Museo de Malaga

Museo de Malaga - Plaza de la Aduana

Located a short stroll from the Roman Theatre Ruins, the Museum of Malaga is housed in an attractive imposing building on Plaza de la Aduana.

Encompassing a collection of archaeological artifacts and a fine art collection, I spent a few hours browsing the collection and also enjoying the surroundings of the magnificent building. The archaeological artifacts are laid out in a setting more akin to a cataloged back area repository of a museum but this makes for a pleasant walk through of the different areas within the museum. There are really excellent examples of Roman mosaic tile work which were of great interest to me because of my father being a master tiler who specialized in mosaic tile work!

Above the archaeology floors is the art collection which is laid out by the creation timeline. There is a room full of Picasso studies which I had a good look at with lots more Spanish artistic greats.

This museum has loads to see and is excellent for families or mixed groups. The restored building alone is worth a visit - there is a magnificent center courtyard and the most gorgeous marble staircases within. It is an architectural gem in the ciudad of Malaga. There is also a restaurant and the top of the building and a cafe downstairs where we would have stopped off for a little refreshment but both are unfortunately closed at the moment but will hopefully open up shortly when the country begins to welcome back tourists.

All in all we had a lovely afternoon visiting this museum and I highly recommend you put it on your list of must sees if you plan to visit Malaga!

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Art Galleries of Malaga & Andalucia

Art Galleries of Malaga & Andalucia

Malaga has an abundance of art galleries, cultural institutions, art museums and other art attractions for you to visit.

Pictured is the PIGSY “I Went to Mass Exhibition” at La Casa Amarilla. Photograph credit: David Burbano

Here’s my top 10 listing of the best art venues to visit:

PIGSY exhibition in La Casa Amarilla was kindly sponsored by San Miguel Cervezas - Muchas Gracias!

In no particular order - except for my placement of La Casa Amarilla at the top of the list - but of course I’m biased about this gallery because it is where I showed my “I Went to Mass” Exhibition!!

La Casa Amarilla, Calle Santos

Casa Gerald Brennan, Calle Torremolinos, Churriana

Eldevenir Isaac Albéniz

Galeria Isabel Hurley, Paseo de Reding 39

Galeria Benedito, Calle Nino de Guevara 2

Galería Taller Gravura

Yolanda Ochento Obra Gráfica, Alameda Principal 4

Galerie El Estudio de Ignacio del Rio, Calle San Lorenzo 29

JM Galería, Calle Duquesa de Percent 12

La Matraca, Plaza Pintor Eugenia Chicano

You can click on the links above for more information or read my blog which has reviews of my visits to a lot of these mentioned galleries.

In October there is an Open Gallery weekend event organised by an amalgamation of some of the Art Galleries in Malaga (Asociación de Galeristas Malaga).

After visiting the museums of Malaga you can then enjoy a cold refreshing drink of Cava and Cerveza in the sunshine - my favorite relaxed spot is Te-Piko in Plaza Enrique García-Herrera in the centro very near to the market.

7 must see Art Museums in Malaga

Centre Pompidou Malaga (at the Marina), Muelle Uno

La Termica, Av de los Guindos

Jorge Rando Expressionist Museo, Calle Cruz del Molinillo

CAC Malaga Calle Alemania

Museo Revello de Toro

CAC Malaga - La Coracha

El Museo del Patrimonio Municipal, Paseo de Redding

6 Family Friendly Art Venues in Malaga

The Museo de Malaga, Calle Alcazabilla

Museo de Artes y Costumbres Popular (next to the Vinci Hotel)

Museum of Interactive Music Calle Beatas

Museo de la Imaginación

CAC Malaga Calle Alemania

Museo Ruso Malaga, Avenida Sor Teresa Prat

Street Art, Malaga

As well as the traditional galleries, and not so traditional art galleries, in Malaga you can literally see art all over the place just by wandering the streets or heading to Soho or the River to see the street art in designated spaces for street art and graffiti. Guided street art tours, through English, are also available.

Enjoy exploring the art of Malaga!

"This is an untitled project" by Carmen Campos, at La Casa Amarilla

"This is an untitled project"

by Carmen Campos

Where: La Casa Amarilla, Malaga

When: 24 April - 24 May 2021

Carmen Campos in La Casa Amarilla

Having seen the impressive photographic work of Carmen Campos previously on view in El Ultimo Mono (as part of the LCA Yellow Cafe programme) awhile ago, I was very interested to see her work in La Casa Amarilla when the exhibition titled “This is an Untitled Exhibition” opened on 24th of April.

Carmen’s work is captivating and original. She explained to me that she creates the photographic images with 35mm film in a defective camera. The broken camera allows an uncontrolled and unknown quantity of light on to the film so she never knows how the photos will turn out until the film is developed.

From a defective camera Carmen creates perfect artworks.

For more information about this exhibition, click here to go to La Casa Amarilla website.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Pictured is Artist Carmen Campos with Director of La Casa Amarilla David Burbano and PIGSY at the exhibition.

Carmen’s website is here.

House Beautiful - Let there be light!

Let there be light!

House Beautiful feature - July 2013: The Ranelagh home of Artist and former Architect Ciaran McCoy and his wife Enid Bebbington

Check out this feature in House Beautiful Magazine about the renovation of my home, where I live with my wife Enid Bebbington and our dog Dr Bones McCoy

Designed by Ciaran McCoy (ODKM Architects)

Constructed by: MSVI Building Construction

Kitchen Designer: Dean Cooper

Home Profile

A two bed, mid-terrace Victorian House that was in a state of disrepair. It was rebuilt completely with a concrete floor, glass staircase and indoor/outdoor courtyard was added.

