The Doorway Gallery is delighted to host an exhibition by Tony O’Connor titled ‘Unbridled’ on Thursday, May 3rd between 6-7.30pm on 24 South Frederick Street. The exhibition will be officially opened by radio and television personality, Marty Whelan.
“My thirst for painting horses is unquenchable. As an artist I am wildly self-indulgent, in that I am untempered in my subject matter of choice. Unchecked, I find myself drawn to the horse, almost to the exclusion of all else, something about them stirs my soul. Their graceful movement, their eyes expressing so much. I try to capture those moments of time and space. My ancestors all worked with horses in the blacksmithing trade, and I believe it's an instinctual, uncontainable thing within me, some might even say a genetic memory to continue the tradition of working with the horse. It certainly gives pause for thought to the notion of unbridled free will.
Much of my work focuses on the balance between light and dark, about how much we hide, and how much we choose to reveal. Some of my new work is more excessively uncurbed with the juxtaposition of vibrant colour of the luminous silks, so evocative of the thoroughbred racehorse and the broad physicality of a solitary horse in a background so starkly dark. Of course true darkness is not an absence of light, but rather a belief that that light will never return. But the return of the light is as unstoppable, as irrepressible as a horse unbridled.” Tony O’Connor
The Artist
Born in Kerry in 1977, Tony O’Connor studied Fine Art at Crawford College of Art & Design where he also gained his Higher Diploma in Art Education. Presently, Tony can be found working at his Cork-based studio, creating ever-evolving pieces of equine art.
Tony has a disciplined approach in his study of horse anatomy, and puts a great emphasis on technical execution. As with much of his work, the void of background and simplicity of the pieces serve to highlight the natural physical perfection of these animals. Anyone who appreciates classic elegance cannot but be drawn in.
This is Tony O’Connor’s fourth solo show with the Doorway Gallery.
Reception Details:
Date : Thursday, May 3rd
Speaker: radio and television personality, Marty Whelan.
Time: 6 – 7.30 pm
Refreshments Served
TO PREVIEW THE EXHIBITION PLEASE CLICK HERE
