“Patrick Graham: Notes from Ireland” offers a rare opportunity to view a compelling selection of the artist’s large scale paintings and poignant drawings.

In Graham’s case, drawing is a misnomer for his works on paper which combine ink, graphite, paint, and torn collages of his drawings. In Graham’s work, even a smudge or random mark can surprisingly evoke an expressive figure or entire landscape.

Born in Mullingar in 1943, Graham’s talent for drawing was realized as a small child. At 16, he was the youngest recipient to be awarded a scholarship to the National College of Art in Dublin. There, he established a reputation as one of Ireland’s most brilliant draughtsman. In Ireland’s academic environs, the notion of art as a vehicle for personal expression was not yet widely accepted. Graham’s confrontation with this led to a personal battle against the “emptiness” of art as mere facility of hand and craft, prompting his struggle for sanity and survival. His seclusion of several years ended in 1974, with his re-emergence in the solo exhibition “Notes From a Mental Hospital and Other Love Stories.” That point marked the emergence of a new expression in the art of Ireland. Patrick Graham has been credited by art historians with changing the face of Irish painting, bringing it into the 20th and 21st century, and was recognized by Ireland through election to Aosdana in 1986. Patrick Graham’s work is represented in public and private collections internationally, including exhibitions and symposiums at the National Gallery of Ireland and the Irish Museum of Modern Art. In 2022, the City of Dublin Gallery-The Hugh Lane, presented a major retrospective.

Visit: https://jackrutbergfinearts.com/exhibition/patrick-graham-notes-from-ireland/