‘Turning It Over’ an exhibition of new paintings which were presented at the Ashford Gallery, RHA Dublin, in January 2022.

In this show at the Ashford Gallery, RHA, Melissa O’Faherty worked with a certain elegant violence to ‘turn painting over’. This is painting as challenge and as such we have the chance to experience something remarkably ambitious in terms of today’s contemporary painting, and indeed art world. But ambitious painting is a strange paradox in that truly ambitious contemporary painting has a tendency to disappear. That is to say that painting at its most desiring seems to sit as a background or ground for more exciting artistic activities, its longing acts as a basis or foundation for other claims to attention. This wallflower effect, this hanging back, might well be a defining feature of painting’s ability to act, a somewhat fugitive, unconscious power. With accompanying essay by artist and writer Phil King. read here

To view the exhibition works click here

To read the critical review click here

Melissa is an artist based in Ireland. Her work is held in both private and public collections. Working in the realm of contemporary painting and drawing. Recently shortlisted for John Moore’s Painting Prize, UK 2020, she is represented by Solomon Fine Art, Dublin.

Previously she was awarded a summer residency 2019, at Notre Dame Global University, Galway and during Covid was a guest panel speaker and has exhibited at Mermaid Arts Centre, IRL and recently exhibited at the Ashford Gallery, RHA Dublin 2022.

Her work features in the upcoming Sotheby’s Irish Art sale, in London this November with a preview at the RHA Dublin, 10-13th Nov., and an artist gallery talk at RHA on Nov 12th.

A solo show at the Solomon Fine Art Gallery, Dublin is scheduled for May 2023, for enquiries and to view available works please contact www.solomonfineart.ie

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