‘An absent minded gaze in response to the world…a benign voyeurism- pondering and wondering- locating yourself, locating others’

Wolverhampton Art Gallery will be showcasing Holylands 2003, their new acquisition purchased with the Contemporary Art Society. The Museum’s strong holdings of works by artists based in, or working with issues concerning Northern Ireland is outstanding. Holylands is perhaps Harahan’s best known work to date making this acquisition into the collection of particular importance. The work is regarded as a crucial view, not just for the artist but for the collective vision of a renewing city. Belfast is clearly changing through investment and commercial development, even though the scars of ‘the troubles’ are inevitably apparent.

Born in Belfast in 1968, Seamus Harahan studied fine art at the University of Ulster. Since graduating in 1996, he has exhibited his work both in the UK and internationally including Scandinavia, Canada, Portugal, Israel, Italy, Eastern Europe and the USA. He has also worked on curatorial projects, being co-director of Catalyst Arts from 1998-2000 and co-director of Cinilingus, the Belfast fringe film festival, 2000-2004. In 2005 Holylands was shown as part of the Northern Irish pavilion at the 51st Venice Biennale. He has taken part in residencies is Ireland and Helsinki.

Duncan Campbell (born Dublin), lives and works in Glasgow. Since graduating from Glasgow School of Art in 1998 Campbell has exhibited substantially in the UK and internationally across Cologne, San Franciso, New York, Munch, Naples, Athens and Dublin. Forthcoming and recent solo show include: Make it new John, Artist Space, New York, 2010, also shown at Chisenhale Gallery in 2009; Bernadette, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art; Baltic, Gateshead; Art Now, Tate Britain, 2006. Group exhibitions have included, 0-60, ICA, 2008 and Manifesta 5, European Biennial of Contemporary Art, San Sebastian. Campbell has work in the following public collections, Tate, MIT, Boston, USA, National Galleries of Scotland and MUMOK, Vienna, Austria.

No booking is required, please aim to arrive 15 minutes before the start

Holylands will be on display at Wolverhampton Art Gallery from 17 March - 3 July

This event and exhibition forms part of the Contemporary Art Society's Centenary Programme. Working in partnership with our sixty-three member museums, the programme which includes events, performances, displays, fellowships, publications and exhibitions, will give profile to our most important recent acquisitions and reflect on the most significant gifts made since 1910. For more information about the progamme please visit our website:

www.contemporaryartsociety.org/national-programmes/centenary or email us at nationalprogrammes@contemporaryartsociety.org