Peter Ganly launches solo exhibition ‘Observer’ at the Atrium
Peter Ganly launched a solo art exhibition, Observer, at the Atrium, Mullingar County Buildings last Thursday evening.
Peter Ganly lives and works at Lilliput, and after working in motor trade and in boat hire, returned to education to pursue a long-held ambition to forge a career in visual arts, and recently graduated with a BA degree in Fine Art from ATU Sligo.
His practice centres on expressive paintings and drawings, ranging from rural lake-land landscapes to social documentary, presenting observations on the world around us, sometimes beautiful and sometimes horrific.
Some are inspired by chance encounters such as lakeshore views or a cluster of old buildings, while some of the paintings are more visceral and reactionary. These are triggered by news events and current affairs, focusing on issues such as migration, refugees, and border conflicts.
Inspiration comes also from artists such as William John Leech and Edward Hopper, and others include William Kentridge, Leon Golub and Brian Maguire for their depictions of war and conflict.
Peter works in pencil, ink, charcoal, or acrylics, and the mood of the subject can sometimes dictate the method.
Peter said: "Painting has an enduring function as a way of documenting the world around us, and the physical permanence of painting as a medium plays a special role in a world saturated with flickering digital imagery."
The exhibition is open to the public until Friday 20 January.