Biography

Liam Blake was born in Dublin City, trained as a lithographic printer before becoming a photographer full time in 1978.
He has been an active member of the Irish Gallery of Photography since its inception in 1978. His photography was the inspiration for the ground-breaking series of postcards published by Real Ireland in 1979, and more than 40 years on is still making new photographic images for them.

His art practice in the main has centered on publication projects, often collaborating with some of Irelands leading writers and poets. In his most recent publications he worked alongside Des Geraghty musician and former President of Irelands largest trade union SIPTU to illustrate his book 40 SHADES OF GREEN. The SOUND OF WAVES publication was the result of a multi-disciplinary collaboration with music by Tim Goulding, writing by Micheal O Dubhshlaine, and poetry by Seamus Heaney.

In his latest book ‘The Harbour’ published in 2018, with an introduction by local historian John Finlay, Liam has photographed some of the many working & leisure activities that take place in and around this small Wicklow harbour.

Selected Exhibitions
2008/2009 Selected Artist RHA Annual Show
2008 Maroin Group Exhibition OPW St Stephens Green Show Titled ‘Margin 18×21
2008 Gallery of Photography 30 Contemporary Collection
2007 Invited artist RHA Annual Show
2007 Royal Hibernian Academy Annual Exhibition
2005 SOUND OF WAVES (solo), Blasket Heritage Centre, Dunquin, Co Kerry
2001 PARTNERS (Group), Lavit Gallery, Cork City
1999 PICTURES FROM GARDEN, Gallery of Photography Dublin
1991 SHORELINE (Solo), Gallery of Photography Dublin and touring Ireland:
Boyle Arts Festival
Limerick Gallery of Art
Grennan Mill Art Gallery
Co. Kilkenny Heritage Centre
Kilronon, Aran Islands
1988 THE ART OF BLACK AND WHITE (group) Guinness Hop Store Dublin
1986 20th CENTURY IRISH ART (group) Douglas Hyde Gallery Trinity Collage, Dublin and touring:
Crawford Gallery Cork City
Ulster Museum Belfast
1985 LANDSCAPES Peoples Art Arnotts Dublin
1982 RIVER SNAPS Gallery of Photography Dublin

Selected Reviews, TV, Radio, Print Media
The Irish Times Weekend Review Saturday November 10th 2007 (40 Shades of Green)
Sunday Tribune Book Review 30/12/07 (40 Shades of Green)
T.G.4.T.V. Afternoon Show (40 Shades of Green)
Boston Irish Reporter November 2006 www.bostonirish.com
TG4, TV “Soisceal Pharaic” – Arts Programme October/November 2005
Sunday Business Post “arts review” … September 25th 2005
Outdoor Photographer magazine (UK) … December 2005
Irish Independent, review … April 24th 2004
Sunday Tribune, Weekend review… January 4th 2004
The Encyclopaedia of Ireland (Gill & Macmillan) … 2003
Image Magazine, (Liam & Sahoko) … October 2002
RTE radio “Rattle Bag”, arts programme (Shrines book) … 2001
The Irish Times … September 29th 2001
East Coast Radio, interview (Pictures From The Garden) … 1999
British Journal of Photography, (London) September 1999
Photon, photographic magazine, (UK) September 1997
Creative Camera (UK) … April/May 1992
Portfolio, annual arts review, (gandon editions) … 1991
SLR photo-magazine, (UK)… September 1988
The Irish Times … April 30th 1988
SLR photo-magazine, (UK) … May 1986
RTE TV documentary, “Box Camera”… 1986
The Irish Press … October 20th 1985
RTE TV programme “Live at Three” … 1985
Irish Independent … October 30th 1985
Fortnight Review, (Belfast) … December/January 1984/1985
Creative Cameras, (UK) … 1985
Sunday Independent … December 9th 1984
The Irish News, (Belfast) … December 6th 1984