‘Musical Chair’ intertwines the ordinary with the ominous, crafting a hauntingly evocative pencil drawing that resonates with profound symbolism. At first glance, a gun—deceptively realistic yet revealed upon closer inspection to be a toy fairground piece—perches incongruously atop an antiquated gramophone base, supplanting the expected speaker with its stark presence. This disquieting ensemble rests on a swivelling chair, amplifying the visual tension and evoking a palpable sense of disorientation. The depiction of the gun accentuates themes of miscommunication and preconceived notions, starkly illustrating the deadly potential of these elements.
This composition offers a penetrating commentary on the insidious and pervasive impact of conflict on the quotidian. The juxtaposition of a seemingly playful object with a relic of auditory nostalgia engenders a striking dissonance, a reflection of the artist’s Northern Irish upbringing and the acute polarizing political tensions of contemporary Western society. In the allegorical game of musical chairs, when the music ceases, death inexorably claims its due. The artwork challenges viewers to ponder the latent frictions of identity and trust, often imperceptible yet profoundly transformative, casting long shadows over the mundane in times of strife.
Bio
Born 1987, Professional Full time Artist based in Co.Antrim, Ireland.
Solo Shows
Portraits of Metropolis, Hancock Gallery, Newcastle, England, 2022
Thrones, Gormleys Fine Art, Dublin and Belfast. 2022
Combustion Gormleys Fine Art, Dublin and Belfast. 2020
Elements Of War, Gormleys Fine Art, Dublin and Belfast. 2019
Best Before, Naughton Gallery, Queens University, Beflast. Northern Ireland. 2019
The Unreal, Lethbridge Gallerym Brisbane, Australia, 2016
Observations, LethBridge Gallery, Brisbane, Australia. 2014
Tommy Bowe Series, The Merchant Hotel. Gormleys Fine Art, Belfast, Northern Ireland. 2014
Perceptions, Art Tank. Belfast, Northern Ireland. 2011
Awards
ROYAL ULSTER ACADEMY Silver Medal, RUA Annual, Ulster Museum
ING Discerning Eye Regional Winner, ING Discerning Eye, Mall Galleries, London, England
The Tyrone Guthrie Award, 136th Royal Ulster Academy of Arts Annual Exhibition, Ulster Museum,
Belfast, Northern Ireland.
KPMG Young Artist Award. 135th Royal Ulster Academy of Arts Annual Exhibition, Ulster Museum,
Belfast, Northern Ireland.
National Award - Platform Open Annual Art Exhibition. Morphets, North Yorkshire.
Artist Portfolio Magazine Award. Magazine
SIAP Award. Arts conceal of Northern Ireland
TOWRY Award - Best from Northern Ireland. The National Open Art Competition, The Prince’s
Foundation Gallery. London. England
The De Veres Art Award- For work of Distinction. 182nd Royal Hibernian Academy Annual Exhibition,
Gallagher Gallery, Dublin, Ireland
Diageo Award: Emerging Artist Award, University of Ulster, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Carson McDowel Award, University of Ulster, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Art of Nurture Regional Winner, Manchester Art Gallery, Manchester, England.
Collections
DOF Stormont Executive, Permanent Collective, Northern Ireland
National Museum of Northern Ireland, Permanent collection, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Belfast city hall, Lord Mayors Collection, Frank Mccoubrey, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Church of Ireland, The Bishop Rt Revd John McDowell, Collection of Sitting Bishops from 1600’s,
Clougher, Northern Ireland.
National Self Portrait Collection of Ireland, University of Limerick.
Belfast Royal Academy, Principle Moore Dickson, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
The Great Hall Portraits, Professor Margaret Mullett, Queens University, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland Arts Council Collection, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Open University Public Collection, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Education
2010 BA (Hons) Fine and Applied Art. University of Ulster.
2006 Diploma in Foundation Studies (In Art and Design). University of Ulster.