Born in Dublin in 1952, Gene Lambert was a towering figure in the Irish arts community, known for his distinctive and evocative work that spanned decades.
Lambert studied at the National College of Art and Design and went on to have a prolific career, with notable solo exhibitions including Work from a Dark Room at the Douglas Hyde Gallery (1985), as well as shows in Copenhagen, Glasgow, and Bradford. His 1991 collaboration with poet Paul Durcan, In The Land of Punt, showcased his ability to merge visual and literary artistry in a powerful and thought-provoking manner.
Maura McGrath, Chair of the Arts Council, said: “Gene Lambert was a visionary whose work captured the complexities of the human experience with extraordinary depth and sensitivity. His contributions to Irish art, both as an individual artist and as a champion for accessibility and inclusion, have left an indelible mark. He will be greatly missed, but his work will continue to inspire generations to come.”
A member of the Royal Hibernian Academy, Lambert regularly exhibited in its group shows, and his solo exhibition Playtime at the RHA Gallagher Gallery in the late 1990s demonstrated his ever-evolving approach to form and expression. His contributions to the Irish Exhibition of Living Art earned him the Carroll’s Award in 1981, among many other accolades, including the Claremorris National Art Exhibition First Prize (1979) and the Sunday Tribune Visual Artist of the Year (1985). In 1982, he represented Ireland at the 14th International Festival of Painting in Cagnes-sur-Mer, France.
Cecily Brennan, Chair of the Toscaireacht said: “On behalf of the members of Aosdána I express our sadness at the death of Gene Lambert. Gene Lambert studied in the NCAD in the early 70’s, involved and active at the time in the fight for a proper education and rights for his fellow students.
He was a member of the RHA showing his work in the Gallagher Gallery and the Irish Exhibition of Living Art in the late 1990s. He was awarded the Claremorris National Art Exhibition First Prize in 1979 and in 1982 he represented Ireland at the 14th International Festival of Painting in Cagnes-sur-Mer, France.
Perhaps his most affecting works were a set of powerful black and white photographs ‘Work from a Dark Room’ made in 1985 of people with disabilities, unusual subject matter at the time, now in the collection of the Irish Museum of Modern Art.
Gene Lambert was deeply engaged in public service, co-editing with the poet Theo Dorgan, the unique ‘Great Book of Ireland’ in 1991. He was appointed a member of the Government’s National Disability Authority at its inception in 1999. His commitment to accessibility and representation in the arts will leave a lasting legacy.”