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Maurice Gunning Photography
MAURICE GUNNING
Maurice Gunning MFA, is an award winning Irish photographer and documentary filmmaker. Appointed to the position of artist in residence at many cultural institutions, Gunning continues to exhibit internationally with support from the Irish Arts Council and Culture Ireland. Investing considerable time into the research and making of his work, he has received the Irish Centre for Human Rights photography prize in collaboration with UNESCO. Since 2016, Gunning has been the photographer and art director with Irish music label, Raelach Records, and continues in his role as photographer in residence with the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the University of Limerick.
The Irish Traditional Music Archive appointed Gunning as their artist in residence for 2019 in collaboration with Jack Talty. They will compose an audio-visual installation that explores the relationship between music, people, and place, specifically drawing on ITMA multimedia collections of traditional music and musicians of county Clare as its primary inspiration.
Gunning has worked extensively in Buenos Aires with the Argentine Irish Diaspora over a number of years. He was invited to exhibit his solo show, Encuentro, at the Centro Cultural de Recoleta, Buenos Aires, with support from Culture Ireland and the Irish Embassy. Exhibited in several UK galleries and at the Irish National Photographic Archive as one of the main invitational exhibits of the 2012 PhotoIreland Festival. ‘It focuses on the Argentine-Irish community in Buenos Aires, descendants of the original immigrants that arrived there in the 1800’s. Gunning’s poetic, fragmentary style is perfectly suited to the kind of visual storytelling that draws on memory, text and longing to at once evoke the past and the present.’ Sean O’Hagan, The Guardian.
In 2012, Gunning was invited by Dance Ireland to be the artist in residence at Dance House, Dublin. Over the course of the year, he created a new body of photographic work and dance films. This work was premiered in May 2013 as part of Dance Ireland 21: Still in Motion with a large permanent solo show at Dance House. ‘We are delighted to commission such unique images from Maurice, a photographic artist of the highest quality whose work will add to our understanding of the beauty of movement.’ Paul Johnson, Dance Ireland Chief Executive.
In 2013, Gunning was selected by the PhotoIreland Festival to represent Ireland internationally as one of 25 Irish photographers. New Irish Works was published featuring his Encuentro work and has been featured at Unseen Photo Fair Amsterdam, Hamburg Triennial, Paris Photo and Photobook Melbourne.
The Irish Heritage Council funded a three-year project from 2006 - 2009 to enable Gunning to document Ireland’s traditional maritime heritage. This large body of work was premiered in Athens at the Cultural Centre with support from the Irish Embassy. In 2011, Gunning was invited by the Hunt Museum in
Ireland to exhibit this work in a large solo show, officially launched by renowned writer and filmmaker, Bob Quinn.
Since 2006, Gunning has been the resident photographer at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the University of Limerick. He continues to collaborate with many national and international artists through this residency. His work was celebrated in 2010 in the form of an extensive permanent exhibition and catalogue at the Irish World Academy.
In 2013, the Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest invited Gunning to be their first artist in residence. The work produced during this residency was premiered in Budapest at the Liszt Academy in 2015 with support from Culture Ireland, the Arts Council and the Irish Embassy.
In May 2014, Family:Familie – Stories of five Romanian Families was launched as a photo book and exhibition with Hope & Homes for Children (Romania) with support from the Irish Embassy, Bucharest. The work was premiered at the National Parliament and the National Library, Bucharest. This project is an extension of Gunning’s exploration of humanitarian work, which began when he was appointed artist in residence with the Burren Chernobyl Project in Belarus.
In 2015, Gunning was awarded full funding from Irish Aid and the Dept. for Development and Trade (Simon Cumbers Media Fund), to create a new photographic exhibition. Gunning travelled to The Gambia during the Summer of 2015 to create new work responding to themes relating to the Millennium Development Goals set out by the UNHCR.
Gunning’s first documenatry, The Chile 33, filmed during 2010, was broadcast in over 50 countries to commemorate the one year anniversary of the mining incident. Gunning continues to work internationally as a cinematographer with Swedish intergovernmental organisation, The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA).
