Éadaion Mcgourty 'frosted glass'

&

didier riva 'spirit of nature'

OPENING FRIDAY FEBRUARY 9TH 7.30PM

CLOSES MARCH 10TH

PRESS RELEASE

Didier Riva and Éadaoin Mc Gourty at Solas Art Gallery, Ballinamore

Didier Riva is a multi faceted Photographic Artist living in Leitrim for the last 20 years. Didier started photography in Paris in the 80', taking portraits for students at the Actor's Studio, which led to work for the cinema, theatre and music scene (rock, jazz, flamenco); during this period Didier worked with the Mime Artist Marcel Marceau on his show: le Manteau, for a year.

Didier’s arrival in Ireland followed the trajection of many artists seeking a spiritual resolve (or indeed not actively seeking but enveloping the sense of mysticism that permeates the landscape of Leitrim). The Artist finds the connection with his surroundings – that sense of place the observer who, having cleared the mind of chitter-chatter, is consumed by clarity of resolution – a life defining moment to be captured and shared.

Didier has averred he wishes, that for the viewer, this series of photographs to be all about observation, immersing oneself in the image to take a journey of discovery, to become a child again with no boundaries from the intellect, allowing the soul to breathe in the shapes and colours.

Éadaoin Mc Gourty’s environmentally provocative show melds Art and Fashion into one fascinating exhibition.

Her concerns with the depleting ice at the North Pole, its resulting effect on climate change and the disruption to our environment need no reminder – we only have to look out our windows to see the incessant degradation of our weather with storm after storm.

Éadaoin takes the substance of Ice and through observation and exploration has created a fashion collection that evocatively utilises recycled plastics to recreate the shapes and forms of Ice. Her show includes the process by which she developed her ideas through photography, painting and abstract art. Éadaoin gets to the point when she says; “I decided to create an avant garde collection, an artistic interpretation of fashion, which aims to bring the striking beauty of ice to the foreground of conversation in the hope of increasing awareness of the importance of retaining this natural resource”.

It is an unusual meeting of minds these two exhibitions running side by side, Didier and Éadaoin are in one way stating the same thing; stop, take note and relish our resources. This dual exhibition will be officially opened by award winning photo-journalist photographer Peter Wilcock on Friday 9th Feb 2018 at 7.30pm. Join us for this intriguing event.