‘Art as Alchemy’ opens at Westgate Heritage Centre, bringing together artists from across Wexford and the South-East…
There was a brilliant buzz at the Westgate Heritage Centre on Saturday evening October 10th, for the opening of Art as Alchemy, the annual Wex-Art group exhibition. Presented as part of the Wex-Art Festival, the exhibition brings together eight artists selected from almost 100 submissions to an open call, highlighting the breadth of artistic talent across Wexford and the south east.
Featuring work by Oisin Bourke (Kilkenny), Veronica Dooley (Wexford), Natalie Doyle (Wexford), Dara Griffin (Wexford), Susanne Horsch (Kilkenny), Trish Kavanagh (Wexford), Terry Lawless (Wicklow) and Anne Martin Walsh (Wexford), the exhibition is curated by Shannon Carroll.
Set within the historic Westgate Tower, Art as Alchemy reflects on the relationship between past and present, and the ways in which places and artistic practices evolve over time. Coinciding with Samhain, a time of seasonal transition and change, the exhibition explores how, through the slow labour of attention, artists can transform thoughts, ideas and experiences into something new and tangible.
Particular care was taken during the curation of the exhibition, to remain mindful of the historical significance of the building. Dating from the 13th century, the Westgate Tower once formed part of Wexford town’s defensive walls. Now restored alongside its adjoining coach houses, the site offers a distinct historic setting for contemporary art and cultural events, bringing together the town’s rich architectural heritage and the creative practices of artists working today.
Curator of the exhibition, Shannon Carroll, is an art historian with an interest in place and ecological thinking. Her approach to curating is grounded in situated practice, responding to local context and developing projects through ongoing conversations with artists and research. With over eight years’ experience working across art and cultural institutions in Ireland, she has a track record of curating exhibitions, commissioning artwork, organising events and writing about art.
The annual Wex-Art Festival, supported by the Arts Council of Ireland, the Arts Office of Wexford County Council, Wexford Arts Centre, and coinciding with Wexford opera Festival, celebrates contemporary art and artists working throughout the region.
Art as Alchemy runs at Westgate Heritage Centre, Westgate, Wexford, from Wednesday, 14th October, to Saturday, 31st October 2026. The exhibition is open to the public from 12 noon to 5pm, Wednesday to Saturday.
Visitors are warmly invited to attend this free public exhibition.
Exhibition details:
Westgate Heritage Centre, Westgate, Wexford, Y35 X2DK
14th–31st October 2026
Opening hours: Wednesday–Saturday, 12 noon–5pm
Jason Redmond
From Gorey, Jason is the owner of Wexford Weekly. He is also a post-primary English and History teacher.
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