Living Area to the front of the house

Influenced by my favorite architect Frank Lloyd Wright, I built a sunken conversation pit style seating area with pull out storage drawers built in under the seating area. The television is housed in a wooden unit that was handmade by Dean Cooper

Lighting

I worked with Patrick Kerr of Shadowlight to design lighting schemes controlled by Lutron switches with dimming functions by Bang & Olufson.

Living Room (to the rear)

To define the different parts of the living area, the chimney breast was painted a Dulex Dark Grey with a paler shase of Dulex Grey used in the rest of the house.

A colored concrete floor runs throughout the rest of the living areas and kitchen. Underfloor heating with thermostatic controls keeps the space cosy as does the bright Jan Kath rug.

Dining Area

The floating oak bench was designed by me and it seats 10 people. It was constructed on site by MSVI Construction.

Behind the bench is a seamless angled glass window which is a nod to John Lautner’s Chemosphere House (another of my favourite arcchitects).. My concept was to use the frameless glass in order to create a picture of the stone boundary wall. This window proved to be one of the most challenging elements of the build as access to the site was limited with the use of a crane being out of the question. It took 12 men, 8 hours, to install the half-ton panel panel of glass.

Home Art Studio

A floating glass stairs lead to my home art studio which has a glass roof and glass floor (a lot of light!). The internal walls are clad in birch plywoof and the external walls open in to the room to let light and air throughout the house.

Bathroom

Mini steel i-beams support the bathroom’s glass ceiling. The industrial feel is emphasised by the coloured concrete floor and Subway Tiles from Caesar Tiles. The glass ceiling “borrows” light from the studio’s glass roof above, while opaque white film between the sheets of toughened glass provides privacy

House Beautiful UK Renovation of the Year

It was an honour for me to have my house selected as a finalist for the House Beautiful UK Renovation of the Year Awards 2013, and thanks also to House Beautiful for the excellent showcase of my home. It was great to share photos of my home along with design and architecture tips. Thank you!

That's a wrap! PIGSY Exhibition in La Casa Amarilla, Malaga

PIGSY Exhibition in La Casa Amarilla

PIGSY’s Spanish Art Exhibition is “cerrado”

What a roller-coaster ride it’s been over the past few weeks since my exhibition opened in La Casa Amarilla on 27th of March. From the opening day until closing on Tuesday 20th of April it has been Go Go Go! The high of the incredible opening day just kept going and I was busy all month with callers to the exhibition and giving tours and talks to visitors and groups. If I was in the gallery when visitors called in I had a great time chatting with them and answering their questions. And if I wasn’t in the gallery it was fantastic to see reactions of visitors on social media as most tagged the PIGSY instagram and twitter. - as pictured, there were even some visitors of the four legged variety!

Art sponsored by San Miguel

My exhibitions in the past in Ireland have been sponsored by beer makers. O’Brother Brewing sponsored my first show in The Kemp Gallery while Hope Beer sponsored my exhibition in Fumbally Exchange. It was apt then to again be sponsored by a beer company for my latest art exhibition. But what a beer company!

“I Went to Mass” in La Casa Amarilla was sponsored by none other than the famous Spanish Cerveza “San Miguel”. As I raised a San Miguel beer at the art exhibition, I gave both the Irish toast of “Sláinte” and Spanish “Salud”. Both of these toasts mean Health….but I think they brought me good luck too!

Sold! Yellow is the new red dot!

The translation of “La Casa Amarilla” is “The Yellow House”. So of course it makes sense for the gallery to use yellow dots in place of the traditional red dot when art sells. It was a great moment to see Gallery Director David Burbano place the first yellow dot on to a sold PIGSY art work. The first sale is always exciting and having seen lots of red dots in the past, I enjoyed seeing the unique La Casa Amarilla yellow dot go up on the wall.

The art work in the photograph with David placing the yellow dot on it is a framed paper study. You can read more about the process of creating this artwork at the bottom of this blog. It has been framed by a local craftsman in a way that I specified in order to highlight the art and to show it to it’s best potential. They are a very accessible piece and can be easily shipped any where in the world. One of these art works was recently posted in the mail to County Cork in Ireland and the new collector was delighted to receive it promptly and get it up on the wall of their home.

It excites me to think that there will now be a number of PIGSY art works gracing the walls of homes in Spain and I know one piece is destined for Marbella to be included in a collector’s contemporary art collection. As an Irish artist it is always awesome when you see your art travelling beyond the shores of Ireland - in recent times one of my pieces was shipped to a home in Canada and knowing that they are now hanging on walls in Spain is a great thing too! See below for some of the artworks that have now sold as part of the Malaga exhibition “I Went to Mass” and also some photos of visitors to the exhibition.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

An Altar of Art

I created a large feature wall of art studies, as part of the exhibition, of which the concept is that it becomes an “Altar of Art”. These studies are now available for sale and you can choose your favorite one which I will then frame in a bespoke custom frame specified by me. As a fun alternative, you can ask me to select one for you and I will then frame it without showing you which one I have chosen for you. The framed piece of artwork will then be posted to you and will make for a surprise when you open it as it is at this point that you will see which art work you are now the proud owner of!

See below for the “Altar of Art” of which you can choose a study to be framed and mailed to you…..or I can mail to someone else of your choosing if you know an art lover who would enjoy receiving it as a special gift from you.

