An exclusive solo exhibition of acclaimed Irish artist Oona Hyland titled "An Duanaire: Visual Poems of the Dispossessed," was inaugurated on Tuesday - the first of its kind by an Irish artist in Bangladesh.

"Oona Hyland is spending three weeks in Dhaka for an artistic cultural exchange - the first Irish qartist to do it. She is a visual artist with over 25 years experience working as a professional artist," Ambassador of Ireland to Bangladesh Kevin Kelly, who is based out of New Delhi, said at the inauguration at the Garden Gallery in Baridhara.

Honorary Consul of Ireland in Bangladesh Masud Khan hosted the event.

The residency, jointly organized by Gallery Cosmos and the Embassy of Ireland as part of the Ireland-Bangladesh Art Exchange Programme, serves as a dynamic platform for cultural dialogue and artistic collaboration between the two nations.

Thanking Masud Khan and his team for supporting, Ambassador Kelly said this initiative aims to foster artistic collaboration and deepen cultural ties between Bangladesh and Ireland, through the medium of printmaking.

He said "Though we have no embassy in Bangladesh, we have a long history of partnership with Bangladesh, development co-operation and business and hope to grow the relationship."

"During her time in Dhaka, Oona will explore how art connects memory, healing, and collective reflection. Inspired by Rabindranath Tagore's vision of creativity as a moral and spiritual force, her work will focus on Bangladesh's history and artistic resilience," he commented.

He also hoped that the success of this residency fosters deeper artistic collaboration between Ireland and Bangladesh not only have Irish artists come to Bangladesh but also Bangladeshi artists travel to Ireland.

Welcoming all guests from home and abroad, Masud Khan, also Deputy Managing Director of the Cosmos Group, said: "You know, I was a little bit worried at first — whether we’d have enough time, and how everything would turn out. But thanks to all our efforts, and especially to Oona, who worked tirelessly every single day — very hard — it all came together beautifully."

Mentioning the Irish artist as incredibly dedicated, hardworking, and "pleasant of personality", he said everyone has been saying so many nice things about her, and he truly hoped that she would come back here again.

"We also had a wonderful exchange at Dhaka University — meeting the faculty and students there was really great. After today, you’ll finally have some free time, and we have a few more outings planned for you. Maybe you can visit some more galleries and explore the city a bit," he added.

He believed that it’s important to give artists stability — to help them develop their practice, innovate, and contribute meaningfully to the sector. "And I think Ireland is really leading the way in this regard. It’s inspiring, and it shows that we can learn so much from each other," he also added.

He also expressed his appreciation to the Irish Government, and his team.

Oona is a visual artist and graduate of the MMA in Art Research and Collaboration (IADT) and an MPhil in Irish Art History/ (TCD). Her career includes numerous awards and residencies, including the O'Malley Award, Agility Award, and the Ushaw Residency and Acquisition Prize (2025).

She has represented Ireland in international exhibitions from South Korea and São Paulo to the Venice Biennale (2024).

A distinguished member of the Royal Society of Painter Printmakers (London), Hyland's practice experimental printmaking, sculpture, and installation.

Through 'An Duanaire', Hyland explores the poetic dialogue between Ireland's rugged landscapes and Bangladesh's vibrant urban and cultural fabric. Created during her artist residency in Dhaka, this new work reflects on displacement, belonging, and creative transformation through cross-cultural experience.

She said she was very happy to be the first artist from Ireland on this project, which aims to foster cultural exchange between Bangladesh and Ireland.

She hoped she will be the first of many because there are huge connections between Bangladesh and Ireland.

"I hope that we will see a lot of Bangladeshi artists coming to Ireland because we need you, because I've seen the work and I've met so many talented artists here and I've been absolutely blown away with the incredible skill and professionalism of the artists," she also said.

Saying that it's a really vibrant art scene which she didn't expect, the Irish artist said it's been such a pleasure to work here.

The exhibition will then continue at Gallery Cosmos, Cosmos Centre, 69/1, New Circular Road, Malibagh, from November 5 to 27, open daily from 10am to 8pm.