Gerald Davis

Gerald Davis in his Studio

Gerald Davis had his first one-man exhibition in 1963. He now has over 150 solo shows to his credit as well as innumerable group exhibitions both in Ireland and abroad. He has represented his country many times and, in 1977 was awarded the Irish Arts Council's Douglas Hyde Gold Medal for historical painting. His paintings are in many important corporate, public and private collections throughout the world and in the watercolour and National Self-Portrait collections in Limerick.

Gerald as Leopold Bloom

An important aspect of Davis's work is his involvement with the writings of James Joyce. In 1977 he created the exhibition Paintings for Bloomsday, based on Joyce's Ulysses. To publicise and celebrate the event the artist had a suit made in the style of Edwardian Joycean Dublin and, replete with bowler hat, appeared as "Leopold Bloom" at the opening of the show. This took place on the evening of Bloomsday, June 16th in the Barrenhill Gallery, significantly situated on Howth head - the setting of Molly Bloom's soliloquy which, famously, brings Ulysses to an end.

Davis's appearance as "Bloom" captured the imagination of the media. He has masqueraded as Joyce's character in Ireland, Australia, the U.S. and Britain. To gain a deeper understanding of the work of Joyce and other writers he entered Trinity College as a mature student in 1980 and studied Anglo-Irish literature. In 1991 he served as spokesman for Dublin - European City of Culture. He has lectured on Irish art and literature, with emphasis on Joyce and Beckett, is member of the International Association of Art Critics and writes and broadcasts on several aspects of the arts and Irish Jewish life.