Donegal artist Darran McGlynn presented a new body of work, ‘PEERS’, at the Saldhana Gallery, at Fort Dunree this February.
The work explores the innate desire in each of us to seek pleasure, even at a time when society is seemingly convulsed by endless crises – be that emigration, climate change, pollution, terrorism, political and economic uncertainty or a mental health pandemic. With characteristic humour Darran explores the current issues that are touching us all, which are being communicated through the distorting prism of digital media, fake news and targeted marketing to impact on our communication, perceptions and mental health.
On the use of language as a medium, Darran states: “When I’m working with language I treat it sculpturally; constructing works from nuances, double meanings, contextualisation and slips of the tongue (and imagination). Certain words and phrases jump out at me and I manifest them into another form, literally and physically, to capture the zeitgeist. Language is so much more than the bearer of information; it acts as a bridge between the imaginary and reality. It’s in this context that people can add and take away their own interpretations based on their own experiences.”
Darren plays on this juxtaposition of the imaginary and reality, of the commercialisation of the real world for mass consumption and the reality of facing an indifferent nature and environment. He confronts us with an image of ourselves as consumers in an ever more packaged and mediated world, looking for an authenticity of culture, identity and traditions.
PEERS brings together sculpture, language, installation and a souvenir t-shirt that addresses these experiences.
The exhibition opened on Saturday 9 February at 2 pm, and continued until 24 February.
Biography of Artist
Darran McGlynn is an artist from Inishowen, Co. Donegal who completed a BA(Hons) Fine Art at the University of the West of England, Bristol, in 2013. His varied practice incorporates sculpture, installation, language and printed media, and is notable in its use of humour to explore our relations with our surrounds. He has held two previous solo exhibitions; Sees The Day (2014) and You Are Here (2015), both at Void Studios, Derry. Notable group exhibitions include Horse (2015) at Void, Derry, curated by Mark Wallinger and Maoliosa Boyle.
- March 15, 2019
