PIGSY Solo Exhibition: Hard copy invites hot off the presses! /  by PIGSY

PIGSY Art Exhibition Invites

As well as a soft copy invite for my forthcoming exhibition, I made the decision to print a batch of invites also.  Old school, I know, but I do think people like to pick up and read info in hard copy format still.

Dublin Art Show - the second solo exhibition of PIGSY

 "Nostalgia's not what it was" opens on 5th of October 2017 in The Fumbally Exchange in Dame Lane, Dublin 2 at 6-9pm.

Running for 4 days and curated by Kemp of The Kemp Gallery, my exhibition gives you the opportunity to view my work in different settings including a fun "Street Night" on Friday 6-9pm with a DJ and premium craft beers which are provided by Dublin based brewery Hope Beer. 

Additionally the show will be open 10am - 9pm Thursday to Saturday and also Sunday 11am- 4pm, 5th to 8th of October 2017.

When: Thursday, 5th of October 6-9pm

Where: Fumbally Exchange, 5 Dame Lane, Dublin City

Email: pigsy.art@gmail.com 

"Nostalgia's Not What It Was" Opening Night @ Fumbally Exchange 5th Oct 2017 /  by PIGSY

PIGSY Solo Exhibition in Fumbally Exchange, Dublin City

“Nostalgia’s Not What it Was” by PIGSY

My solo exhibition "Nostalgia's not what it was" opens on 5th of October 2017 in The Fumbally Exchange in Dame Lane, Dublin 2 at 6-9pm.

Running for 4 days and curated by Kemp of The Kemp Gallery, my exhibition gives you the opportunity to view my work in different settings including a fun "Street Night" on Friday 6-9pm with a DJ and premium craft beers which are provided by Dublin based brewery Hope Beer. 

Additionally the show will be open 10am - 9pm Thursday to Saturday and also Sunday 11am- 4pm, 5th to 8th of October 2017.

Email pigsy.art@gmail.com for further info or to get on the list for the opening party or street night.

When: Thursday, 5th of October 6-9pm

Where: Fumbally Exchange, 5 Dame Lane, Dublin City

Email: pigsy.art@gmail.com 

See you there!

 

 

Upcoming exhibition in Gallery X /  by PIGSY

Group Show in Gallery X

The Cock & Pussy Manifesto

Currently I am working on my solo exhibition which opens in early October. My exhibition will consist of about 10 or 11 very large pieces. 

If you can't wait til October to see my work you get the opportunity to see a small piece I painted that is part of a group exhibition that is opening in Gallery X on the 31st of August. See details of the exhibition here. Curated by Gallery owner Giovanni Guisti who explains that the art show “is meant as an attack on the shame that society makes us feel about what he believes are our most important bits” it features artworks by numerous artists of the male and female form.

PIGSY working on an artwork - creating a custom frame

The above pic is of me at work on the piece that I will be exhibiting. I am fabricating a custom frame for the artwork. The piece is a a take on Polaroid photos of a nude Jean-Michel Basquiat with me as the subject matter, go figure!

Gallery X is on 65 South William Street and the exhibition titled “The Cock & Pussy Manifesto” runs from 31st of Aug to the 22nd of September.

Gallery X owner Giovannu Guisti photographed by Laoise Neylon for Dublin Inquirer

Here’s a picture of the exhibition - you can see the PIGSY painting on the wall behind Gallery Owner Giovanni Guisti. This PIGSY is the male nude to the right of the photo.

Read a press report of the exhibition here.

Lanes of Dublin - filming PIGSY short film /  by PIGSY

Feeling inspired - painting in the back lanes of Dublin

I have a fascination for lanes. I misspent my youth down lanes, kicking footballs and playing with my friends along with drawing in chalk on lane walls.

Now as an adult and an architect I am interested in what gets built down lanes. Mews houses are a big part of the Dublin architectural landscape and I am fortunate to be currently working on a project which is exploring the feasibility of a mews house on a particular lane way site.

This Friday I went back to my childhood, with film maker Mike Andrews, and set up a chalkboard in a Rathmines lane and got working. Mike is a documentary maker so at this point all I will say is "Watch this space".........

Lane way painting

I was in the mood to paint and being outside in a lane was inspiring. I painted and Mike filmed. He was pleased with his results and I was very happy too!

lane1.JPG

EDIT 2018 - To view the PIGSY film, click here

Miro in Mallorca /  by PIGSY

Miro Museum in Mallorca

Recently I visited Mallorca staying on Calle Mayor in an AirBnB.