Browse my website under works for further information about this unique range of artworks and what the finished concept looks like. They will make a nice addition to any home and are great for anyone starting their contemporary art collection.

“I Went to Mass” artworks

Contact David Burbano in La Casa Amarilla for further information, availability and pricing, etc..

District Magazine Article about PIGSY

District Magazine features PIGSY

Edition no. April 2019, Published: 4th April 2019

Irish Artist Spotlight: PIGSY

Ciaran McCoy is Pigsy. As Ciarán, he works as a partner in renowned architectural practise ODKM in Dublin City Centre, As Pigsy, he releases himself from the disciplined nature of architecture to create free flowing expressionist art. Pigsy paints in an attempt to assuage internal conflicts, his canvas being the battleground and the media. He uses the tools of resolution and understanding.

His media icludes acrylics, spray paint, chalk and anything else that feels right in the moment. Most figures that he creates in his works are of himself and this self portraiture sets him up as both the protagonist on canvas but also the antagonist as the creator and puppet master of the piece.

I can still remember reading this article over brunch in The Pot Bellied Pig in Rathmines. This fantastic restaurant is now closed down but I have great memories of it serving amazing rasher sandwiches and being a dog friendly spot in Dublin 6. It is missed by many.

The Old Knitting Factory in the Irish Gaeltacht village of Carraroe

The Old Knitting Factory - Carraroe, Galway

It is my belief, as an artist, that it is vital to travel, explore, see, and experience as many different and unique environments as one can. Pre the covid pandemic, I endeavored to take at least one weekend out of each year to go on retreat, seeking out as special an area as possible.

In 2017 my destination was The Old Knitting Factory in Connemara, County Galway. It was the ideal place for me to enjoy the solitude of the area and relax along the water side of the scenic location of the lake “Loch on Mhuillin”.

Carraroe

The Old Knitting Factory is a picturesque cottage nestled on the banks of the picturesque lake, Loch on Mhuillin in the gaeltacht / Irish speaking area of Galway in the village of Carraroe. Carraroe is known for many things including the traditional boats called the “Galway Hookers” of which these currachs are raced on Loch on Mhuillin. At the annual regatta festival called the “Cruinniú na mBád” a flotilla of traditional Connemara currachs race on Galway Bay from Carraroe to Kinvara. The Carraroe beach is another unique feature of the village with it being called The Coral Strand and made up of what is referred to as a coral and gives the beach a beautiful golden hue. It is a sight to behold and the beach is a must visit if you are in the area. Called The Coral Strand in English, the beach is known as “Trá an Dóilín” when translated in to Irish.

Carraroe Gaeltacht

Although a small village, Carraroe is well known by many as it has numerous Irish language schools that students all over Ireland go to learn and improve their Irish language skills during the Summer - it’s an Irish tradition that is not unlike American Summer Camps in that the schools are residential and students do lots of extra curricular fun activities and sports - all through the Irish language of course!

Artists in Carraroe

I'm not the first artist to arrive to Carraroe and take inspiration from the landscape! The Armagh born artist Charles Lamb, so moved by the simplicity of Connemara life, and the beauty of the land, built a home in Carraroe in the 1930's and lived there until his death in 1964. Charles Lamb's paintings, many of them featuring the lake where the Old Knitting Factory is situated, can be seen in the Hugh Lane Municipal Gallery, The Ulster Museum and the National Gallery of Ireland.

Pictured below is my art work titled “Needed Awake Now” which references the old Irish legend of Fionn MaCumhail and his dogs Bran agus Sceolang.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Irish Heritage and Culture

For me, the attraction of the region of Carraroe and the Old Knitting Factory goes far beyond the beauty of the landscape alone. The remoteness allows for meditation and contemplation. After spending a week there, I left with a peace in my mind that is hard to achieve in the hustle and bustle of Dublin city. Carraroe is in Connemara, in the heart of the Gaeltacht - the Irish speaking region of Ireland. As a fluent Irish speaker, I always welcome an opportunity to immerse myself in the Irish language and the culture that goes along with it. The Irish language (gaeilge) is a proud part of my heritage. From a creativity perspective, stimulating a new part of my brain to focus on the language, allows another part of my brain to go in another direction. It always interesting to see how my paintings evolve when something like this happens.

History of The Old Knitting Factory

For a small little building, this cottage has had an interesting, wide and varied, history. The Congested District Board was established in 1891 in the West and North West of Ireland, the objective to alleviate poverty - for poor families to survive unemployment and a shortage of potatoes The Old Knitting Factory was built in 1906 by the Congested District Board, at a cost of 600 pounds, as a place for women to work (knit) and make some income. Many of the young women who worked in the Old Knitting Factory (maybe some of the ones pictured above?) used the money earned for a passage to a better life in America.

Aran Sweaters handmade in Ireland

The Board encouraged women in poorer districts to weave, knit and sew. It is widely accepted that the traditional Irish "Aran Sweater" is a product or invention from the time of the Congested District Board, although not until the early 20th century. By the 1930's these sweaters (or jumpers as they are known in Ireland) were being sold in the finest shops in Dublin. From there they went to the USA (as worn on stage by the famed Irish musicians The Clancy Brothers) where their popularity, to the present day, soared. In 2017, the Aran Jumper was displayed in the New York Museum of Modern Art, alongside Levi's, a little black dress, and a Birkin bag in an exhibition of 111 Icons of Fashion.

