The Sunset Belongs to You

In a celebration of the breadth and diversity of all of Sligo’s communities today, The Model has commissioned two of Ireland’s leading artists, Geraldine O’Neill and Mick O’Dea, to paint individual oil portraits of 18 Sligo children. In a reversal of the power structures of traditional portraiture, this artistic gesture has inclusivity at its core; and is underpinned by the idea that ‘you cannot be what you cannot see’. The finished portraits will become part of The Niland Collection, where they will have a meaningful presence alongside portraits of politicians, activists, artists and other change-makers for generations to come.

Through this project, we will challenge the ingrained traditional structures of portraiture to question who is reflected in a public art collection, and who is overlooked. We will ensure that communities who have been under-represented in the past, will now see themselves reflected in the public collection of their local museum. Through these portraits the artists will capture a snapshot of children from traditional ethnicities and new communities and we will reflect children with additional needs, and from all kinds of socio-economic backgrounds.

As part of The Sunset Belongs to You, Mick O'Dea will undertake a week of live action portrait sittings of the participating children. Audiences are invited to observe the process as one of Ireland's leading artists creates his next masterpiece. The public viewings of the live sittings will take place in the Black Box with artist Mick O’Dea during mid-term school break.

Please note there are only a limited number of tickets to the public viewings. Each event is free to attend, advance booking is necessary.