Biography

David Lilburn lives in Limerick, where he was born in 1950. He studied history at Trintiy College Dublin, lithography at Scuole istituto statale d’arte, Urbino, and art and design at Limerick School of Art and Design (LSAD).

On leaving art school he lived in the Netherlands for a few years before returning to Ireland in 1979. He taught for a few years in LSAD before moving to the University of Limerick in 1983 to 2016.

He is a member of Limerick Printmakers, an associate member of Cork Printmakers and a Trustee of the National Self-Portrait Collection. Together with artist and writer Jim Savage, he runs ‘Occasional Press’ which publishes art-based books.

Exhibitions


Solo Exhibitions

2009       Walking Drawing Making Memory, Ballynahinch Castle, Connemara

2007      ‘Way Points’, Glór, Ennis, Co. Clare

2007      ‘In Medias Res’, James Joyce Centre, Dublin,          

              ‘In Full Flight’, Chris Doswell Gallery, Limerick,

1999      ‘The Usurpers Habit’, Galway Arts Centre, Siamsa Tíre, Tralee, Bourn Vincent Gallery, Limerick,

1994      ‘Lets Take a Walk and Other Prints’, Chris Doswell Gallery, Limerick, 1994

              ‘Andiamo Passiagare’, Palazzo della Penna, Perugia,(Italy)

1991      ‘Homeground’, National Touring Exhibition, Ireland, Monoprints by David Lilburn,


Two Person Shows

1993       ‘New Work’,  with Michael Byrne, Vanguard Gallery, Macroom, Co. Cork

1986       ‘Once Off - Recent Work by David Lilburn and Michael Byrne’

                Limerick City Gallery of Art

1984       ‘New Works’, with Joe Wilson; Peacock Gallery, Craigavon, N. Ireland;

1983        with Joe Wilson, Belltable Arts Centre, Limerick, Grapevine Centre Dublin


Selected Group Exhibitions

 

2016       ‘25’, City Hall, Cork.

                ‘15th Lessedra World Art Print Annual-Mini Print 2016’, Bulgaria.

                ‘Seacourt’s International Mini Print Biennial’, The Centre for Contemporary                         
               Printmaking, Bangor, FE McWilliam Gallery and Down Art Centre 

                ‘Voyage Boxed’, Quebec, Toronto, Montreal and travelling.

                ‘Cork Printmakers at the Lavit Gallery’, Cork

                ‘RHA Annual Exhibition’, Dublin

                ‘Hope’, Glór, Ennis

                ‘1916 in Contemporary Art,’ Toradh Gallery, Co. Meath, and travelling.

            

2015        International Print Triennial – Krakow       

                XII International Graphic Art Biennial Dry Point, Uzice 

               ‘Impressions Biennial’, Galway

               ‘Plan A and Plan B’, Limerick City Gallery of Art, Carlow, Hang Zhou

                RHA Annual Exhibition, Dublin

               KALEID 2015’, London, Oslo

                Limerick Printmakers at the Hunt Museum, Limerick

                Galway Print Studio, Galway    

               ‘A Natural Selection’, Skull, Co Cork, and travelling

               ‘Senza Cornice’, RiflessiDiVersi X, La Torre dei Lambardi, Maggione
     


2014      ‘Voyage Boxed’, Norwich, Orkney, Oxford, UK; Bergen, Norway and travelling.

               ‘A Natural Selection’, Lavitt Gallery, Cork; Greenacres, Wexford, Norrköping, Sweden and travelling           

               ‘Nova’, an exhibition of new works by Cork Printmakers’ members CIT Wandesford Quay Gallery, Cork

               ‘Synergy, Connections to Limerick,’ Bourn Vincent Gallery, Limerick

               ‘Personal Selection, twenty artists from the Limerick School of Art and Design’,            

                Selected by John Shinnors’, Church Gallery, LSAD, Limerick

                185th RHA Annual Exhibition, Dublin

               ‘Curators Choice’, Hunt Museum, Limerick

                Limerick Printmakers at the Culture Factory, Avilles and travelling in Spain

               ‘Limerick: My City, My Home’, Hunt Museum, Limerick

               ‘Annual Exhibition 2014’, Cork Printmaker


2013    ‘Voyage: sea journeys, island hopping & trans-oceanic concepts’, Künstlerhaus Dortmund,Germany

              ‘Open Submission 2013’,  Limerick Printmakers, curated by Charles Harper.