From Film Making to Silver Smithing

While the dissolution of the Congested District Board took place in the early 1920's, the Old Knitting Factory continued in some form as a cottage industry until the 1970's. At this time it was purchased by film maker Bob Quinn, as a home and also to run a cinema for the locality by Mr Quinn. It was an Irish language cinema and it was called CineGael. Quite the unique tale I think you will agree, and one that has been captured on film by Bob Quinn's son Robert in his excellent documentary about the cinema; Cinegael Paridiso - Once Upon a Time in Connemara. If you ever get a chance to see this film I recommend you take it!

The next inhabitants of the Old Knitting Factory were silversmiths and jewellery makers Jackie and Ed Kielthy. The Old Knitting Factory served as both their home and studio. And again, I've no doubt that the lake and landscape served as inspiration on a daily basis. The below piece is from their River of Life range.

Also pictured below, is an image of the sun setting over Loch on Mhuillin - a most inspiring view.

The Old Knitting Factory today - Betsy Cornwell

Right now, The Old Knitting Factory is inhabited by New York Bestselling author Betsy Cornwell. Betsy is currently renting the building with the intent to buy. Betsy has a great plan for the Old Knitting Factory, which is to turn it into a child care inclusive, arts residency retreat for single parents. Click here to read about Betsy’s future plans for The Old Knitting Factory here.

This to me is a perfect fit and I certainly think it is something that will “knit” (excuse the bad pun!!) together the heritage and old fabric of the building with the new plans and designs created by Betsy Cornwall.

I can see why Betsy has chosen this special place for her goal. The Old Knitting Factory, with it's rich history, and it's beautiful location is a wonderful place to retreat, and think, and create. I came home, both rested and invigorated, which for me are the measures of a truly successful retreat.

Blog Edit / Update> 2nd May 2022

You can now book a stay in The Old Knitting Factory!

Limited Edition PIGSY Prints

Art always helps

Be kind to yourself and surround yourself with nice things

At this time, it has never been more important (particularly if you are on lockdown or working from home) to surround ourselves with things of beauty and visual items that can bring us a simple joy or pleasure in our lives. Art is one of the things that can help take our mind off issues and concerns and can draw us in to a world outside of our reality. Art improves our surroundings at home and encourages us to relax, turn on music, make a warm drink (or a cold one!) and sit, chill out and enjoy ourselves in the moment. Art is calming and it can centre us. Art always helps.

Art for Families

Bringing art in to the family home brings an air of creativity, tranquility and positivity in to the house. It opens up the potential for anything to happen in the future and it is inspirational for all who live with it. One PIGSY art collector said that they have even hung a print in their children’s bedrooms at the request of the child. With bright, vibrant and striking impressions it is easy to see how these artworks appeal to all members of the family, both young and old! They have then gone on to tell how, at times in place of a bedtime story, they have talked with their child about what is going on in the painting. That’s certainly taking things to a new level and is exposing a child to something far beyond the traditional and which will help their cognitive development and give them a lifetime appreciation for art which will in turn enhance their life.

PIGSY Prints with bespoke frames

A curated collection of PIGSY artworks are offered as limited edition prints from the Designyard. Gallery. These included in these works are the popular “I Find You Fascinating” of which the original is massive so the print is in a more accessible size along with “Mo Laoch” which features James Joyce as the central protagonist.

Limited edition prints are available through Designyard in Dublin City, in various sizes with prices starting at €790. Designyard offers convenient shipping worldwide. Contact Ronan Campbell with enquiries.

Custom Frames

All PIGSY Limited Edition prints have a bespoke frame which is custom designed by PIGSY. The frames have an architectural aexthetic and are complemented with a perfectly proportioned shadow gap. Limited edition PIGSY prints are a unique wedding gift and are also the perfect housewarming gift to congratulate a new home owner.

“Limited edition PIGSY prints offer an accessible entry point to becoming a collector of my work” - PIGSY

Kemp writes about PIGSY

Kemp writes about PIGSY

Kemp: the art of PIGSY

Pigsy is an artist hailing from Dublin's inner city, in Ireland. He paints in an attempt to assuage the conflicts in his mind, with his canvas being the battleground and the media he uses the tools of resolution and understanding. His media include acrylics, spray paint, chalk and anything else that feels right in the moment. Most figures that he creates in his work are of himself and this self portraiture sets him up as both the protagonist on canvas but also the antagonist as the creator and puppet master of the piece.

Religion

Although claiming to be agnostic, there is a strong religious undercurrent to a lot of his work, with angels, crosses and crowns of thorns featuring in many of his pieces. This may be as a result of the strict Catholic schooling of his youth. ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛

Free Style - freedom in self expression and storytelling

His technique normally involves a free flowing start to each piece as he sets the scene for the broader context of the work, followed by a slower, drawn out finish as he immerses himself into the painting and endeavours to elicit an answer to the conundrums that he faces and to dig himself out of the holes he creates for himself in his mind.

He deals with dichotomous matters as a general rule : loneliness and the need to be alone, fame and the need for privacy, straying from the norm and the need to fit in etc. ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ In his latest tranche of work, he explores the existence of extraordinary people, their psyche, the effect that they have on society at large and vice versa.

Exhibitions

He has held solo shows in the urban art gallery The KEMP Gallery and had a hugely successful self funded pop-up exhibition in Dublin along with plans to show in Berlin in 2022. Look out for the documentary "Pigsy'' directed by film maker Mike Andrews, which did the rounds of the film festivals in Britain and Ireland and was then screened in the prestigious Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club in Dublin, Ireland.

By Kemp

Why are parts of the text blacked out? Redaction explained.

