An artist who worked at the Quay Co-op for several years in the 1990s has chosen the building as the location for her first exhibition.
Hidden Connections, a series of 19 abstract paintings by Nollaig Dunphy, is now on display Upstairs at the Co-op restaurant. The Cork native is a psychotherapist with a passion for art. Her exhibition features all-new work created in 2022.
It’s a big year for the Quay Co-op as it celebrates its 40th birthday. It was set up in 1982 thanks to a collective effort of feminist, lesbian and gay, environmental and other alternative groups and individuals. Today it is a thriving wholefood store, vegetarian restaurant and deli employing 50 people between O’Sullivan’s Quay and its satellite stores in Ballincollig and Carrigaline.
Nollaig says it’s wonderful to return to the Quay Co-op, “It feels really fitting to be back at the Quay Co-op. I can genuinely say that getting involved and working at the Quay Co-op was the best thing that ever happened to me and it’s where I met all of my closest friends. It is such a supportive space and has allowed so many people including myself to find our way and be true to ourselves. My paintings are representative of my own life and relationships, though, of course, it’s abstract and therefore not visible to others. I paint in the hope that the viewer will be pleased, curious and perhaps taken momentarily to another place.”
Simon Tiptaft, General Manager of the Quay Co-op added, “We’re thrilled that Nollaig has chosen Upstairs at the Co-op as the location for her first exhibition. We love nothing more than celebrating and featuring some of Cork’s most renowned painters as well as up-and-coming artists on the walls of our vegetarian and vegan restaurant. The Quay Co-op has been a community space for 40 years and we hope to build on that over the coming weeks and months. We have recently restored the ‘Pawnbroker’s Office’ on the third floor. In the past, it was the HQ for women’s groups, CND and the LGBTQ community campaigns. We are delighted to be able to offer this very special private space for business and social groups to book once again and with several Nollaig’s paintings hanging there also, we hope the art will provide some added inspiration.”
Upstairs the Co-op vegetarian restaurant is open for lunch and dinner Wednesday to Saturday from noon. The Pawnbroker’s Office is available for private dining, meetings and cocktail reception-style events. A ‘taster’ selection of Nollaig’s paintings will also be on display in the Downstairs Deli and in Carrigaline and in Ballincollig shops. For more information visit www.quaycoop.com
