An Indian Summer's Day in Dublin - Tony O'Malley and others

Tony O'Malley is one of my favourite artists and this year is the centenary of his birth in Callan, Co. Kilkenny.  Several exhibitions featuring his paintings, prints and constructions were held in Dublin and these are some of the works featured:-

Whilst I was in Dublin, and seeking to make the most of my 21 Euro student day return, I also visited the Douglas Hyde Gallery and saw curious sculptures by Francis Upritchard, a New Zealand artist.  She creates strangely costumed, half life-size figures with elongated limbs and fingers and mean faces.  Up close I imagined them coming to life and springing upon the visitors, throttling them with those bony fingers ...
There were also wonderful Emas, Japanese votive plaques.  These are placed at shrines asking for favours from the Gods and very touching, human objects in the wabi-sabi aesthetic.

 

 

 

Lastly in the upstairs gallery at the RHA were these glorious drawings in ballpoint pen by Marlene McCarthy.  They were phenomenal notwithstanding their disturbing subject matter:-