Radharc Aniar - A View From The West

This exhibition focuses on four locations in the west of Ireland; Letterfrack and Lettermore in County Galway, Tourmakeady in County Mayo and Cill Rialaig in County Kerry. I suppose that I was initially attracted to the 'mountainy' landscape in these areas. But in all four places it's impossible to avoid the influence of the Irish language in local place-names. In fact three of these districts lie within the Gaeltacht and in the fourth, Letterfrack in west Connemara, the influence is still strong. Of course the fact that the language survives in these places is not coincidental. Over recent years this awareness of the language has led to a greater personal interest in the subject. My wish is that this exhibition might inspire others likewise.

The larger works which form the focal points of this exhibition consist of large panoramas. I have literally tried to bring my view of the west into the gallery. The decision to divide the paintings into triptychs is based partly on practicality and partly on the idea of trying to make picture that works within a larger composition. In other words each canvas can work as an individual picture as well as part of the whole. This is an idea that derived originally from drawing in sketchbooks. The idea of putting place-names into the pictures themselves also came originally from sketchbook work. I have chosen to use the older style of 'Gaelic' lettering in the paintings simply because it's so beautiful.

All of the pictures have been painted out-of-doors, which for me is the only way to bring across a sense of atmosphere and freshness in the way that the subject is handled. Only the lettering has been completed later in the studio. This also explains why the larger paintings are divided into sections; the individual canvases are quite big enough when it comes to working out-of-doors and even at that size wind is a problem.

I'm very grateful to the many people who have helped me to complete this project: Ann Jack and all the staff at Connemara West in Letterfrack, Máiréad Ní Chualáin in Lettermore, Mick Conneely, the Ronans, Tomás Ó Máille and Síle Ní Thuathail in Tourmakeady and to Noelle Campbell-Sharpe and to all involved in the project at Cill Rialaig. Also special thanks to Seán Ó Ceallaigh for helping me with the Irish and of course to Catharine Kingcome for all her help and support.

Andrew Newland

Díríonn an taispeántas seo isteach ar cheithre láthair in iarthar na hÉireann: Leitir Fraic agus Leitir Móir i gContae na Gaillimhe, Tuar Mhic Éadaigh i gContae Mhaigh Eo agus Cill Rialaig i gContae Chiarraí. Is dócha gur mheall an tírdhearch sléibhtiúil mé i dtús báire ach ní féidir rian na teanga Gaeilge ar áitainmneacha a sheachaint sna ceithre áiteanna. Is amhlaidh go bhfuil trí cinn de na dúichí seo sa Ghaeltacht agus tá tionchar na teanga láidir fós sa ceathrú ceann, Leitir Fraic in iarthar Chonamara. Ar ndóigh ní de thimpiste go maireann an teanga sna háiteanna seo. De bharr tuiscint a h-áit bheith agam sna h-áitainmneacha, spreagadh mé chun suim a chur sa Ghaeilge mar theanga. Is í mo mhian go spreagfaidh an taispeántas seo spéis daoine eile sa teanga.

Is iad buaicphointí an taispeántais ná na radhairc iomrothlacha atá mar croí-lár an tsaothair. Bhí mé ag iarraidh mo radharc féin ar an iarthar a thabhairt isteach sa ghailearaí. Tá an cinneadh chun na pictiúirí a roinnt ina dtripticí bunaithe ar dhá chúis; cúirí ceann amháin praiticiúil agus an dara ceann go dtugann an roinnt seo deis don duine na pictiúir a mheas mar aonaid iontu féin nó mar shaothair iomlán. Is smaoineamh é seo a bhí bunaithe ar obair líníochta i leabhair sceitseála. Is ón saothar sceitseála a gineadh an smaoineamh chun áitainmneacha a chur isteach sna pictiúir chomh maith. Roghnaigh mé an sean chló gaelach a chur sna pictiúir mar go bhfuil sé go hálainn.

Rinneadh na pictiúirí ar fad amuigh faoin spéir, mar sin an t-aon chaoi amháin is féidir liomsa mothú atmaisféir agus úire a chruthú. Míníonn sé seo cén fáth go bhfuil san iomhá na pictiúirí móra roinnte ina gcodanna; bíonn na canbháis aonair móra sách deacair chun oibriú orthu amuigh faoin spéir mar bíonn fadhbanna gaoithe ag cur as d'oibriú ar chanbhás den méid seo. Is é an clóscríobh amháin a déanadh sa stiúideo.

Táim fíorbhuíoch do na daoine go léir a thug cúnamh dom an tógra seo a chur i gcríoch: Ann Jack agus an foireann ar fad ag Connemara West i Leitir Fraic, Máiréad Ní Chualáin i Leitir Móir, Mick Conneely, muintir Rónán, Tomás Ó Máille agus Síle Ní Thuathail i dTuar Mhic Éadaigh agus go háirithe de Noelle Campbell-Sharpe agus de chuile dhuine atá ag baint le tionscnamh Chill Rialaig. Ba mhaith liom buíochas ar leith freisin a thabhairt de Seán Ó Ceallaigh as a chabhair leis an Ghaeilge agus ar ndóigh de Catharine Kingcome as a cúnamh agus a tacaíocht ar feadh an ama.

Andrew Newland

Please note: Art displayed for past exhibitions may no longer be available. Please click on the "Art Currently Available By This Artist" button to view all our current holdings by this artist.
Alternatively, our mailing list will notify you of new works and exhibitions for all artists you express an interest in.