Where: The Basement Gallery Dundalk

When: 17th May, 10.00am – 4.30pm

How much: Free

Dates: 10th February 2011 to 31st March 2011
Starts at 9am-5pm   Tickets: FreE EVENT

Double Take Exhibition
by Ciaran O’Sullivan

Ciaran O’Sullivan was born in Co. Louth in 1975. He studied initially at the National College of Art and Design and finished his education at the Limerick School of Art and Design. After working in Dundalk, for six years teaching art, he returned to Limerick and is currently an active member of Limerick’s largest studio collective, Contact Studios. He has exhibited nationally in both group and solo shows including the R.H.A.’s Annual Exhibition. Double Take will be his second solo show in Limerick.

DOUBLE TAKE

After registering the impact of colour, texture and tones, one then notices the people portrayed in O‘Sullivan’s paintings. The models are real personalities that the artist has either encountered, is friendly with or knows closely. There is a genuine interaction between artist and subject. However when the subjects are seen by the public, they are no longer family or friends, they are nameless effigies of moods or situations. Each piece has its own mood or theme- the interpretation of these moods are to some extent left open to the viewer.
“I begin by taking a series of photographs, some spontaneous, some staged. I do a lot of sketchbook work whereby I work through a deconstructive process, beginning with a detailed tonal study in pencil to help me understand the shape of the figure/face, its form and volume. I then decide what salient pieces of information are to be kept when reinterpreting the subject in paint. These pieces of information are recreated using marks, blobs, drips, glazes and brushstrokes of thick paint. The subject merges and emerges from the many layers of paint built up over many months, even years.”

Ciaran has a number of works in both private and public collections, including the Louth Municipal Collection and he had a piece acquired by the Irish Contemporary Arts Society which they donated to the Butler Gallery Collection, Kilkenny.

John O’Connor

“Ummeryroe”

September 3rd. – October 1st

My work is rooted in the town land of Ummeryroe-my Mothers birthplace in co. Sligo
I spent many summers there in childhood. I have revisited the place in recent years and made paintings and drawings.
Farm impliments, sickles, pitch forks, boglands, fields, my grandmother’s knitting, white enamel buckets have inspired my painting in the studio.
To go forward, I am looking back.
I found this piece by Michael McLaverty.written in 1952

“Be artists of the normal, it is the normal that survives, and it comes from exploring the resources of your own people and environment –no matter how small the latter is, if it is deeply pondered the resultant work will overleap its boundaries.”

John o’ Connor will speak about his work in the Basement Gallery on Thursday 9th. September at 1.10. pm

Frances Lambe

“Microcosmos”

March 3^rd. – April 9^th.

Lambe’s work springs from visual research into disparate areas of interest including geography, biology, marine biology, botany and astronomy. This research is informed by my involvement in scuba diving. She is interested the visual ‘inter-relatedness’ of life on our planet. Life forms that exist underwater mimic those on land. Her work contains the counterpoint of opposites;

+ smooth / textured,

+ minimal / intricate,

+ single / multiple,

+ convex / concave,

+ still / moving,

+ microscopic / vast,

+ surface / interior,

+ vertical / horizontal.

Observed effects of weathering on surfaces influences the form and texture of the work.

The sphere, the oval and undulating forms underpin her visual language. The form of each piece is of prime focus. The constructed walls form a taut ‘membrane’ between the inner and exterior space. Holes punctuate the surface and link exterior to interior.

Her abstract sculptural work seeks to explore concepts of stillness, structure, balance and implied movement. On a deeper level her work reflects on our perception of time as it is defined by the movement of the earth, sun, moon the tides and erosion.

basementgallery@dundalktown.ie 042 9392916

Opening hours Monday /Friday, 10.00.am/1.00.pm – 1.30.pm. / 5.00.pm.

5th November – 27th November 2009

Opening Night 5th November 7pm -9pm

Open Mon – Fri  10am -1pm & 1:30pm- 5pm

Basement Gallery,Town Hall, Dundalk, Co.Louth

042-9392916

Basement Gallery is proud to present the work of Dundalk-based graffiti artists Kube and Omin. Painting commercially and as a passionate hobby, Kube and Omin have been painting the countries walls for the past 13 years, bringing graffiti art to their hometown and nationwide, as well as being established on the international scene.

Using a wide range of media, including spray painted canvas, acrylic and oil paintings, photographic pieces, steel etching prints and sketches to fully showcase the vibrancy, movement and technical skill that comes with this very new and rapidly moving art form.

Kube and Omin have painted for a vast array of major companies, brands, festivals and arts organisations. Working commercially doing commissions and brand promotion the pair have been submitting their artwork to internationally circulated magazines for the past 10 years, gaining them work overseas aswell as representing the Irish Graffiti art scene on an worldwide platform.

Graffiti art by its very nature is something that the public see and admire but yet mystery surrounds the rhyme and reason to why and how it is done. Since its beginings in the 70’s, Graffiti art has been a voice for young artists to display their talents on a public stage without reward, whilst risking prosecution in some cases to express themselves.

Using such a wide range of mediums – Kube and Omin hope to visually demonstrate the essence of Graffiti art through their own styles and skills. From sketches used on past murals, to photographs of walls, to graffiti art on canvas – all facets of the artform will be displayed and will give a visual narrative to their 13 years of non-stop graffiti art exploits.

This is the first show of its kind to be held in Dundalks’ basement gallery and promises to be one of most animated and interesting uses of the space to date.  Kube and Omin will be displaying unseen original pieces for this show in addition to painting some of the gallery walls and creating a more unique, open and engaging atmosphere to the space.

This show promises to be fresh on every surface.