              ‘A Natural Selection’, Botanic Gardens, Dublin

                 

2012     ‘Islands’, Custom House Gallery, Westport.        

              ‘202nd Annual Exhibition’, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin

              ‘Open Submission Print Show’ 2012,  Limerick Printmakers, Curated by Marianne Keating

              ‘Impressions 2012’, Curated by Norman Ackroyd Galway

              ‘A Rocky Road’, Crawford Art Gallery, Cork, curated by Sean Lynch 

              Limerick Printmakers Studio & Gallery, Kulturwerk des bbk berlin GmbH

              ‘Marathon Irish’, Dialogue Culture Space, in London’s East End.

              ‘Cork Printmaker at 21’, Wandesford Quay Gallery, City Hall, Cork

              ‘Cork Printmakers’, The Cornmarket Centre Cork

              ‘Winter Show’, Custom House Gallery, Westport.

               

2011      ‘The Swimming Naked Prophecy’, Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge; Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray;

                Garter Lane Arts Centre, Waterford, Courthouse Arts centre, Tinahely, Co. Wicklow

                (Clinton Arts Centre, Enniskillen, 2012 ) curated by Norah Hickey                             

               ‘201st Annual Exhibition’, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin

               ‘Fine Lines’, a selection of work from the National Collection of Contemporary Drawing,
                Limerick City Gallery of Art

               ‘Limerick Printmakers Open Submission Print Show 2011’

               

2010     ‘OPEN/INVITED e v+ a 2010 – Matters’, Limerick                                               

              ‘BIMPE VI’, Sixth Biennial International Minature Print Exhibition, Vancouver

              ‘200th Annual Exhibition’, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin

              ‘Editions’, Lavit Gallery, Cork;

              Open Submission Print Show, curated by Jim Sheehy, Limerick Printmakers

              ‘Excitement on Robert Street’, Limerick Printmakers

               

2009    ‘Burst Into Bloom’, Glór, Ennis,Co.Clare

              29th Mini Print International of Cadaques, Catalunya.

              ‘Artist’s Proof’, a collaboration between the Graphic Studio and Chester Beatty Library, Chester Beatty Library
               Dublin

              ‘X’, a collaboration between ‘Limerick Printmakers and RTE Lyric FM. No 2 Pery Square,Limerick

              ‘7th International Biennial of Contemporary Engraving’, Liège, Belgium, 2009,

              ‘179th Annual Exhibition’, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin

              

2008     ‘BIMPE V’, Fifth Biennial International Minature Print Exhibition, Vancouver

              ‘Open Submission Print Show’, Limerick Printmakers, selected by Suzannah O’Reilly

              ‘Charles Tyrell Selects’. Cork Printmakers, Kinsale Arts Week

              ‘Into landscape‘, Galway Arts Centre, curated by Jim Savage

              ‘All Hung Up’, Limerick Printmakers                        

              ‘Is Mise Ireland’, Shanghai, Beijing, Hangzhou,

              ‘178th Annual Exhibition’, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin

               

2007     ‘Into landscape’ Macroom and travelling Ireland,

              ‘Cork Printmakers at the Horace Mann Gallery’, New York, curated by

               Prawat Lauchareon

              ‘177th Annual Exhibition’, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin,

              ‘Cead in China’, Shanghai, Beijing, Hangzhou,

              ‘8th International Drypoint Biennal’, Uzice, Yougoslavia

              ‘Small Print/Big Impression’, Leicester and travelling UK,

              ‘Open Submission Print Show’, Limerick Printmakers, curated by Chris Doswell

               

