CULTURE Images greater than the sum of their parts

MAN OF WORDS?German writer Heinrich Böll in collage, by artist Claire SiobhΡn Walsh

Images greater than the sum of their parts


‘Portraits and Landscapes of Achill Island’, an exhibition of work by Claire SoibhΡn Walsh, is opening at the The Western Light Art Gallery, Keel, Achill, this Saturday, May 4. Part of The Heinrich Böll Memorial Weekend, the exhibition includes portraits and places rendered using collage. Portraits include Heinrich Böll and the foci of this year’s memorial weekend: Achill poet John F Deane and painter Robert Henri, who first visited Achill 100 years ago.
To celebrate the 70th birthday of John F Deane, the gallery will donate the proceeds from the sale of a portrait of John F Deane to Achill charities. The gallery is most grateful to Claire SiobhΡn Walsh for this wonderful tribute to John F Deane and the contribution that it will make to charities in Achill.
Walsh was born in Lancashire in Northern England, where she studied Art at Moor Park Art school. She went on to take a BA Hons Degree in Fashion Design at the University of Central Lancashire, after which she worked as a knitwear designer for Burberry of London. Since then she has had a full and interesting career in the fashion industry. At one time, she found herself designing the fairy for the Royal family’s Christmas tree and working on outfits for Kylie Minogue, as well as working for names such as Michiko Koshino and Zandra Rhodes. She also founded the well-known London boutique Fenton Walsh and launched her own label. She now lives in Louisburgh with her family.
As a collage artist, Walsh enjoys using unexpected materials which may help tell a story or provoke a smile. Her collage work includes pieces from a diary dated 1912, antique stamps, advise from a Catholic magazine dated 1945, pieces from The Mayo News dated 1945, vintage bus tickets, a love letter from 1960 and much more.
For this collection of work she has used the colours and emotions that surrounded her when she first discovered Achill Island. Stormy clouds, calming blues and steely greys run through the collection, and the many historical items used reflect the artist’s interest in storytelling and history. Stamps and maps that she has used from around the world represent the many Irish people who left during the hard times but who still have firm ties to the country. Walsh’s work invites you in to take a second look, and to see people and the landscapes they inhabit in a different, multi-layered light.