|
Return to exhibitions & paintings |
Téigh ar ais chuig taispeántais & pictiúir |
|
|||||
|
|
Kenny's Galway |
Origin Dublin |
L'Hôtel Gabriel Lorient |
| ||
|
This page features the exhibition 'Sealladh' that was exhibited in Galway and Dublin and at Lorient in Brittany during 2006
Sheeaun, Kilmaley, Ennis, Co.Clare, Ireland. Email contact |
| ||||||
|
|||||||
521169
Sealladh Bheàrnaraigh, Alba
Oil on canvas 760 x 2730 mm
Paintings from the west of Connaught, Ireland and
The Kenny Gallery
The Origin Gallery
L'Hôtel Gabriel, Lorient
A selection of paintings was exhibited at each venue
This exhibition presented a series of paintings from two places which share much in common, in particular in terms of
landscape and language. The two areas were the western half of Connaught (the western portions of County Galway and Mayo
in Ireland) and the Western Isles off the west coast of Scotland. The two areas were chosen because they each have
roughly the same geographical area and both occupy similar positions on the western seaboard.
The two landscapes have many similarities, with extensive sandy beaches, mountainous areas in some places and flatter
coastal land in others. The settlement patterns are also similar with relatively dense patterns of population in some
of the coastal areas contrasted with emptier landscapes inland. Both have rather similar weather patterns with often
unsettled weather giving rise to spectacular cloud formations. I hope that these aspects were represented in the
paintings.
In both places the Gaelic language survives, Irish being spoken particularly in County Galway in the Connemara Gaeltacht
as well as in County Mayo in the separate areas of Tourmakeady, Achill Island, and Belmullet. Gaelic is spoken throughout
the Western Isles, most strongly in the Isle of Lewis, but also throughout the islands in the group: Harris, North Uist,
South Uist and Barra. Gaelic versions of the place names feature in the exhibition and in the case of the large
triptychs in the form of a separate strip along the top and bottom of the canvas.
Both areas have a long association with boats and the tradition of building wooden boats, ‘Hookers’ ‘Gleoiteogs’ and
‘Púcáns’ in Connemara and ‘Ness’ and ‘Grimsay’ boats in the Western Isles continues to the present day. Paintings of
some of these vessels feature in the exhibition. The title ‘Sealladh’ comes from the name of one of the traditional
wooden boats that I painted whilst staying on the island of Berneray and translates as a ‘sight or view’ in Scots
Gaelic and as ‘a look or glance’ in the Irish language.
All the works were painted on location in Ireland and Scotland, which I always feels gives greater freshness to
the work. The lettering on the larger canvasses was completed later in the studio.
The Western Isles, Scotland, exhibited at
Middle Street, Galway, Ireland
3 - 23 February 2006
Catalogue and paintings from The Kenny Gallery, Galway
83 Harcourt Street, Dublin 2, Ireland
13 March - 21 April 2006
Catalogue and paintings from The Origin Gallery, Dublin
Organised as part of the 36th Festival Interceltique Lorient
29 July - 6 August 2006
Catalogue and paintings from L'Hôtel Gabriel, Lorient
Myself painting on Berneray, Scotland, July 2005
(Photograph by Christian Kranz)
521179
Triptic Mhaínse, Co. na Gaillimhe, Éire
Oil on canvas 760 x 2730 mm