Warhol exhibition draws record number of visitors to Dublin gallery
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Warhol exhibition draws record number of visitors to Dublin gallery

AN Andy Warhol Exhibition has proven a record-breaker in Ireland after attracting 135,000 people to a Dublin gallery.

The Andy Warhol Three Times Out exhibition was open at the Hugh Lane Gallery from October 6, 2023 to January 28, 2024.

During that time it drew a record-breaking 135,000 people to the venue, which is the highest visitor count in the gallery’s history.

The display was both the largest Warhol exhibition ever to be held in Ireland and the first of its kind in 25 years.

Visitors came from Ireland, the UK, Europe, the US and countries across the rest of the world to see the collection, which featured over 250 of Warhol’s works.

On average 1,500 visitors attended the gallery each day.

The Andy Warhol exhibition at Hugh Lane Gallery (Pic: Dublin City Council

Celebrating those figures, Lord Mayor of Dublin, Daithí de Róiste said: "With record-breaking visitor numbers and incredible community engagement, I am thrilled with the success of Andy Warhol Three Times Out at Hugh Lane Gallery."

He added: “The Warhol exhibition brought a great buzz to the city this winter, attracting both domestic and international visitors to Dublin

“ Dublin City Council and the team at Hugh Lane Gallery deserve great praise for the achievement of producing such a prestigious and exciting exhibition for our city.”

Hugh Lane Gallery Director Barbara Dawson was co-curator of the exhibition, which included paintings, prints, photographs, films and installations by the iconic 20th century artist.

Andy Warhol pictured in 1950

Warhol was born in Pittsburgh in 1928 to immigrant parents from Slovakia.

He moved to New York in 1949 where he became one of America’s leading commercial artists.

By the early 1960s he had moved into the field of fine art and was exhibiting his Pop Art paintings in New York and Los Angeles.

Despite a near fatal shooting in 1968, Warhol continued to be enormously prolific during the 1970s and ‘80s, up until his death, aged 58, in 1987.

“As we bid farewell to our blockbuster Warhol exhibition, Hugh Lane Gallery would like to extend our thanks to all of our audiences for their support and engagement with the exhibition and associated events,” Ms Dawson said this week.

“This landmark exhibition contributed to Dublin’s global cultural reputation.

“Our curatorial teams are diligently working behind-the-scenes on more exhibitions, explore & learn programs and collections displays.

“We look forward to welcoming you back to the gallery again soon.”