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Caoimhghin
Ó Croidheáin - Notes on work The word ephemeral derives from the Greek ephémeros and means ‘lasting a day’. It is a word particularly suited to newspaper images that illustrate the stories each day. However, such stories are based on events that may be happening for weeks if not years. Our attention is drawn to such events for a brief moment and then redirected to another story or event the next day. Often these events are of a tragic or desperate nature which in many cases are the result of unresolved political conflicts. As
an artist I feel that exploring these pictures through drawing
and painting
can bring the images and the events they represent
back into the public
domain with a renewed significance. Through
art a particular predicament
can be universalised as a symbol of
a broader conflict or problem while
creating empathy in those
viewing the problem from afar. Thus art can encourage
the
development of a globalised consciousness by putting a human
face on
the more negative aspects of our consumer culture,
a culture that has economic
tentacles reaching into every nook
and cranny the world over. Moreover,
by developing a global
awareness of others we also constantly re-evaluate
our view of
ourselves.
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