Open 10:30–5:00, Tuesday – Saturday
Helena Gorey – Understory
Closing In Conversation with John Graham
Saturday 11th June, 1pm, free
In the final week of Understory, a solo exhibition by artist Helena Gorey, join her in this informal conversation about her fascinating practice in this afternoon gallery talk.
Booking suggested as seating is limited!
Artist’s In-Conversation – Helena Gorey & John Graham
Helena Gorey – Understory
Helena Gorey’s home is a cottage situated in pastoral landscape close to where she grew up, with a view to a field with an almost perfect horizon line. One of her earliest memories is picking blackcurrants in this field planted by her father. The experience of growing up and living in this place and its surrounding nature has influenced much of her work. Hers is not a desire to represent but to distil the essence of this place. Her approach is intuitive and her paintings are developed slowly over time. Her desire is to make works that have a sense of depth but may appear effortless.
Paintings are sometimes bisected by a subtle horizontal line suggesting a possible land or seascape and conjure the atmosphere and wonder of nature through a veil of – light, mist, fog and rain. When a sense of completeness is not achieved on first touch a process of layering from light to dark and dark to light is developed in order to arrive home.
With Understory she continues this engagement with nature and focuses on the beauty in humble plants of the hedgerows using titles such as Lady’s Bedstraw, Leaf, Sloe Berry and Spinney. By concentrating on the richness of colour and texture in nature she attempts to create an immersive sense of landscape without trying to represent it.
The exhibition also includes a work – But a Hercules by artist Caoimhe Kilfeather on loan from the Arts Council of Ireland’s Collection.
John Graham – About
John Graham is an artist, writer and lecturer. With a foundation in drawing and printmaking, his practice has included video and sound installations, writing and curatorial projects. He has exhibited widely in Ireland and internationally. Public collections include the Irish Museum of Modern Art, National Gallery of Ireland, Arts Council of Ireland, Chester Beatty Library, Trinity College Art Collection, University College Dublin and the New York Public Library.
His writing has appeared in artists’ books and gallery publications.
His exhibition reviews are published by the Visual Artists’ News Sheet, Enclave Review, Art Monthly and Paper Visual Art Journal (PVA), among others. His book, ’20 Drawings’, designed by Peter Maybury and with a text by Brian Fay, was published in 2021.
He is a lecturer in the Yeats Academy of Arts, Design and Architecture (YAADA) at the Atlantic Technological University.
He lives in Dublin.
Helena Gorey Understory continues until Saturday 18th June