MAURICE GUNNING BIOGRAPHY
MAURICE GUNNING CV
RESIDENCIES | LECTURING | CINEMATOGRAPHY
2006 - 2024 Artist in Residence, Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, Ireland.
2022 - 2023 Cinematographer, Open Futures - Lightmoves, Dance Limerick, Ireland.
2021 - 2021 Cinematographer, 'Dial A Sheanachai', Clare Arts Office, Ireland.
2019 - 2020 Artist in Residence, Irish Traditional Music Archive, Dublin, Ireland.
2019 - 2019 Juror, Ethnografilm Paris, France.
2018 - 2018 Visiting Lecturer - LIT Creative Broadcast and Film Production, Ireland.
2018 - 2018 Director of Photography, 'We Shall Not Rust'.
2018 - 2018 'Mother & Baby', Ishka Films + Irish Film Board Doc - Stills Photographer.
2017 - 2017 Visiting Lecturer - Dawson School, Boulder, Colorado, USA.
2017 - 2017 Visiting Lecturer - Irish Centre for Human Rights, National University of Ireland.
2016 - 2017 Director, 'Sekar Arum - Forging the Javanese Gamelan', Indonesia. Documentary Film.
2015 - 2016 Director of Photography, 'As Human As I Am', Galway Film Centre & International IDEA, Sweden.
2015 - 2015 Director of Photography, 'Power In Our Pockets', Galway Film Centre & International IDEA, Sweden.
2016 - 2016 Visiting Lecturer - Photography, Centre for Creative Arts & Media, GMIT, Ireland.
2015 - 2016 Visiting Lecturer - Photography, Sculpture & Combined Media, LSAD, Ireland.
2013 - 2013 Artist in Residence, Liszt Academy of Music, Budapest, Hungary.
2013 - 2013 Artist in Residence, Comber Foundation, Bucharest, Romania.
2012 - 2012 Artist in Residence, Dance Ireland, Dublin, Ireland.
2011 - 2011 Artist in Residence, Burren Chernobyl Project, Minsk, Belarus.
2009 - 2011 Visiting Lecturer - Photography, School of Architecture, University of Limerick, Ireland.
2008 - 2016 Visiting Tutor, Photography, IWAMD, University of Limerick, Ireland.
2010 - 2011 Director of Photography, 'The Chile 33', TV Documentary; RTE, The History Channel.
2011 - 2011 Cinematographer, 'The Art of Making', Mary Wycherly, Arts Council Bursary.
GROUP EXHIBITIONS | PUBLICATIONS | MEDIA
2024 Gradam Ceoil, TG4 Irish Music Awards - portrait photographer.
2024 Draw Thought - works on the them of Neurodiversity, University of Galway Art Gallery.
2023 Dennis Cahill – Litir Ó Do Chara, TG4/Aniar Documentary. Archive Photography.
2023 Gradam Ceoil, TG4 Irish Music Awards - portrait photographer.
2023 Lightmoves - Festival of Screen Dance - festival photographer.
2022 Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin - Between Worlds, RTE Documentary. Archive Photography.