PIGSY is much more comfortable painting than speaking about his work and the inspiration behind it. His work is a stream of consciousness and he goes into dark places of his psyche in order to create his art. As a result, he struggles to return to those places and explain verbally what the piece is about. PIGSY along with his curator Steve Kemp came up with a solution to this whereby Kemp would interview PIGSY once about each body of work and write up his interpretations of each piece. This is an exhausting and disturbing process for the artist but one that is necessary and once completed it releases him from the burden of speaking of the work again. Kemp’s text then acts as a buffer for the artist as he finds it much easier to convey Kemp’s words even though it is describing his work.

Redaction and personal passages

The redaction idea came about after the pair argued over the content of the interpretations. Pigsy felt some passages were too personal and didn’t want to share them with the world whereas Kemp felt every word was necessary to allow the viewer into the piece. The compromise was to leave all text in but redact the parts Pigsy wasn’t at ease with. The reader can see the legible parts but also knows that there is a little more to the art that’s left unexplained.

Gallery Tour and Artist Talk

CLIC Language School Excursion

Gallery Tour and Visit to La Casa Amarilla Galerie

I was really pleased to welcome staff and students from CLIC Language School Malaga to my exhibition “I Went to Mass” in La Casa Amarilla Galerie yesterday. As well as speaking about the exhibition and explaining the art work they also were invited in to my studio to see what I am currently working on. Gallery Director David Burbano also spoke to the visitors and discussed my art and my process.

Neo-Expressionist Artist Talk

It was a dismal rainy day yesterday so what better thing to do then go on an excursion to a city art gallery and listen to the artist talk about his neo-expressionist artwork!

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Molscéal - Irish Language Interview

PIGSY ag caint as gaeilge

Molscéal - Irish Language Interview

Ealaíontóir PIGSY interviewed by Muireann Ní Chíobháin for Molscéal

Having attended an all-Irish school while growing up, I am fluent in the Irish language and can easily converse as gaeilge. I am always happy to take any opportunity to say a “cupla focail as gaeilge”. Check out this Irish language interview with me on Molscéal on Irish language station TG4. Click here to see the full interview.

Language Learning

I am re-watching this interview of me speaking Irish while I am here in Malaga, Spain - having just attended a Spanish language class this morning with my tutor Clara. It’s a little bit surreal to be looking at myself speaking what would have been my primary language at one point, but no longer is, while currently attempting to learn a third language. Life sure takes you on journeys that you don’t anticipate but it is a journey worth taking……it’s particularly gratifying in this time of covid to hopefully come out of it all with a new skill and language under my belt. It takes time and for me it is definitely “poco a poco”……..but I will get there and while doing so, I’ll enjoy the journey!

I’m hopeful that after spending an hour a day working on my Spanish language learning for the past 9 months that very soon I will be able to talk about my artwork in Spanish. It’s definitely something to aim for.

What this interview, as gaeilge, shows me is that it is very easy to loose fluency if you don’t keep practising speaking languages. Coupled with how difficult it is to gain fluency in the first case, it is indicative of how hard learning a language actually is. Add to this the fact, that I am a lot older than when I was learning languages as a kid in school. How much easier was it then!

But I’m committed and I’ve put massive effort in, so I do think the fluency in Spanish speaking will come. It’s just been unfortunate given the whole covid thing that there has been limited opportunity for socialising and Spanish speaking. Intercambios and language exchanges are no longer being run in person here in Malaga and from time to time as the city closed down for periods, due to Covid numbers, my language classes went online and these virtual lessons proved way more challenging than physical meet up lessons.

Spanish Language Learning in Malaga

I’ve done a batch of lessons here in Malaga and along with attending an intensive 20 hr week course for a few weeks, I’ve found that what I enjoy most is my own self instructed learning (with resources like Duolingo) and also a weekly meet up with a Spanish tutor in a local cafe for conversational Spanish. The classroom setting for the intensive classes was particularly tough - I’m not sure this type of structured learning setting suits me!

It’s definitely a case of “watch this space” and I will follow this blog up in about a year with an update of how it is all going. Until then, hasta luego!

Custom PIGSY Nikes

Air Jordan Flights custom painted by PIGSY

Commissioned pieces of art sure can be interesting!

I feel very lucky to have received some interesting commissions in my art career - one being the recent painted dinosaur head which I blogged about recently.

However, my latest commission is probably of the most interest to me - a customized pair of Nike trainers for a young break dancer. Very cool!

White Air Jordan Flights

Here’s the before pic of the Air Jordan Flights before they were custom painted.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Angelus Leather Paint

As a starting point, I needed to order Angelus Leather paint to customize the Nike shoes. I looked on Amazon initially but then I founded a company in Madrid who sold Angelus leather paint online. The paint arrived promptly considering I made the order over the Easter holiday.

View fullsize

View fullsize

Custom painted Nikes

And most importantly, what you’ve been waiting for, the finished custom Nikes by PIGSY!

The artwork is very connected to the client who commissioned custom paint job on these Nike trainers. Do you read binary code?! You may be able to figure out some of the messages!

However, the painted star is fairly easy to read on the front of the runners - it symbolises the stardom of the owner of the Air Jordans!

