centre in Bank House, Ballydehob – which is the home of our Museum. We have now mounted the new exhibition, which will run through the summer of 2020.
Ballydehob Arts Museum 