A different perspective

ARTISTIC APPEAL Castlebar artist, Tracey Sweeney who’s latest exhibition entitled ‘Thus Spoke the Silent Spaces’ is proving to be extremely popular.

Different perspective on everyday life

Padraig Burns

Australia provided the material for a current exhibition in the Linenhall

AN exhibition of 17 pieces of art by Castlebar artist, Tracey Sweeney, entitled ‘Thus Spoke the Silent Spaces’ is proving to be extremely popular as it goes into its third week on display in the Linenhall Centre, Castlebar. Castlebar businessman Pat Moran opened the show, and Mayo County Council supports it. The exhibit consists of 17 contemporary prints, depicting aged surfaces and objects from Australia, Belgium, Scotland and America.
In other words, they are large, spectacular drawings of everyday detail that most of us pay little or no attention to as we go about our everyday life. For example, one of the most striking pieces looks at the colouring effect of a leaking car radiator on an area of cobblestone. Another looks at a door handle and the effect of the peeling paint on it.
Not what most of us would consider exhibition material, but for Tracey the progression from everyday mundane life to art was no big deal. “All those little details are part of our life and if we took the time to stop and look then we’d see them. The problem is we’re all so busy now we don’t appreciate the things that are all around us, but I hope that by having this exhibition I am giving all of those things ,which might seem insignificant to some, a voice. Each print is a dynamic way of looking at a location, of pausing to appreciate the visual detail in our everyday worlds,’’ said Tracey.
The inspiration for her latest work was born in Australia, from where she has just returned after a year. She spent most of her time in Melbourne, but also did some travelling and along the way photographed parts of normal everyday life. Seventeen of them have made it on to the walls at the Linenhall and Tracey is delighted with the reaction to her work.
“It’s going really well and I have managed to sell quite a few pieces. Each print is overlaid with traditional print methods, giving texture and colour to the image and though I say so myself, they do look quite spectacular when enlarged,’’ she said.
The Linenhall Arts Centre is open Monday to Friday from 10am to 5pm and Saturday from 11am to 5.30pm. Admission to the exhibition is free and for further information contact 094 9023733.