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Personalized Nike Trainers by PIGSY

"I Went to Mass" - PIGSY Solo Exhibition in La Casa Amarilla, Spain

“I Went to Mass” by PIGSY

PIGSY Solo Art Exhibition

La Casa Amarilla Galerie, Calle Santos, Malaga

Date: 27 March until 20 April

Sponsored by San Miguel Beer

PIGSY Spanish Art Exhibition Opening

Photos below are of the opening of the PIGSY solo art show “I Went to Mass” in La Casa Amarilla Gallery on Santos Street in Malaga, Spain, on Saturday 27th of March. The exhibition is running until an extended date of April 20th.

For opening hours and contact details for the LCA gallery, see here.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

For more great pics, see here on Facebook

Room to improve - wishlists

Room to improve? Dermot Bannon and others on their renovation wishlist

By Arlene Harris

To read the full article in the Irish Times, click here

SUR in English "Seeking calm and solitude within artistic chaos" by Tony Bryant

Seeking calm and solitude within artistic chaos

Tony Bryant writes about the latest PIGSY exhibition opening in La Casa Amarilla, Malaga on March 27th with an extended run until April 20th, 2021.

La Casa Amarilla Galerie

Calle Santos 7

Nice to open the paper and see a PIGSY painting while enjoying a morning coffee in the sun here in Spain!

Exhibition Preview

“I Went to Mass” by PIGSY

Special preview for all of those who can’t travel at the moment. Check my website on Friday 26th March at 8pm for pics!

Or log on to the PIGSY instagram to watch some live videos from the gallery during opening day.

To read the article online on the SUR in English website, click here.

For further information, if in Malaga, the exhibition is open until April 20th including during Santa Semana.

The Gloss Magazine - Artistic Licence: Ciarán McCoy, By Penny McCormick

Penny McCormick interviews Ciaran McCoy aka PIGSY in The Gloss Magazine

A big thank you to Penny McCormick for her Artistic Licence feature of me and my “I Went to Mass” solo art exhibition opening in Malaga this weekend.

"I went to mass #02”

By PIGSY

Not to pray or to find a religious way
But to be with my chaotic soul
in peace and calm to listen
Listen
Listen
Listen
To a loud, uneasy, mind,
One, Two, Three
One, Two, Three
One, Two, Three
One, Two, Three
One, Two, Three,
of what the world has presented to me and to deny the temptations that society condemns
Condemn the chaos and transcend into a peaceful mind,
I went to mass to pray my way.
I went to mass #02
Not to pray or to find a religious way
But to be with my chaotic soul
in peace and calm to listen
Listen
Listen
Listen
To a loud, uneasy, mind,
One, Two, Three
One, Two, Three
One, Two, Three
One, Two, Three
One, Two, Three,
of what the world has presented to me and to deny the temptations that society condemns
Condemn the chaos and transcend into a peaceful mind,
I went to mass to pray my way.

“I’ve given enough” by PIGSY

PIGSY’s show is sponsored by Cervezas San Miguel

Qué: "I Went to Mass" Exposición by PIGSY

Dónde: La Casa Amarilla, Calle Santos 7, Malaga

Cuando: 27 marzo - 20 abril 2021 (apertura 12pm Sábado)

Patrocinado: Cervezas San Miguel

Sculptures

Found Objects

There has been an evolution of PIGSY’s work in both style and media over the past few years where he has moved from working purely on pre-fabricated canvas to creating his own canvas and frames to then going past this and moving in to sculpture using found objects. With the found objects he has been creating mainly figurative pieces that can be viewed as 3D representations of his work on canvas. PIGSY acknowledges the freedom that working with found objects gives him and states that “working off canvas means less boundaries so there are no limits on my creativity”

Hangman by PIGSY

A sculpture created here in Malaga, Spain using found objects and detritus in my studio. Newly arrived from Ireland, I was inspired by the sculptural work of Pablo Picasso to create this expressionist artwork "Hangman" in the hometown of Picasso. It is expressionist in form and in the style of Hawkins Bolden.

I’m fascinated by discarded objects that have been thrown away in the trash can. I decided awhile ago not to throw away any objects from my studio in order to re-piece them together to create art from the unwanted, and what is considered ugly.

For the pictured “Hangman” piece I mainly fabricated it using old paint and tin cans.

The drilled holes in the paint cans do four things

1. The action of the drilling of them create a sense of peace and comfort in my mind, I like the feeling and sound when creating the the holes

2. They represent a seeing into the inner working and thoughts of the mind

3. They act as a release valve that expel the inner pressures of the mind both physically and as a metaphor

4. The allow the inner mind to see out

   
   The hang man and skull is something that I have been obsessing about for awhile now. There is a sense of torment within and the hang mans noose shows how delicate and fragile life can be. I explore a life now where one seeks hope and salvation in organised religion or something similar that will lead us to the promised land, when in truth the answers to our questions are within us in the drilled holes.

Pallet Art

Fabricated from a wooden pallet and used bolts and pieces of metal hardware to form the eyes, nose and mouth.

Discarded pieces of wood that come together in a jigsaw puzzle to mean “something”: What does it mean?

Obsolescence becomes obsolete

A pallet intended to carry objects to their destination now finds itself attached to a piece of chipboard that has been deemed not worthy to be part of its previously intended use. Steel angles and spray can tops now have a new purpose having previously being deemed obsolete. Their new joint purpose in this world is to be part of a creative movement that shows the inner torment of a broken mind. A shiny skull fits into an outer carcass that smiles to hide what is within........oneself.

