"Everything is beautiful. Pop is everything." Andy Warhol

"Brand washed"

Opening No Grants Gallery, Temple Bar.

This exhibition included the work of Irish pop art artist John O'Connor. When entering the gallery i got a chance to discuss the concept and use of media with the artists himself. He explained that he used all materials that he can find in order to produce his pieces of art. the exhibition aims to explore the relationship between society and modern day pop and media iconography.

The exhibition featured only a few of his pieces while others are sold on cows lane in temple bar. The artwork itself is an innovative and nostalgic explosion of familiar images and logos from our image obsessed society. It combines images such as Disney character, infamous actors and logo's such as coca cola and burger king. He uses a collage of contrasting shapes and images on his canvases. The works in my opinion have a sense of youthfulness and pop art nostalgia with reference to Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol.

"John uses this iconography as a medium to critisis our media saturated and brand obsessed culture. Thecharacters and logos that are used to create a visual representation of the culture in which the work is based.

John's states that his work is generally focused towards an audience of people under the age of thirty.

Link: http://www.johnoconnor.ie/

Music Playlist at MixPod.com

A picture is a poem without words.

These Images are created by russian artist Katerina Belkina from a collection entitled famous hunters. I felt that these images were immensely eye catching and i really liked the surrealism within the images.The left image seems to be inspired by both Pablo Picasso and Salvidor Dali.

The artist combines both these influences but also portrays something new and innovative.The image on the centre above is a self portrait entitled a fish called wanda and the picture on the above left is don't call birdy.

I admittedly admire the colours, patterns and surrealism used in these images. I like the imense contrast with the colours and patterns. I think these images are very aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

Link: http://katerinabelkina.deviantart.com/

The following pieces are created by artist known as *Dorothy-shoes on Deviant art. The image on the right is entitled 'Monologue man' and is stated by the artist illustrating that "Dialogue is not always an easy exercise between men and women"

The image on the right hand side is entitled 'No way". The artist describes the images as portraying the following: "That's a story of a guy..I won't tell his name..Someday he got very ill..Suddenly..He spent several months locked in a sterilised room..He decided to keep faith in himself.. Strongly.. He never gives up.Now his windows are opened again.His feet on the city ground.To leave ? No way"

The reason i like these images is because i like the surrealism similar to the previous artist but in a more simple and minimalist way. I find the concept and ideas behind the artist images absolutely fascinating.

Link:http://dorothy-shoes.deviantart.com/

Love is fire. But whether it's gonna warm your heart or burn your house down, you can never tell.

These are pieces written by my dad, Sean O'Hagan and i found them in this notebook that he used to keep. I don't know when they were written but i just thought i'd share them with anyone who would like to read them. I don't think he meant for anyone to read these but i think they just show what he was like and how was creative he was.

Confusion- Sean O'Hagan

I want to love, but don't want to be loved.
My heart aches, yet i feel no pain.
I feel blind, yet i can see.
I'm chained but there are no chains.
I know love, yet i don't know love.
My heart beats, yet there is no pulse.
I feel fear but i'm not afraid.
I feeble, yet i'm not old.
I feel dead, but i know i'm alive.

Unknown-Sean O'Hagan

If you where my lady
and i was your knight
I'd slay all you dragons with all of my might
I'd carry your colours on my arm
and win your love with chivarly and charm
If i knelt at your feet, lay my heart and soul at your door,
Would you give me you love forever more.

"Give yourself a present, Forgive yourself"

Image: Eija-Liisa Ahtila: Working flat out

Last i week i came across an exhibition in the temple bar gallery. It was by an Finnish artist by the name of Eija-Liisa Ahtila and is titled The present. The exhibition consists of five televisions and five separate episodes of women and there development of phychoses.

The first episode i watched was about a women who she wanted to hide from the world and she decided to cover up her room and live without the sounds and noises of the outside world. I thought to myself that this exhibition was possibly about peoples responses to there memories of war or themes along these lines.

After briefly looking through the episodes i still was not sure about the theme of the exhibition until i seen one of the episode in particular. This episode was about a girl and she was paranoid about these people and she referred to these people as 'them' coming after her and so she hides under her bed. It was obvious within this episode that she was in a metal institution. After looking through the episodes i read the press release. It didn't occur to me that all these episodes were illustrating mental stability and the development of the women's phychoses.

I feel that this exhibition was very intense and sorrowful. The emotion of sorrow is illustrated thourgh that fact that these people are so ordinary and these emotionally states could developed from anything from flawed relationships to failing families. The emotions and hysteria that these characters have are portrayed extremely well through the camera lens. I found this five piece five peice installation very inspiring. I'd thoroughly recommend this exhibition to any person who is interested in psychology and visual arts. The exhibition will continue until the 23rd of May in Temple Bar Gallery.