2006       ‘Ireland - St.Petersburg 2006’, Nabakov Museum, St. Petersburg (Russia), 

                ‘From Landscape’, Crawford Gallery, Co.Cork and Mermaid Gallery, Co.Wicklow; Galway Arts Centre,
                curated by Jim Savage,

                ‘Impressions’, Galway Art Centre, Curated by Chris Plowman

                ‘Within and Without’, The White Room Gallery, Galway and travelling Ireland, Curated by Ruairi    O’ Cúiv

               

2005     ‘6x6 Tri Showcase’, Hangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing, China

              ‘175th Anniversary Exhibition’, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin

              ‘Iontas, 16th National Small Works Exhibition’, Sligo Art Gallery, Yeats Memorial Building, Sligo

               

2004     ‘Taking Stock’, Triskel, Cork; Halsinglands Museum, Hudiksvall, Sweden

              ‘Textures’, Lavitt Gallery, Cork

              ‘Impressions’, Galway Arts Centre

              ‘From Inniskeen to Parnassus’, Patric Kavanagh Centenary, Monaghan

              ‘174th Annual Exhibition’, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin

               

2003     ‘Fourteen Artists, One Place’, Holter Museum, Helena, Montana;

              ‘Bláth Buí na Bealtaine’, Limerick;

              173rd Annual Exhibition’, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin

              Cork Printmakers Annual Show, travelling, Ireland

               

2002     ‘Line / Exploration’, Lavitt Gallery, Cork

              Skibereen, Co.Cork

              ‘Print Alternatives’,

              172nd Annual Exhibition’, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin

              ‘Hope and Homes’, Limerick

              Templebar Galleries

               

2001    ‘WorkingAgainst the Void’, an exhibitioninterpreting the poetry of ‘Padraic Fallon, Athenry;

               Focus on Drawing’, the Limerick City Gallery of Art and the Crawford Gallery, Cork , NCAD                        
              
Dublin
171st Annual Exhibition’, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin

              ‘As I see myself’ an exhibition held in conjunction with the National Self-Portrait Collection, UL. Limerick.

              Limerick Printmakers, Limerick

                

2000     Cork Printmakers Inaugural Show, Nuala Fenton Gallery, Wandesford Quay, Cork;

              ‘Second Limerick Small Print Exhibition’, Chris Doswell Gallery, Limerick;

              170th Annual Exhibition’, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin

               

1999     Mini print show, Impact, Bristol;               

              169th Annual Exhibition’, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin

              ‘First Impressions’, Chris Doswell Gallery, Limerick;

              Sheen falls, Kenmare, With Vanguard Gallery, Co.Cork;

              Drawing Exhibition, Lavitt Gallery, Cork;

              ‘Jim Kemmy Remembered’, Limerick City Gallery of Art

              Group show, Daffodil Gallery, Skerries  

 

1998     EV+ALimerick, Curator Paul O’Reilly;

              ‘Limericks’, An exhibition of contemporary prints, West Cork Arts Centre, Skibereen; United Arts Club, Dublin;

              Dolmen Gallery, Limerick; Havanna, Cuba,(1998) Galerie Acud, Berlin (1997)

             ‘Araon’, Frostburg State University, USA             

 

1997     3rdWexford Artists’ Books Exhibition, Wexford, touring in Ireland

              ‘Printed Matter’, Triskel Arts centre, Cork

              ‘Dialog in Groen’, Zutendaal, Belgium

              ‘AIB Art on tour’,  travelling Ireland.             

 

1996    ‘Objecten,Kunstenaarsboeken en Grafiek’, Galerie Bredevoort, the Netherlands,

              International Print Show, Templebar, Dublin

              2nd Wexford Artists’ Books Exhibition, Wexford,touring in Ireland and Wales  

              ‘Observatorium,96’,Bredevoort, The Netherland.             