Art in Lockdown

Pictured is a sculpture that I created during the first Covid19 lockdown in Ireland in March 2020. I sought out items to create an artwork from discarded items (Found Objects) in my living environment within the 2km government restricted exercise zone.  The “Found Objects” piece is a sculptural collage of street and household items which mirrored the situation, that we as a collective society battled during this pandemic war. The piece is an emotional expression of feelings and observations on how a society deals with the physical and psychological effects of a natural enemy that made the government enforce a lockdown (or imprisonment) of it’s people for the greater good of a nation and the wellbeing of all who live within it.

Hope

In essence, my artwork is a response to a moment when society’s psyche was at its most vulnerable. But beyond this time there is hope, there will be the moment when our collective people are victorious in the battle with the “virus”  or war. The weapons to defeat the “virus” or enemy will be us, as we responded to the lockdown and stayed away from each other and ultimately stopped the virus from spreading.

Resilience

The concept for the execution of the piece – using “Found objects” was to adapt, manipulate, distort and amend these objects in order to create an art work that was a direct comparison to how I see us, the citizens of Ireland and the world, emerging from the pandemic as a stronger, more resilient, more aware and ultimately a new and more beautiful humanity. My art mirrors life as we become a literal “Phoenix from the Flames” when we emerge victorious from our war on this viral pandemic, a little shook, a tad broken - but still in one piece.

This artwork was created in conjunction with the large pandemic piece “Phoenix Rising”

A focus on 3 works by PIGSY

“Non-Serviam”

Size: 1500mm W x 1500mm H Mixed Media on Canvas

This piece deals with the contradiction between the refusal to adhere to society’s rules and the loneliness and helplessness that are a result of this refusal. “Non-Serviam” (I Will Not Serve) is a bold statement of non-compliance and self sufficiency but looking deeper into the piece there is a call for help and the need for a guardian angel to save the artist. With the knowledge that almost every main character in Pigsy’s art is a self-portrait, there is the suggestion that the guardian angel required is his art and there exists a hope of self-salvation through it. Another clear indicator of the confusion caused by this paradox is the use of the word Malaika (an Islamic word for angel) on the angel’s chest, spelled wrong as Malaka (a Greek term for wanker).

“Mo Laoch” (My Hero)

Size: 1500mm W x 1500mm H Mixed Media on Canvas

It is a rarity that a character in a Pigsy piece is not a version of the artist himself but in this piece the figure is that of famous Irish writer James Joyce. The inspiration for this painting came after watching a documentary on Joyce and the realised connection between him and the artist's uncle, also James, whom he never met but who's house he now owns. Was Joyce talking about people like James in his celebrated novel Dubliners.

Could he have been a role model and mentor for Pigsy for he was also a poet and artist. The title "Mo Laoch" is Irish for "My Hero", a reference to the actual feeling for Joyce and the potentially stronger feeling for his uncle that, alas, never existed. Note that Joyce holds the red spelling book, Pigsy's nemesis, an item depicted in many of his works to signify his struggle with dyslexia.

“Cyberpunks”

Size: 1500mm W x 1500mm H Mixed Media on Canvas

“Cyberpunks” is Pigsy’s take on the movement formed in 1990, the beginning of the deep web and a decentralising power of the banks. The crossed out 72 is both a cry for admittance and a confusion that the artist’s year of birth predates the aforementioned formation- “I was a cyberpunk before it even started, let me in”. Note the signature in the painting in the top right is Pigsy in binary.

PIGSY welcomes visitors to his Malaga Studio

Visit artist PIGSY in La Casa Amarilla

PIGSY Spanish art studio is located on Calle Santos in the centre of Malaga City close to Calle Larios

During the pandemic Irish Artist PIGSY has been working full time as a professional artist in Malaga and is a resident in La Casa Amarilla Gallery. Pigsy’s studio is on the second floor of La Casa Amarilla which is a popular gallery in Malaga City Centre directed by David Burbano. The gallery is home to different sized art studios and hosts artists of various disciplines within. La Casa Amarilla is on Calle Santos a quiet street very near to Calle Larios and faces on to Cafe Aranda where you can stop off for a coffee and a churro after a visit to the studio. The cafe has been serving up churros since 1932 to the people of Malaga and visitors to this pleasant city!

Calle Larios, Malaga

The studio is a short walk from Calle Larios the main thoroughfare in Malaga Centro. Larios Street is a stunningly beautiful pedestrianised shopping street lined with attractive architectural buildings that at time will have you looking up rather than looking in the the shops! Most of the city is very walkable due to the pedestrianisation and also because of the size of the city which is very manageable for most to get about either walking or cycling - or you can rent an electric scooter too. The public bus is reliable and regular and can take you beyond the city if you wish to visit some of the small fishing villages along the coast (Pedregaleo is a must see), some of which are now home to chilled out fashionable, somewhat hipster, restaurants and cafes.

Art in Malaga

Pablo Picasso

Malaga has a rich art history with it of course being the birthplace of Pablo Picasso. Today artists and art lovers alike flock to the city to visit the two Picasso museums - one based in the house he was born in and the other in the house he grew up in.

Museo Carmen Thyssen Malaga

Along with this there are numerous other museums with the Carmen Thyssen in the centre of the city (steps away from PIGSY’s studio) showcasing a massive collection consisting of classic Spanish artists including artists, such as Mariano Fortuny, Joaquín Sorolla, Darío de Regoyos, Julio Romero de Torres and Ignacio Zuloaga.

The Carmen Thyssen Museum has a really nice cafe and gift store. The cafe does a really good cup of coffee (cortado) and there is a good deal for breakfast of a mixto, coffee and a glass of juice for about 3 euro.

