Michael O'Reilly: Nature or Nurture 2012

Michael O’ReillyNature or Nurture

Mountains with beards, stinging tentacles and explod-ing gilet jackets can all be found in some of O’Reilly’s recent paintings, where he explores the potential for peculiarity and questions the relationships between joy, humour, hysteria and repulsion.

His paintings often resemble specific geographical locations but are in truth invented places that echo a sense of our immediate world within a much more claustrophobic one. Scenarios involving inexplicable objects, figures and forms address hidden truths un-covered in the landscape. These encounters hint at an array of pleasant and unpleasant human activities re-lated to the outdoors and are often informed by a store of personal anecdotes.

By taking us somewhere idyllic such as a rocky outcrop or to the edge of a forest in winter, there is a sense that the paintings intend to fill the mind with sentimentality, however this is prevented from firmly settling in because through the painting process, composition, propor-tion and colour combinations are misrepresented and skewed allowing an uncanny psychology to form within the work.

A mish-mash of drawings, photographs, collage and personal encounter provides a birthing ground for O’reilly’s works. Encounters are especially pertinent and include being ill, walking in the hills, seeing a beard that resembles tufts of bear fur, or simply noticing fashion-able colour combinations in a shop display window. Everything can become an inspiration.

Michael O’Reilly

Fizzle, oil on board, 40 x 47 centimeters, £750

A White Lands Welcomeoil on canvas

210 x 157 cm£3250

Blowing Raspberriesoil on canvas

20x 20 centimeters£550

Campfire Songsoil on linen

115 x 132 centimeters£2500

Smoggyoil on canvas

20 x 20 centimeters£550

Gluggy Muggy Dayoil on board

47 x 40 centimeters£750

Stingy Moundoil on linen

114 x 116 centimeters£2500

A Little Feteoil on board

40 x 47 centimeters£ 750

Huntingoil on canvas

16 x 19 centimeters£550

Pistachio Paradiseoil on linen

106 x 74 centimeters£1250

Brimhamoil on canvas

160 x 200 centimeters£ 3250

Cavern in Autumnoil on linen

138 x 137 centimeters£2500

Cast -offoil on linen

96 x 78centimeters£1250

Education

2010-2013 Royal Academy of Arts, Fine Art Postgraduate Diploma2007-2010 Wimbledon College of Arts, BA (Hons) 1st

Exhibitions

2012 Royal Academy Summer Show, London2012 Premiums. Royal Academy Schools interim show. Haunch of Venison, London2011-2012 Imaginaries of a Mysterious World. The Biscuit Factory ‘The Factory Kitchen’. Newcastle Upon Tyne2010 Hans Brinker Retuning Winners Solo Exhibition Hans Brinker Hotel, Amsterdam2010 Generation Ten. New young British artists in association with Candlestar and Hyatt Regency, The Churchill Hotel, London2010 Group Show, The Wimbledon Gallery, London2009 Hans Brinker Budget Trophey Exhibition, Hans Brinker Hotel, Amsterdam2009 Abstract Landscapes, Wimbledon Library, London2008-2009 Group Exhibition, Deautsch Bank, London

Awards

2012 Edna Rose Weiss Award for figurative painting2009 Hans Brinker Budget Trophey Award2009 Prunella Clough Shortlisted Nominee

Publications

2011/2012 Collaborative book. Cini Foundation, Venice/Royal Academy Schools, London. Compilation of R.A students works2010 Milton Keynes Fringe Painting Prize Catalogue

Residencies

2010 Hans Brinker Returning Winners Residency, Hans Brinker Hotel, Amsterdam

Front Cover Image: Apple Farm, oil on canvas, 210 x 170 centimeters, £3250Back Cover Image: Citadel, oil on board, 30 x 19.5 centimeters, £550