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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.
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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 - 2025    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.
 
 

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GROUP EXHIBITIONS | PUBLICATIONS | MEDIA

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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.
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SOLO EXHIBITIONS

 

 
 
2024            Fís & Fás/Vision & Growth - Irish World Academy 30th Anniversary Exhibition, Ireland.
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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