Pompideau Malaga

The Pomipou Centre also has a museum here in Malaga (the first Pomidou Centre outside of France). The Pompidou Centre is located down by the port can only be described as a jewel in the crown of the marina and in fact it looks like a jewellery box being a cube colored building designed by Architect Renzo Piano sparkling in the sun and inviting visitors in to an amazing collection of artwork including Joan Miro, Dali and you guessed it some Picasso too!

There are lots of nice restaurants situated down by the marina close to the Pompideau Centre Malaga so you can make a whole half day of your visit to the museum and a lunch by the marina along with maybe a walk down to the lighthouse.

The Pompideau Malaga is free in after 5pm on Sundays.

Museo Jorge Rando

The Museo Jorge Rando reopened in Oct/Sept 2020 after renovations. It is located in an area that is a short walk from Uncibay Plaza is definitely worth seeing for both it’s extensive Rando collection and also the architecture of the museum with a spectacular corten clad courtyard out to the back of the building.

I visited the Museo Jorge Rando in October 2020 after it had reopened after renovations.

Malaga Studio Visit - Contact Enid

Contact Enid on pigsy.art@gmail.com if you are in the Malaga region and would like to meet PIGSY and take a tour of his studio and also visit La Casa Amarilla Art Gallery on Calle Santos, Malaga. PIGSY always enjoys visitors to his studio and will chat to you all about his latest work and what he is currently being inspired by.

Enid is also happy to give restaurant or cafe recommendations if you are interested in spending time in Malaga and want to relax over a glass of wine and some tapas after visiting the studio!

About PIGSY

About expressionist Irish artist PIGSY

Irish Artist PIGSY

Born on the North Side of Dublin in Ireland, Ciarán McCoy is an Irish Artist and award winning architect (ODKM Architects). He borrows from his architectural knowledge to create his diverse expressionist art work as his alter ego “PIGSY”.

The mediums that Pigsy uses range vastly from everyday household acrylic paint, chalk, oil sticks,  acrylic sticks, oil paint, spray paint, charcoal  and any other medium that feels right at the time of painting. McCoy explains “I like the looseness of my paintings I don't really want to put boundaries on myself or to be neat and proper. That's my architectural life. I like to be able to express myself freely in a fast free-flowing loose way - I really like the imperfection of the process”.

Honesty & Emotion in Art

"Many of my paintings are self portraits or semi-biographical, I paint about the things going on in my head at the time of painting. People have said to me that the paintings are angry but I don't think they're angry, I'm just expressing the frustrations of someone who lives with dyslexia. Words frustrate me and fascinate me at the same time. I sometimes don't understand  the sounds of the letters, what they mean and why they don't do what they are supposed to do. Because of this I like to draw quick and loose as opposed to when I’m designing a building and it needs to be more rigid and consistent. I've also taken from street artists who have to paint fast.  I think if you're drawing fast there's an honesty to it because there is no manipulation and overthinking, it's just straight from your head onto the canvas. I love the no phoney approach to that".  

Mindset

This spontaneous approach takes away all inhibitions. "I deliberately don’t correct words that have been misspelled and I sometimes break them apart to emphasize what can be going on in my head”. He also splashes and spills paint loosely over the canvas which keeps the honest approach "for a long time I covered up the writing completely, so as to not expose myself too much to the outside world but as I got older I've stopped doing that.  I'm happy where my art is, at the moment, and  I feel that it's totally me. It's a take it or  leave it approach, I have now." 

Art vs. Architecture

“Art is a way of expressing  myself and it’s a nice break from the normal day-to-day work  routine of an architect. The creative process between art and architecture are very different disciplines. With architecture I have specific briefs and goals that I aim to achieve. With art there are no boundaries, I just express what's in my mind at the time that I am working, and in all honesty, I'm trying to get the thoughts out of my mind and on to the canvas.  I see it as a healthy process. Work and life can be stressful at times and I find going to my studio and throwing a large piece of canvas on the ground and painting helps me release all those stresses in a creative and positive way”.

Creative Process

“My technique normally involves a free flowing start to each piece as I set out the scene for the broader context of the work, followed by a slower, drawn out finish as I immerse myself into the painting and endeavor to elicit an answer to the conundrums that I face and to dig myself out of the holes that I've created for myself in my mind and subconscious”

Influences

PIGSY is influenced by artists, musicians, writers and other figures in popular culture. He sites being influenced by artists such as Cy Twombly, Purvis Young, Hawkins Bolden, Karel Appel, Jean Michel Basquiat along with enjoying the work of David Lynch, David Byrne and poet Seamus Heaney and writer Hunter S. Thompson. Musical influences include 1980’s old school Hip Hop along with musicians like Talking Heads, Future Islands, Elvis Presley and currently Fontaines D.C. and The Felice Brothers.

Ranelagh Art Studio

For the past 10 years, PIGSY has been working in his Ranelagh studio in his award winning architecturally significant house in Dublin, Ireland. His art studio is at the top of the house on the third floor and is filled with light streaming from four window lights that flood the birch ply wood clad room that has a glass floor (which he covered in a plastic coating to protect it from the paint!). It’s a light and airy space - the perfect place to create art.

PIGSY in Malaga, Spain

As of August 2020, PIGSY is based in Malaga, Spain with full focus on the creation of art. He has taken a sabbatical from his architectural practice and has embarked, with his wife and dog, on an uncharted year in Spain inspired by all of the artists and creatives that have gravitated to this part of the world before him. He is excited about the adventure ahead of him, where he will fully immerse himself as PIGSY - as a full time artist he knows that he is entering in to an immensely creative period of his life!