Tony Gunning | Echoes
An Exhibition of Paintings by Tony Gunning
From Tuesday 25th May to Sunday 6th June 2010
Signal Arts Centre is delighted to present this collection of work by artist Tony Gunning. Tony has been a professional artist since 2000. He has exhibited on many occasions throughout Ireland following his sell-out debut at the Davis Gallery in 2002. Internationally he has exhibited solo at the European Parliament, Brussels and was part of the Irish representation at the Florence Biennale 2005. He is a regular exhibitor at the Llewellyn Alexander Gallery in London. His paintings are included in many corporate and private collections worldwide. In 2007 he won the Curator’s Award and the Bank of Ireland Emerging Artist Award at EV+A (Ireland’s pre-eminent contemporary arts showcase). Tony’s work defies labels and ranges from small local scenes to very large scale contemporary realism but blue skies, bright colour, stark contrast and irregular perspective are recurring style motifs.
The work for this exhibition is a continuation of the artist’s preoccupation and fascination with themes of transition within the urban and rural landscape. These scenes of abandonment, decay, dilapidation and dereliction have a beguiling attraction. Beyond the aesthetics there is a deeper resonance. They evoke memories of youthful exploration. Echoes of people’s lives remain in the layer upon layer of wallpaper, paint and floor coverings. In an age of shopping malls, multiplexes and sterile living environments these places offer an insight to another Ireland – not in a nostalgic sense but as repositories of our history, our culture, our heritage. Above all they are reminders of the transience of time and the ephemeral nature of our own mortality. These are monuments to impermanence and the never-ending cycle of death and rebirth.
Opening Reception: Sunday 30th May 3-5pm