2022 Our Irish Chair: Tradition Revisited, National Museum of Ireland.
2022 RTE Radio 1 The Rolling Wave: 10 years of Raelach Records.
2022 On the Irish Photobook: the PhotoIreland Collection, PhotoIreland Festival, Dublin.
2022 Irish Traditional Music Archive, Edwina Guckian portrait.
2022 Gradam Ceoil, TG4 Irish Music Awards - portrait photographer.
2021 To Gaza With Love: 'Artivism' and Witness in Ireland, International Media.
2021 Lightmoves - Festival of Screen Dance - festival photographer.
2021 Gradam Ceoil, TG4 Irish Music Awards - portrait photographer.
2021 The Artist and Academia, Society for Education, Music and Psychology Research, (book photography).
2020 Samhlu with Tommy Tiernan, TG4 - stills photographer.
2018 The North Atlantic Fiddle Convention, The Elphinstone Institute, Scotland.
2017 China Folklore Photographic Association, UNESCO, China.
2017 Shift, Book Publication with LoosenArt, Rome, Italy. (contributor)
2017 Sekar Arum - Forging the Javanese Gamelan, The Galway Film Festival, Ireland.
2017 Sekar Arum - Forging the Javanese Gamelan, The Irish Film Institute Documentary Festival.
2017 Public Art Commission, The Tuam Chair, Co. Galway, Ireland.
2017 Regarding the Hispanic World, Cervantes Institute, PhotoIreland.
2016 Singing the Rite to Belong: Music, Ritual and the New Irish, published by Oxford University Press. (contributor)
2016 The Invisible Art: A Centruy of Music in Ireland 1916 - 2016, published by RTE. (contributor)
2016 Open Society Foundations, New York/International.
2016 Arts+Human Rights Exhibition, Ottawa, Canada.
2016 Landskrona Festival, Sweden, in association with PhotoIreland.
2016 E Street Cinema, Washington DC. Premiere of 'Power in Our Pockets' - Cinematographer.
2015 Triennial of Photography, Hamburg in association with PhotoIreland..
2015 The Irish Centre for Human Rights Prize, National University of Ireland. (Overall Winner)
2015 GFI Worldwide, City Assembly Hall, Dublin, Ireland.
2015 Curator's Choice, The Hunt Museum, Limerick, Ireland.
2015 The Irish Times, Feature on the winning entry for the UNESCO Galway Exhibition.
2015 Photobook Week Aarhus 2015, in association with PhotoIreland.
2015 Photo Library, Dublin, Ireland.
2014 Familie|Family, Photobook & Exhibition, launched in Bucharest & Dublin.
2014 Dublin Art Book Fair presents, Familie | Family. Photographs and stories from five Romanian families.
2014 Watermark, published by the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance. (contributor)
2013 Duo, New Irish Works, Paris Photo, France, in association with PhotoIreland.
2013 Unseen Photo Fair, New Irish Works, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, in association with PhotoIreland.
2013 The Works, RTE Television, Ireland. (image contribution)
2013 Grace Notes Interview with Ellen Crantich, RTE Lyric fm, Ireland.
2013 New Irish Works, featured in the Irish Independent Newspaper.
2013 Embassy of Ireland, London.
2013 Alliance Francaise, Dublin, Ireland.
2012 University of Wales, Newport, Wales.
2012 Limerick City Gallery of Art, Ireland.
2012 Prism Photo Magazine, Ireland. (feature article from The Belarus series)
2011 Chile 33, Documentary, premieres on the History Channel US, and RTE. - Cinematographer.
2011 Going Forward Looking Back, Irish Charity work in Eastern Europe. Published by Eastern Europe Aid. (contributor)
2011 Sonta Productions, TV Contributor/Interviewee. TG4.
2010 Fís, Photobook, launched at the Irish World Academy, University of Limerick.
2010 PhotoIreland Festival, Dublin, Ireland.
2010 Bristol International Photography Festival, England.
2010 Live Newscast for RTE Radio 1 from Copiapo Mining Town, Chile.
2010 Live discussion with Max Clifford for The Matt Cooper Show, from Copiapo, Chile.
2010 Laguanacazul Galeria, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
2010 DiveDiveDive.org, Photo Magazine, Estonia.
2009 FfotoGallery, Cardiff, Wales.
2009 Centre Space Gallery, Bristol, England.
2008 Flock Gallery, Newport, University of Wales.
2007 Dance Magazine USA, Colin Dunne feature.
2005 EV+A 05; Collaborative Artist, Young EV+A, Ireland.
2005 International Residency, ‘Isolation’, Mooste, Estonia.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2020 Duala - Irish Traditional Music Archive, Glór, Ennis, Ireland.