We stayed in a stand alone unit that I rented through AirBnB. A few doors down from our rental was the Fundacion Pilar i Joan Miro which encompasses Miro's two studios and an art museum.

Miro Studio, Mallorca

The whole Miro Museum complex was so amazing that we visited 3 times during our week's holiday. It has an extensive collectin of Miro art and you can also visit the studio Miro painted in which is on the site as this was the original location of his studio.

Here's a pic to whet your appetite! If you would like to see more pics, click here to read Enid's blog.

A man dressed in a grey tshirt and blue shorts walks past 3 large blue colored Joan Miro original artworks hung on a grey shuttered concrete wall in the Joan Miro Museum and Studio in Mallorca, Spain

Where I buy my supplies.... /  by PIGSY

Art Supplies in Dublin

In the past I have stretched my own canvas on to wooden frames. However, although cheaper than a ready stretched canvas, it is not one bit convenient. So currently I buy ready stretched canvas.

For canvas, I go to Evans on Capel Street. 

My last expedition to Evans was on Saturday and I hired a GoCar van as the canvas I proposed buying would not fit in my Smart Car!!

Along with canvas, I buy oil sticks and brushes in Evans.

For other art supplies I visit Tiger and also sometimes hardware stores for domestic paint. 

And finally I get my spray paint in All City Records where I have a browse at the vinyl when I visit which always makes for a fun trip that Enid likes to do with me.

 

Here's me on my most recent canvas buying expedition in the GoCar van.

Car Sharing - the perfect way to move art /  by PIGSY

Car Clubs - Car Sharing, what flexibility!

I signed up for GoCar the other day.

It's a car sharing website that gives you access to cars and vans at an hourly rate. There are many car bases local to me but it is the GoVans that I am most interested in. I regularly need access to a van for a short while to either buy canvas in Evans or to deliver paintings to new owners. GoCar seems like a perfect fit for my needs.

Currently it's only €10 to sign up for membership so it's a good time to sign up and give it a try out. Membership of Go Car gives you access to a variety of vehicles (including vans) along with insurance, fuel and also free parking in Dublin City Centre. It’s a good deal!

Rough Style by Sibylle Kramer /  by PIGSY

“LPA” (Leeson Park Avenue) by Ciaran McCoy

"Rough Style" by Sibylle Kramer is a weighty tome featuring over 100 projects from all over the world. One of the featured projects is "LPA" designed by me and my former architectural practise ODKM Architects.

LPA was a labour of love as it is a house that has been in my family for 3 generations and I am glad to have brought it back from the brink of dereliction and I now get to enjoy the fruits of my labour and live in this great Dublin house.

Blast from the Past "Dad's Dublin" /  by PIGSY

“Dad’s Dublin” by Pigsy

Here's a painting of mine that I did a few years ago. It's called "Dad's Dublin" and the story behind it is that my Dad gave me the canvas. He had used it to start a painting of Dublin. I painted over his Dublin with my Dublin (you can see Liberty Hall to the right) and then gave it back to him as a gift.

The artwork is now hanging in my parent’s home - “Dad’s Dublin” in my Dad’s house.

3 Generational Exhibition /  by PIGSY

3 Generational Art Exhibition - Cabra Library

A few months ago my father asked me for a few pieces for an exhibition he was holding. He had made arrangements to exhibit in his local public library in Cabra and wanted to include my work, his work and also his grandchild's (my niece) work.

It was literally a 3 generational exhibition with work by a father, son and granddaughter.

I wrote up a small biography to my father's specifications and during the exhibition this was circulated with further information about the three of us.

The exhibition went well.  There was no official launch but there were lots of great comments in the visitors book.

If you are interested in my niece's work you can click here to view her youtube channel.

The Kemp Gallery @ Gallery X /  by PIGSY

Kemp & Gallery X

The KEMP Gallery has announced it's return and relocation to 65 South William Street, Dublin 2, in a space that will be shared with their new host - GalleryX. 

GalleryX is a new player in Dublin's gallery scene, specialising in figurative and surrealist art, "so the potential synergy attained by working out of the same premises was impossible to refuse" explained curator Kemp.

The KEMP Gallery @ GalleryX intends to continue showcasing urban/street art to the Irish public and looks forward to the continued love and support of their sponsors, art fans, family and friends.

MAY Exhibition - The KEMP Gallery @ GalleryX will be kicking off the new arrangement on May 11th with a new exhibition by the much heralded Shane Sutton (www.shanesutton.com). 

