Patrick McMahon – Dancing Colours

Hosted By 19 Karen Contemporary Artspace

October 16th - November 9th, 2021

Patrick McMahon is a local artist who, through his work, aims to answer the question “When did art become an intellectual experience, rather than a practical pursuit of subjective exploration?”

McMahon’s work does not need analytical discourse to validate it. His concept is not steeped in social or political issue. Nor does his application, surprisingly given its complexity, require deconstruction by computer. His work, from planning to realisation, is handmade, often taking over six months to create a single piece. The artist admits to living his work, creating where he lives, as this affords him a continual critical eye and the meticulous drafting that is required of such intricate art.

About this exhibition Patrick says: “Inspiration for this collection of work came from the colours of mother nature. Drawing from the coastal coral hues of the Great Barrier Reef, the bright colourful plumage of rainforest birds and the colours of opals in the desert, I play with combinations and different tonal values.

With inspiration in hand, my artworks largely paint themselves telling me where I should place the colours to make the paintings look balanced and connected. My work is entirely intuitive, even I don’t really know what the painting will look like until the final stroke. I hope that my paintings entertain and encourage the eye to dance over the whole canvas.”