Thus, C2 includes devoted, but lesser-known, painters of cityscapes, landscapes and naïf scenes, alongside the major established names in contemporary art in Cork. Sound art, video and installation works are all represented, as is a strong element of the welded steel tradition (and its successors), still providing an important reference point for the visual arts in both city and county. Wood-engraving is not forgotten, nor the art of fine lettering.

The exhibition, as installed in both the historic and contemporary exhibition galleries of the Crawford, is intended to suggest a possible ‘permanent collection’ of a regional art museum, and also to reflect the transient but vibrant nature of temporary exhibitions. This enormous range of artworks – the creation of more than 160 artists – gathered together in one book, provides an invaluable introduction to the talent and energy behind the visual arts in Cork.