2017 Schedule - A further 3 exhibitions are planned for the calendar year, including brand new work from curator KEMP in late September. 

This is very much a WATCH THIS SPACE situation and I for one am very excited to what comes of this new collaboration.

Good Luck to The Kemp Gallery @ Gallery X!

Pasta, more pasta and tiramisu - Eating out in Venice /  by PIGSY

Venice eats!

On our first day after our 4 hour walking tour of Venice, we were completely drained and ate in the very first that we came to when we left our hotel after changing for dinner. The restaurant was the Bonvecchiati in the Hotel Bonevecchiati and it did the job very nicely.

 

Ai Mercanti Restaurant, Venice, Italy

Art on a plate - the art of Pasta!

On our second night we got a recommendation from our hotel and they made a reservation for us in the Ai Mercanti. After a little struggle to find the place (it was down a little hidden street) we had a an enjoyable meal with quite possibly the best plate of pasta that I have ever eaten. Pasta, oil, garlic, chilli & parmesan - so simple but so so good!

Budget eats in Venice

We had heard that it was expensive to eat out in Venice but did not find it to be so. There was lots of little sandwich bars where you could people watch and get an espresso for about a euro. There was also an option of ordering a pizza for less than 10 euro when eating out. I guess the best thing to do is check the cover charge before sitting down - one place down at the water was charging 6 euro cover and stay away from San Marco Square when eating!

Peggy Guggenheim Art Collection Venice Italy /  by PIGSY

A visit to Peggy Guggenheim’s Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, Venice

Day one of our Venice trip was for Architecture while day two was for art.

We had an early breakfast and made our way to Palazzo Venier dei Leoni where Peggy Guggenheim lived and is now a museum.

There was a large queue when we arrived at 9.30am, even though the museum doesn't open until 10am. When it did open, it took a long time to process tickets and we got in at about 10.20am. The entrance fee is €15 and we paid an additional €7 for an audio tour.

Peggy Guggenheim: Art Collector, Supporter and Patron of Living Artists

Peggy Guggenheim is one of the most famous supporters and art collectors of modern art. She brought so many young artists to the attention of the world and without her support who knows what the art world would look like today. Samuel Beckett had told Peggy that one must support artists and it is best to buy paintings from living artists. Guggenheim certainly took this on board with one of her most famous painters that she collected being Jackson Pollock. 

Guggenheim’s private collection is stunning and includes works by all of the modern 20th century art masters like Picasso, Mondrian, Kandinsky, Ernst, Chagar, Kli, Miró, Pollock, Brown Cousy, Dali, Magritte and Bacon

A lady dressed in white stands in front of a Jackson pollock drip painting on permanent exhibition in peggy guggeneheim museum in Venice Italy

My blog musings won't do the collection any justice (it really is something you must go and see yourself) so to that end I give you this Jackson Pollock picture that I photographed in the Peggy Guggenheim museum.

Not only is this an incredible permant exhibition of art, the setting is fairly sensational too. It’s my number one must-visit attraction while you are visiting Venice.

Tips for visiting Peggy Guggenheim’s Palazzo Venier dei Leoni in Venice

  • Arrive early before the ticket line builds up (if you haven’t bought tickets online)

  • Probably best to buy tickets online from the official Peggy Guggenheim website when making a plan to visit

  • Buy the audio guide

  • Note the closing times, and make sure you give yourself at the very least 90 mins to 2 hours + to see everything before the museum closes

  • Plan your visit: check out the website to see what temporary exhibitions are on view and make sure you go see these aswell as the permanent exhibitions

  • Some of the rooms can be very busy so leave the backpack in the hotel

  • Nasher Sculpture Gardens are the area around the museum - make sure you have time to visit them too.

  • Prepare to be wowed!

Peggy Guggenheim Museum Location & contact details:

Palazzo Venier dei Leoni
Dorsoduro 701
I-30123 Venice

tel: +39 041 2405 411
e-mail: info@guggenheim-venice.it

Architectural Tour of Venice

To see more of my Venice travels, click my previous blog to read about the Venice Architectural tour that I did where I visited the works of Architect Carlo Scarpa

Visiting Carlo Scarpa sites /  by PIGSY

Venice: Visiting Carlo Scarpa Architectural Sites

For the past few days I was in Venice, Italy where I got to visit some modern architectural sites including 3 by architect Carlo Scarpa.  We were only visiting for three short days (Venice is only 2.5hrs from Ireland and I flew with Aer Lingus) but hit the ground running with an arrival in to Venice at 1.30pm and then a booked architectural tour starting at 2.30pm.

