HAMBLY & Hambly are officially re-opening their physical gallery and creative hub this weekend of the summer solstice with a special exhibition launch, entitled ‘ENLIGHTEN’.

The exhibition features selected works submitted following Hambly & Hambly’s open call to artists throughout the lockdown.

Taking place on Saturday, June 19, the day will be a celebration of visual art, dance, literature and music as the gallery and hub opens its doors once again.

The event is free but ticketed to ensure adherence to government Covid guidelines.

Hambly & Hambly is a unique gallery and multi-purpose arts space designed around the core belief in the value of arts, culture, conservation and education.

The event is to start at 3pm with an official welcome by Hambly & Hambly co-owner, Ciara Hambly; sculptor, Wolfgang Buttress; and interior designer and TV presenter, Suzanne Garuda.

Wolfgang is the international award-winning sculptor of ‘Rise’ in Belfast.

He has created a new body of paintings inspired by the landscape of the north of Ireland especially for the exhibition.

He said: “I am delighted to be presenting new work at the unique and innovative Hambly & Hambly gallery for ENLIGHTEN.”

Suzanne is principal interior designer at Garuda Design international, an award-winning interior design company, and a well-known television presenter.

At 3.30pm there will be a show of contemporary World Champion Irish Dance and music from Mount Lourdes Irish dancers accompanied by Pat McCabe and Caithlin McKillion.

From 4pm onwards and throughout, guests will be welcome to visit the extensive exhibition of art on display in the gallery space in ‘bubbles’, in line with current Covid guidelines.

Also on the day, Jazz and Blues duo The Two Five Ones will swing into the solstice with live music from 5pm.

Scrumptious canapés will be provided on the day by the Lovely Leitrim Barge. Guests will be greeted with a welcome drink on arrival and bar thereafter.

Sign in will be expected on arrival, with music and dance taking place in the courtyard and grounds of Dunbar House and the visual exhibition inside the gallery space. Masks will be mandatory inside.

Speaking to The Impartial Reporter, Ciara said: “Hambly & Hambly are delighted and proud to present ENLIGHTEN.

“We look forward in particular to showcasing the winning, runner-up and highly commended pieces from the exhibition challenge which has been an open fortnightly call throughout the lockdown for artists to respond to one other’s works by creating responses to the previous winning pieces.

“The standard and quality of works selected from thousands of submissions worldwide is staggeringly diverse in their highly-impressive talent.”

Ciara said that further to the exhibition of winning pieces, the gallery has curated a second exhibition of selected artists’ pieces which includes a selection by eminent and internationally celebrated Irish abstract artist, Eamon Colman.

“The largest piece by Eamon is more than four metres wide. We are incredibly lucky to host such world-class art. Eamon has pieces also in The Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco, so to have him here in Enniskillen is a real privilege.”

She continued: “Such is the amazing array of art that for the first time ever, we are opening the ground floor of the house for private bespoke tours of the exhibition. which is hung throughout our home.

“ENLIGHTEN promises to be our best show yet and will place Irish creativity firmly on the global map of wonderful prize-winning art.

“We are proud to exhibit an eclectic selection by incredible new talent alongside highly-established and celebrated artists,” added Ciara.

With more than 1,000 works by world-class leading contemporary artists, the exhibition will feature as part of Exhibition One more than 100 winning artworks and poetry.

Also, Exhibition Two features a curation of new works by the gallery-represented artists, including Barbara Allen, Alison Barry, Ann Broni, Jade Butler, Brian Byrne, Simon Carman, Orla Clancy, Eamon Colman, Julie Corcoran, Brian Coulter, Siobhan Cox-Carlos, Jonathan Dickson, Liz Doyle, Samantha Ellis Fox, Miriam Fitzgerald Juskova, Derval Freeman, Katerine Geoghan, Di Henshaw, Jeremiah Hoad, Anna Hryniewicz, Douglas Hutton, Mary Theresa Keown, Pawel Kleszczewski, Johnny McCabe, Damien McGinley, Rosie McGurran, Ani Mollereau, Billy Moore, Coílin Murray, Maria Noonan McDermott, Geoff O’Keefe, Ana Olivenza, Laurence O’Toole, Geoff Maurice Quillinan, Fiona Rainey, Gary Robinson, Howard Ross, Hannah Smith, Lorna Smyth, Sinead Smyth, Rita Duffy and Rikki Van Den Berg.

Hambly & Hambly is supported by The Arts Council Northern Ireland, and Fermanagh Omagh District Council. The gallery has also been shortlisted for the Arts and Business Awards, set to be announced today, Thursday, June 17.