World-renowned photographer holds exhibition in Mayo town
Pictured at the opening of the exhibition by renowned photographer Tom Wood were, back row, from left: Minister of State Dara Calleary; Cathaoirleach of Mayo Co Council, Cllr John O’Hara; Cathaoirleach of Ballina Municipal District, Cllr Michael Loftus and Ciarán Wood. Front row: Professor Diarmaid Ferriter, Rev Alex Moran, Rev Clive Moore, Siobhan Gough, Tom Wood, Lorna Wood, Vivian Wood and Fr Francis Judge.
A new exhibition by photographer Tom Wood was officially opened at the Cultural and Civic Centre in Crossmolina on Friday, July 12th.
The event was a great success, with over 150 people in attendance. The attendees were local, national and international, and included students.
Two distinguished guests spoke: Diarmaid Ferriter, Modern History Professor, UCD and Trish Lambe, CEO, Photo Museum Ireland. Both prominent speakers, they are admirers of Wood’s photography for years and together with their interest in the art form and the history associated with it, they enthralled the fortunate audience.
Local curators, Siobhan Gough and Vivian Wood, welcomed and thanked everyone who helped with the success of the exhibition. They gave the background to how it came about and their roles in it.
Tom’s son, Ciaran, also spoke of his father’s life work. He described how he studied Fine Art in England at Leicester Polytechnic in 1973, where extensive viewing of experimental films led him to photography, in which he is self-taught. The Wood family moved to New Brighton, Merseyside in 1978 and for the next 25 years, Tom photographed constantly in and around Liverpool, producing an enormous collection of work, renowned around the world.
"It was really lucky that I ended up in Merseyside where there were so many Irish... Just looking at the faces, there's a certain shared cultural sensibility, in this body language. It probably helped me," Tom remarked.
Tom was born in Crossmolina in 1951 and moved to England when he was four years old. He returned frequently with his father to visit his extended family in Crossmolina. Wood’s sensitive and close relationship with the place of his birth is never more evident than in his photography, which has been widely praised.
Richard B Woodward of the said: “Among the most thoughtful photographers working today, in any style.”
Bob Quinn of the said: "His instinct is innocent, Blakean, impeccable. In his images we see ourselves... in a celebration."
Wood's strong desire to exhibit in his birthplace has not been made available to him, until now.
Crossmolina Community Council and Crossmolina RSS are thrilled to be in a position to showcase the Tom Wood exhibition at the Cultural and Civic Centre. It is a 'select snapshot' of 50 years of his work and includes some of his best-known photographs, previously exhibited extensively around the world, alongside never-before-seen video work.
"When I would visit Ireland during all these other projects, whatever I was learning at the time was influencing whatever I did in Ireland that year," said Tom.
The curators hope that audiences far and near will visit the exhibition and take time to experience the work of a world-renowned artist back in his hometown.
The exhibition continues over the weekends of August - Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Mondays, from 10am to 4pm, until Sunday, August 25th, at the Cultural and Civic Centre, Mullenmore Street, Crossmolina, F26 A0C7.
