It is common knowledge that sometimes art can be bad to the extent that it starts to be good. The women running the so-called Bad Art Gallery in Dublin reached this conclusion a long time ago. This venue has the objective of showcasing pieces of poor art. The bad art exhibit will run until May 30, 2006 at the gallery on Francis Street, Dublin.
The concept behind this display, which sprung from the plagued soul of commended artist Deborah Donnelly, involves an attempt to boost the diminished self-confidence of artists, who recently learned that their paintings aren’t good enough to be displayed at the annual Royal Hibernian Academy exhibit this year. This traditional event enters its 176th edition in 2006.
Donnelly explains that when somebody’s work is showcased at the RHA exhibit, no one is likely to forget that for a very long time. These artists can rest assured that their sales and prices will skyrocket in the future. This is certainly good motivation, making the disappointment of being rejected even harder to deal with. Most people who have the ambition to be featured by the RHA send their best work in. Usually they put the picture in a really expensive frame. Then they wait. When they finally get an envelope from the Academy in the mail, which contains the word ‘unselected’, they proceed to cry and mope, a reaction that is understandable enough.
This is why Donnelly, who runs the Bad Art Gallery with her sister Denise, established the venue. She adds that the RHA tend to be insensitive – they don’t even offer the ‘rejects’ tickets to the exhibit. What is more, the RHA also rejected the Donnellys’ painting Audrey. This work is part of the exhibit in the Bad Art Gallery.
Don’t fret if your talent has not been recognized. It is often the case that skilled artists suffer from low self-esteem, while their mediocre colleagues believe they are geniuses. Believe in yourself, and soon everyone else will believe in you!
| 
| 
| 