Melanie Mullen & Doreen Kilfeather
From creating to curating, Melanie Mullan sits down with three women working in the world of art.
TARA MURPHY
DIRECTOR - SOLOMON FINE ART GALLERY, DUBLIN
Having studied art history and arts administration at UCD, Tara Murphy planned to apply for a museum job, but after a couple of weeks work experience at the Solomon Gallery on Balfe Street, she realised that working with living artists was the path she wanted to take. "I got a huge buzz from selling paintings and sculpture to collectors," she says, "and quickly understood how important sales are in the visual arts ecosystem. Sales help artists to thrive professionally, so ideally they won't have to find a part-time job to supplement their income and they can afford to stay and create work here in Ireland."
Having worked her way up to become the director at the Solomon Gallery, Tara and her team represent approximately 40 artists, running 12 shows a year, and working almost two years ahead of themselves. "There are so many talented artists with no gallery representation in this country," Tara reflects. "But sadly, running a commercial gallery is tough in Ireland, so there just aren't enough spaces to meet demand. I wish I had a bigger space so I could take on more artists."
When it comes to running a gallery, no day looks the same for Tara. Whether it's curating exhibitions, hosting client events and exhibition openings, there's no doubt that her role is busy. "You have to be a jack- of-all-trades with a very wide skillset when running a gallery," she explains. "Some days I'm in overalls drilling holes into walls and other days I am dressed to the nines hosting client events and openings. We do all of our own marketing and social media, so a large part of the day is spent publicising exhibitions and chatting to visitors." There's no doubt that years later, Tara's biggest love when it comes to her work is the artists she meets along the way. “My favourite days are studio visits,” she shares. “It is an absolute privilege to be allowed into an artist’s personal and unique workspace and gain more insight into their process.”
Next in the calendar for Tara and her team is Dublin Gallery Weekend, running November 6-9. “We have expanded the programme to include all of the public arts institutions,” Tara says. “There are loads of amazing artist talks, walking tours, and demos to cater for all tastes and ages. We can’t wait to throw open our doors and hopefully entice curious gallery newbies to come in and experience something fresh and exciting.”
IMAGE Magazine: Winter 2025 - Page 093