In 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.
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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.