Art News

Decompositions by Sean Molloy

Decompositions by Sean Molloy
Related Issue

Share

MolloyIn his latest body of work Sean Molloy takes on the Baroque: a time when artists didn’t do things by halves. Bernini, Borromini, Pietro da Cortona and El Greco used all of their talents to create theatrical effects in the service of the Church or their patrons. Be it sculpture or painting the baroque had a dazzling effect – usually on a large scale with perspectival tricks employed to allure. Molloy overturns the large scale – his paintings on panel are just 16cms – just over 6 inches – and uses an intimate roundel framing device, borrowing his subjects from Van Dyck to El Greco and manipulating the image with digital motifs and the marks used by picture conservators to identify areas of investigation: The digital elements overlaying these ‘Decompositions’ have been inspired by a variety of sources (C.G.I., games, image manipulation software reflecting Molloy’s first contact with the reference material – accessed via the internet.

The resulting series was made possible by the Thomas Dammann Jr. Memorial Trust Award, which allowed him to travel to see the actual works of the baroque canon in situ.

Gerry Walker discussed Sean Molloy as a graduate to watch back in 2011 – see Post-postmodern advance, Irish Arts Review, Autumn 2011, p95.

‘Neo Pentimenti’ until 20 December 2015
Ashford Gallery, RHA.

More Art News

Photography and nature
Art News

Photography and nature

Photography’s power to influence our perception of the natural world and its fragility has been gaining impact with the rise in awareness of climate change.


Continue Reading
Revitalising Irish towns
Art News

Revitalising Irish towns

Touring Ireland over the past six months, ‘The Reason of Towns’ celebrates the design qualities of Irish towns and aims to motivate people to choose them as a place to live.


Continue Reading
RDS Visual Art Awards
Art News

RDS Visual Art Awards

The winner of the 2024 RDS Taylor Art Award, given to the most promising emerging visual artist of the year in Ireland and worth €10,000, is Sorcha Browning.


Continue Reading
Shopping cart0
There are no products in the cart!
Continue shopping
0