The Doorway Gallery is delighted to host an exclusive show by Geraldine O’Reilly Hynes entitled “The Secret Garden”. The show will officially be launched on Thursday September 7th at 6 -7.30pm, at No. 24 South Frederick St, and is scheduled to run until September 28th
An exhibition of work by Geraldine O Reilly Hynes the subject came about from a re-reading of The Secret Garden, a childhood favourite, while recuperating from an injury to her right hand. Geraldine soon found herself akin with the same themes that the book presented; rediscovery, rejuvenation and restoration and once again was charmed by the curiosity of the young girl Mary’s journey to discover what lies behind the locked door.
Always delighting in the joy of her garden, Geraldine savoured its restfulness and quiet solitude whilst also admiring its vivid riot of colour and textures, bursting into life. She observed the power of nature to sustain itself, despite inattention and the abundance of beauty you can find in something unkempt or wild. Amid the urban dwellings, boundaries and walls that surround us, are glimpses of flower and foliage, tiny hidden gems that peer out of doorways and entrances whispering to us. Nature is framing our view and in it we are hoping to recapture some of that magical childlike wonder, we have long craved for.
Similarly, in the forest, the inter-locking branches of the trees form portals, capturing a light filled area, or frame a vista, concentrating our view on a particular aspect of the landscape. Peering through the canopy of a tree and its huge overhung branches and leaves, or across a lake framed by a crop of bog Iris evoke the mystery of what lies beyond.
In these images, we are reminded of the secrets that can be found there amongst the contrasting textures of rough tree bark and delicate velvety petals of flowers, the light and shade.
In researching the work for this exhibition, Geraldine visited the National Botanic Gardens, Farmleigh and the former Reservoir Basin, in Blessington Street and explored walkways in Woodlands in Cavan and Wicklow, to name but a few. All of these locations provided a lavish array of inspiration and subject matter Geraldine has sought to capture in this body of work.