2018 Inish - Island Conversations Festival, Inis Bofin, Ireland.
2017 Royal Dublin Society (RDS), Ireland, in collaboration with the World Congress on Women’s Mental Health.
2017 Alliance Française de Banjul, The Gambia. (Supported by the Dept. of Foreign Affairs, Ireland)
2016 Centre for Creative Arts & Media, GMIT, Ireland. (Supported by the Burren Chernobyl Project)
2016 Glór Gallery, Co. Clare, Ireland. (Supported by the Simon Cumbers Media Fund & Irish Aid)
2015 Ferenc Liszt Academy, Budapest, Hungary. (Supported by the Irish Arts Council & Culture Ireland)
2015 The Hunt Museum, Limerick, Ireland. (Supported by the Simon Cumbers Media Fund & Irish Aid)
2014 European Union House, Dublin, Ireland. (Commissioned by NGO Hope and Homes for Children)
2014 National Library Gallery, Bucharest, Romania. (Commissioned by NGO Hope and Homes for Chidren)
2014 Parliament Building, Bucharest, Romania. (Commissioned by NGO Hope and Homes for Children)
2013 New Irish Works, PhotoIreland Festival, Ireland.
2013 Dance House, Dance Ireland, Dublin, Ireland. (Commissioned by Dance Ireland with support from the Irish Arts Council)
2012 Third Floor Gallery, Cardiff, Wales.
2012 PhotoIreland Festival, National Photographic Archive, Dublin, Ireland. (Supported by Fire Printing, Dublin)
2012 Irish Aid Centre, Dept. of Foreign Affairs, Dublin, Ireland.
2011 Dance House, Dance Ireland, Dublin, Ireland. (Supported by Dance Ireland)
2011 BCP Gallery, Minsk, Belarus. (Commissioned by NGO Burren Chernobyl Project)
2011 Glór Gallery, Ennis, Ireland. (Commissioned by NGO Burren Chernobyl Project)
2011 Hunt Museum, Limerick, Ireland. (Supported by the Irish Heritage Council)
2010 Centro Cultural de Recoleta, Buenos Aires, Argentina. (Supported by Culture Ireland and the Irish Embassy)
2010 Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, Limerick, Ireland. (Commissioned by the University of Limerick)
2009 Melina Merkouri Gallery, Athens, Greece. (Supported by the Irish Embassy)
2006 Daghdha Dance Company, Ireland.
2005 Bourne Vincent Gallery, Ireland. (Supported by the University of Limerick and the Arts Office)
2003 Belltable Arts Centre, Limerick, Ireland. (Supported by Island Theatre Company)
AWARDS & FUNDING
2017 The Humanity Photo Award, the China Folklore Photographic Assoc. + UNESCO.
2015 Winner of the UNESCO - Irish Centre for Human Rights Award.
2015 Cultural Grant - Dept. of Foreign Affairs, Ireland & Hungary.
2015 Simon Cumbers Media Award, Irish Aid, Dept. of Foreign Affairs, Ireland.
2014 Culture Ireland Visual Arts Award - Liszt Academy Budapest Exhibition.
2013 Irish Arts Council Award, Travel and Training.
2012 Dance Ireland Artist in Residence Commission.
2010 Culture Ireland Visual Arts Award - Buenos Aires Exhibition.
2008 Irish Heritage Council Award, Phase 3/3.
2007 Irish Arts Council Award, Travel and Training.
2007 Daghdha Dance Company, Micro Bursary Award.
2007 Irish Heritage Council Award, Phase 2/3.
2006 Irish Heritage Council Award, Phase 1/3.
2005 Irish Arts Council Award, Deis Funding.
WORKS IN COLLECTIONS
National Dance Archive, Ireland.
National Photographic Archive, Ireland.
Hasselblad Foundation Library.
Irish Embassy, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Centre Culturel Irlandais, Paris, France.
Fahy Club, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Siamsa Tire, National Folk Theatre, Ireland.
Irish World Academy of Music & Dance, Ireland.
Irish Embassy, Athens, Greece.
Dance House, Dance Ireland, Dublin, Ireland.
Irish Chamber Orchestra.
The Glucksman Library Special Collections, Ireland.
The Library Project, PhotoIreland.
The Liszt Academy, Budapest, Hungary.
The Irish Embassy, Budapest.
Aonad na Gaeilge, Limerick, Ireland.
RTE Lyricfm, Ireland.
The Irish Embassy, Bucharest.
The National Library, Bucharest.
National University of Ireland.
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