 

1995     EV+A, Limerick; Cork Printmakers, Crawford Gallery, Cork;

              Prints, Triskel Arts Centre, Cork;

              Inaugural Exhibition, Danny's, Rutland St. Limerick;

              ‘Into Print’, The Dolmen Gallery, Limerick,

              Iontas, small works exhibition, Sligo, Dublin, Belfast;

              ‘First Annual Open Small Print Exhibition’, Chris Doswell's, Limerick,

              ‘Grond,’ Zutendaal, Althoeselt, Belgium,

              ‘Grafiek op Groot Format’, De Fabriek, The Netherlands,

              ‘Impressions’, Galway

              ‘Irish Art’, Central House of Artists, Moscow,     

 

1994     EV+A, Limerick;

              ‘The Printed Image’, University of Limerick, Limerick;

              ‘Off Side,’ Hallward Gallery, Dublin

               

1993     GroupShow, Grain Store, Galway;

              Art Fest, Cork

               

1992    ‘OnTour’, European touring exhibition, Sittard, the Netherlands, Zutendaal,        Belgium;

              ‘Deck The Halls’, Riverrun,Limerick;

              Group Show - Willow Gallery, Limerick;

              Western Artists, Shannon, Co. Clare

                

1991    ‘After The Siege’, Riverrun Gallery, Limerick;

              Western Artists, Galway, Dublin, Limerick;

              European Large Format Printmaking, Hop Store, Dublin,

              Willow Gallery, Limerick;

              ‘Deck The Halls’, Riverrun Gallery, Limerick         

 

1990    ‘LandscapeUrban/Rural’, University of Limerick;

              Oireachtas, Dublin;

              ‘Dance Strokes’, RHA Gallery, Dublin;

              Western Artists, Galway;

              Art Forum, Limerick;           

 

1989    EV+A New Work of Past Winners 1984-1988, Limerick, Dublin, Sligo,Cork;

             National Self-Portrait Collection, Limerick, Belfast, Dublin;

             ‘Limerick Soviet Commemorative Show’, Limerick,

             Belltable Print Collection, Limerick, Galway, Wexford;

             Western Artists, Galway; 

             ‘Impressions II’, Galway;

             ‘Fool's Gold’, Dublin, Galway;    

 

1988    ‘ImpressionsI’, Galway; Western Artists, Galway, Tralee;

              Independent Artists Dublin             

 

1987    Limerick Contemporary Art 1983-87;

              Independent Artists, Dublin;

              Oireachtais, Dublin;               

 

1986    IndependentArtists, Dublin;

             Western Artists, Galway;

             Oireachtas, Dublin;

                

1985    Independent Artists, Dublin, Limerick; with Jim Sheehy and Dietrich Blodau, Merriman Summer School,
              Lisdoonvarna, University of  Limerick;

               

1984    Arnotts National Portrait Award Exhibition (ANPA), Dublin;

              Annual Exhibition, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin,     

 

1983     Belltable Arts Centre, Limerick

 

1981    ‘Grafica II’, Galway; Belltable Arts Centre, Limerick

 

1980    ‘Grafica I’ ,Galway;

              Royal Hibernian Academy (RHA), Dublin

 

1979    Listowel International Graphic Exhibition;

 

1978    Listowel International Graphic Bienalle;

             78’ EVA, Limerick

 

1977    Listowel Graphics III

              Limerick Exhibition of Visual Art (EVA)




Public Collections

 

Allied Irish Banks

Chester Beatty Library, Dublin

                Crawford Municipal Art Gallery, Cork

                Dublin Corporation

                Dublin City Library and Archive

                Guinness Ltd.

                Limerick City Gallery of Art

                Limerick Corporation

                Mary Immaculate College, Limerick

                National Collection of Artists’ Books, NCAD, Dublin

                National Collection of Contemporary Drawing, LCGA

                National Library of Ireland

                National Self-Portrait Collection of Ireland, University of Limerick

                National University of Ireland, Cork

                National University of Ireland, Galway

                Office of Public Works

                Palazzo della Penna, Perugia (Italy)

                RTE

                Shannon Development Company

                University of Limerick

                Uzice City Gallery, Serbia