Exhibition - Place Space

Saturday 26 November, PLACE SPACE, Wandesford Quay Gallery
Group exhibition of the Backwater Artists Group - professional artists based in studios situated in the Wandesford Quay complex. It is a large old stone building and was formerly a warehouse operating in the Port of Cork.
The gallery is a long room with low ceilings. Lots of natural light floods in from several long windows, plus artificial lighting from directional ceiling mounted spotlights. There are also a couple of small enclosed cell like side galleries with no natural light. Two large paintings (by Angie Shanahan) situated in this area were the docklands paintings (below) displayed as a diptych, amid very few other much smaller paintings. These large paintings made a significant impact on the enclosed; cave like space.

The medium was oils, from what I can recall. The brushstrokes were almost invisible - the smooth finish again adding to their impact.

I noticed a real sense of intense directional pull within these paintings. This in part being due to the angular perspective lines receding into the distance. One of very few exceptions, but a very dominant, yet only slightly curving line is the lower edge of the overhang on the building on the right of the central building, which has a strong angle towards the corner. There are many strong contrasts of light and shade in this composition, particularly around this location, the ground directly below and around the broken part of the roof in the left hand painting.

All these factors seem to do much to enhance the appearance of solid mass in the buildings.  A dominant angularity alleviates the very presence of only a few curving lines. The few large light and dark plain areas appear to be balanced nicely by textured areas.  Although the palette used is minimal (only four colours that I can detect) the inclusion of red as reflected light  appears to add a glow and lift, giving an intriguingly mysterious air.

According to the artist’s statement, buildings, often derelict such as these, have been a focus of her curiosity for a number of years.  To me these otherwise forgotten buildings certainly resonate with a sense of isolation, combined with subtle hints of human company or influence.

Docklands

Docklands 2