Ranelagh Arts features PIGSY news
From Ranelagh to Malaga......PIGSY follows in the footsteps of George Campbell
Ranelagh Arts reports on PIGSY news from Malaga
A Journey Through Time, Paint, and Place
From the leafy lanes of Ranelagh to the sun-scorched soul of Málaga, I’m tracing the echoes of Irish artist, George Campbell, who painted Spain with the same passion I feel for my own practice. Decades ago, Campbell packed up his brushes and embraced a new life in Andalucía. Now, I’ve done the same.
George Campbell: The OG Ranelagh-to-Málaga Creative
Back in the 1950s and ’60s, artist and Ranelagh local George Campbell made Málaga his creative playground. He painted flamenco dancers, bullfighters, and street life with a raw, vivid energy. He didn’t just visit Spain; he lived it. Fluent in Spanish, skilled in flamenco guitar, and eventually honoured with the Order of Merit Civil from the Spanish Government, Campbell was the real deal.
He lived in Pedregalejo, just outside Málaga, and his work oozed with local spirit. That’s the trail I’m walking now. Or more accurately painting on!
“First Things Last”: A Show About Cycles, Chaos, and Creative Rebirth
While in residency at La Casa Amarilla, I created a new body of work titled “First Things Last”. The name’s a nod to Reservoir Dogs—but it also reflects my circular approach to creativity.
Here’s how it works:
I paint.
I exhibit.
I paint over the canvas in white.
Then I start again.
Each painting is fleeting, raw, immediate, unrepeatable. You might see it once and never again. If you miss it? It’s gone.
It’s all a positive motion.
What’s It About?
Some of the works are titles "Interlocked"and reflect how the seemingly separate always finds a way to connect. Just like me and Campbell. Just like Dublin and Málaga.
Each work is an emotional loop. Bold lines. Chaotic colour. Vulnerability layered with grit. This is paint with flamenco and sweat thrown in.
Exhibition Details – Blink and You’ll Miss It
Venue: Calle Santos Studio Gallery @ La Casa Amarilla
Opening Night: Thursday, 23 May, 7:00–9:00pm
Friday, 24 May, 10:00am–1:30pm
Friday, 24 May, 5:00–8:00pm
It’s an evolving show which is temporary by design.
Can’t Make It to Málaga?
Follow the action on Instagram: @pigsyinspace
Works will be posted online, but only briefly. This exhibition is about being present. If you want to see it, you have to act fast.
Why This Matters
This isn’t just another show.
It’s about:
Legacy: Following the footsteps of a fellow Ranelagh artist who found his voice in Spain.
Creative Risk: Embracing the idea that art can be transient, as are humans as we traverse life on this planet - wherever that may be, Spain, Ireland or somewhere else.
Cultural Connection: Bridging Irish soul with Spanish fire.
Final Word: Paint It, Show It, Let It Go
“First Things Last” is a meditation on impermanence. On rebirth. On taking your shot and starting over. Some works live one night. Some live forever on your wall. Either way, the story keeps moving.
From Ranelagh to Málaga, the canvas continues.
– PIGSY
