Britain's What's On Event Guide
Sean Durkin: Art for All!
York Fine Arts is delighted to present ‘Sean Durkin: Art for All!’, its third annual solo exhibition of original paintings by British contemporary artist Sean Durkin. Brimming with grit and wry humour, Sean’s work shines a light on Britain’s industrial past and its proud working communities. His interests lie in the collective struggles and merrymaking of ordinary people, readjusting the viewer’s gaze and rightly offering the myriad pleasure of fine art back, into the hands of all.
Though grounded in the realities of industrial life, Sean’s paintings are characterized by a sense of playfulness, and a lightness of heart. While droves of ‘matchstick people’ trudge through worlds of imposing, brutalist shapes, mischief-making characters are ever-present, their foils and playful feats of irony unfolding for the observant onlooker.
Sean’s work echoes the now infamous tale of how as a small boy, he once came face to face with a stolen L.S Lowry painting on his very own mantlepiece. ‘Borrowed’ by his father from the local gallery under cover of darkness, the painting was held ransom in the family home with a letter of conditions for its safe return. Among a host of spirited stipulations, including the installation of a better gallery alarm system and the raffling of the Lord Mayor’s underpants for charity, Sean’s father demanded that the art gallery open on a Sunday, so that the working man had leisure to visit. It may have been a sensational stunt, but the message, like that of Sean’s work was clear: Art is for all.
For press enquiries or high-resolution images, please telephone Kirsty Maclennan on 01904 634221 or email kirsty@yorkfinearts.co.uk.
York Fine Arts
83 Low Petergate
York
YO1 7HY
www.yorkfinearts.co.uk
Though grounded in the realities of industrial life, Sean’s paintings are characterized by a sense of playfulness, and a lightness of heart. While droves of ‘matchstick people’ trudge through worlds of imposing, brutalist shapes, mischief-making characters are ever-present, their foils and playful feats of irony unfolding for the observant onlooker.
Sean’s work echoes the now infamous tale of how as a small boy, he once came face to face with a stolen L.S Lowry painting on his very own mantlepiece. ‘Borrowed’ by his father from the local gallery under cover of darkness, the painting was held ransom in the family home with a letter of conditions for its safe return. Among a host of spirited stipulations, including the installation of a better gallery alarm system and the raffling of the Lord Mayor’s underpants for charity, Sean’s father demanded that the art gallery open on a Sunday, so that the working man had leisure to visit. It may have been a sensational stunt, but the message, like that of Sean’s work was clear: Art is for all.
For press enquiries or high-resolution images, please telephone Kirsty Maclennan on 01904 634221 or email kirsty@yorkfinearts.co.uk.
York Fine Arts
83 Low Petergate
York
YO1 7HY
www.yorkfinearts.co.uk
The exhibition opens at York Fine Arts on Friday, 4th of October and runs until Sunday, 27th of October, from 10am-5pm. The exhibition is free entry with no booking required. Due to an expected high volume of interest, we recommend an early viewing to avoid disappointment. Preview catalogues will also be available upon request.
York Fine Arts
83 Low Petergate
York North Yorkshire YO1 7HY
Fri 4 Oct to Sun 27 October