Olivetti Showroom, Fondazione Querini Stampalia and Tolentini Entrance by Scarpa

The three Scarpa sites we visited were the Olivetti Showroom, the Fondazione Querini Stampalia and Tolentini Entrance at the Venice University.

First was the Olivetti showroom which is in San Marco square. It's a small shop that was designed in 1958 to showcase Olivetti products (typewriters). It's a stunning interior with so many worked out details that it was hard to take it all in on our short visit. For me however, it was the feeling or experience of being in the store that was quite amazing. The sense of space is a remarkable achievement.

Japanese inspired architecture by Carlo Scarpa in Venice

Scarpa was inspired by both Japanese architecture and also Frank Lloyd Wright and this can certainly be seen in this window and screen.

Fondazione Querini Stampalia, Venice by Carolo Scarpa

The Fondazione Querini Stampalia is a cultural institution that was founded in the 1860's with the ground floor and garden being redesigned by Carlo Scarpa in the 1960's. It's a really sympathetic redesign and once again there is a particularly serene feeling in the building - particularly with the open water gate that allows water right in to the building.

Carlo Scarpa’s Tolentini Entrance, Venice

The final Carlo Scarpa site we visited was the Tolentini Entrance which was completed after Scarpa's death. It has a specific Scarpa look and is a fine piece of design. See below for two pics of the entranceway. The top pic is the right side and the bottom pic is the whole front.

Venice Modernist Architecture

While not a Scarpa building, we also visited the Casa di Risparmio which is now a bank. It was a highly controversial design as the outside is in complete modern contrast to all of the buildings in the surroundings. Here's a photo of the inside.

Dinner in Venice after the Architectural Tour

After our 4 hour architectural walking tour we got back to our hotel changed for dinner and then went out and ate in literally the first restaurant we came upon!

We were guided in Venice by Francesca from Move Nice and would thoroughly recommend the tour.

HGTV Extreme Homes of the World: Ireland Edition /  by PIGSY

When HGTV Extreme Homes of The World Visited my house

Back in 2013, a film crew visited my house to film it for an episode of HGTV's Extreme Homes.

It was an interesting weekend with a hardworking crew of 3 who worked from dawn ‘til dusk filming myself and the house. The crew were very friendly and professional and my wife and I really enjoyed the whole process and were very happy with the finished product - it was great to see our house on film in the polished format of HGTV as an episode of Extreme Homes of the World.

Filming Process - HGTV Extreme Homes of the World

Each shot was done a few times. At first the room as a whole would be filmed and then close up shots were done whereby I would highlight and discuss particular details. For example in the shot below to the left I am firstly talking about the deck area as a whole but I also mentioned the detail of the shuttered concrete marked with boards. The they filmed me close up pointing out the shuttering in detail. Presumably then when it came to the editing stage they would piece it all together.

Can you spot what it underneath the deck in the pic below?!

Plywood Cladding in the PIGSY Art Studio

Here’s another example of me being filmed talking about a space which is my studio which is clad in plywood. After the room as a whole was filmed with me talking, they then went on to do a close up of the plywood cladding.

Creating art on film

These are shots of me "painting". I had an empty cup and paintbrush and had to act like I was painting while they were filming. That was fun! It was a lot of big movements and brush strokes.

A sunken hot tub with a pulley system to open up the lid with decking all around the hot tub up against the restored Georgian brick house

Staging Scenes in the Hot Tub

The hot tub in our house is sunken and set under the deck with a lid that I designed that is opened using a pulley system. The crew wanted a scene of the hot tub and they asked us to feature and to be filmed chatting in the hot tub. We waited until the sun went down and Enid and I hopped in to the hot tub and we were then filmed talking to each other and enjoying a drink I didn’t get a picture on the day of the exact set up at the hot tub, but we staged the area in the exact way that you can see in the photo below. This was for a photo shoot for a feature in The Sunday Independent (My Favourite Room by Mary O’Sullivan). Filming in the hot tub was done quickly but just before we got out, the producer asked us to do a little acting where we clinked our glasses together and then took a sip of our cocktails. When we saw ourselves on the broadcast TV show you can see us smiling as we do this as we thought it was a little bit cheesy but a bit of fun at the same time. And it made for good TV!

Two cameras

There were two camera men which helped get through the filming promptly. While I was being filmed and interviewed downstairs, the other camera man was filming upstairs in the bedrooms and other rooms that didn’t need me in those scenes.

Frank Lloyd Wright - 140 Maiden Lane, San Francisco /  by PIGSY

Maiden Lane: Frank Lloyd Wright Building in San Francisco

Frank Lloyd Wright is one my favourite architects of all time and I use any opportunity on my travels to the USA to visit any of his buildings that I can.

San Francisco - seeking Frank Lloyd Wright

Ten years ago, on our last trip to San Francisco, we visited this Frank Lloyd Wright building on Maiden Lane. It was built in 1948 and when you enter the building, you are instantly reminded of the Guggenheim Museum in New York, of which it was the prototype for.  Originally it was a Gift Shop but when we visited it back in 2005 it was Xanadu Art Gallery.  However, on our most recent visit we found it shut up and we were unable to enter. I see from the Wikipedia page that it has been sold to a high end designer boutique (which was exactly the use that Enid had commented that it would be perfect for while we stood outside and viewed the building).  I'm glad to hear it has been sold and hopefully we will get to view it again in the future!

Ageless Contemporary Design by Frank Lloyd Wright

What an incredible building.  It is beyond timeless - I think it is actually getting better with age and looks more modern than a lot of buildings built this decade.

Brick Detail - Frank Lloyd Wright Gift Shop, Maiden Lane, San Francisco

Gormley's Contemporary Editions /  by PIGSY

Gormley’s Art Dublin

Gormley's Contemporary Editions exhibition opened on March 2nd 2017 and is running until 22nd of March.

I was very interested in attending as there were some big name artists in the exhibition, including Banksy, Hirst, Warhol and my favourite Basquiat.

Years ago I saw the most amazing Warhol exhibition, in IMMA, which included his silver clouds, so I couldn't wait to get up close to his work again.

 

Here's a few pics from my 2nd visit. I went to the opening and it was packed so it was nice to come back another time when it was quiet and less busy.

This was a wonderful collection of modern artist's work in one space and was a must see. Click on to the Gormley's website to see all of the amazing pieces they have for sale.

Architect by profession, artist by birth /  by PIGSY

The Architectural life of artist PIGSY

As an architect, one of my most enjoyable projects was when I designed my own house. This labour of love brought a derelict house back from ruins to a home fit for modern living. 

To read about the renovation and see pictures of the house currently, click here here to read an article that was published on The Journal.

This is the Studio at the very top of the house - look at the amazing light that floods in!

Enid’s Blog

If you would like to see the state of the house when I acquired it, you can click in to my wife's blog here

Enid documented most of the build which you can read all about if you go to the oldest posts and start reading from there. There are some incredible pictures on her blog and you can also see how bad the house was and what a big project it was in order to restore it to its former glory!

A pint of plain is your only man - Guinness is good for you! /  by PIGSY

Painting a pint of Guinness: a bar challenge for PIGSY

A few years ago, myself and a friend were having a bar room chat about art. My friend said he didn't think what I paint is art. Of course I disagreed!  

My friend then plonked his pint of Guinness on the bar and said that if I could paint his pint he would believe that what I do is art.  

I love a challenge - so I took a picture of the pint and got to work. 

Here are some pictures of the progress I made.

Of course, this was only a starting point and the finished product was a lot less literal when I put additional art work on the canvas around the pint of Guinness.

My next art piece about childhood friends..... /  by PIGSY

Childhood Friendships always stay true

Inspiration for PIGSY Art

The starting point for my process generally comes from something like an image, a line of a poem, a concept that intrigues me or maybe a conversation I've had that has sparked something in my mind.

My next piece will take inspiration from the below image which is a photograph of myself and my two childhood friends taken over 35 years ago.

Childhood Gang

We were a gang of 3 and we called ourselves "MBC" which was made up the first letter of each of our names.

That's me to the right with the green hat and the chubby cheeks.

The picture of the three of us somehow reminds me of this Warhol print of Elvis Presley.  I think it might be because of our stance (which was a break dancing pose!). What do you think - can you see it too?

Finished PIGSY Piece (Edit 8/3.17):

A man dressed in black stands in front of a painting he has created of three young boys who are his childhood friends, the boy in the middle has a crown above his head

Here's the finished art piece. It's titled "No Space for Nostalgia" (it was the centre piece in my second solo exhibition and the painting went on to sell on the first night of the show and is now in private collection)