Damien Duffy

souvenir

Souvenir

artist residency FEBRUARY - May 2021

exhibition 28 May - 5 June

Damien Duffy

Always within the medium and discourse of painting, the artist draws on numerous references from poetry, philosophy, music and art history.

The accumulation of references point to the pandemic and the legislative restrictions of lockdown.
Borne out by reference to the states of emergency that prevailed in the 70s and 80s.
These “Heavy Manners”* -restrictive practices enclose a doubled found image.

( A parergon** from Richard Hamilton’s -Subject Citizen and State triptych.)

A boy and girl tend flowers on a grave.
In the distance a reaper reaps.
All of this under the arc of a black rainbow.
All of this under the corona of an eclipsed black sun.

As with Poussin’s Arcadian shepherds painting itself is the tomb,
A blank panel – defers inscription, suggests an end yet to come.

Metal postcard, a momento, Souvenir.
From one who consoled in the tombstone night- 
Nerval’s poem rendered  as dis-astor. Without stars.

The world hangs like a bell in the air, put out of tune by a light dusting of snow.
Holderlin’s fragment a sign of the times: his / ours / always. Happy days.

* heavy manners- Prince Far I
**Parergon- besides the work, Derrida- The Truth in Painting.

Originally from Derry, Damien Duffy studied at Goldsmiths College, University of London. Resident in London between 1986-2002 he took part in numerous artist led initiatives,exhibiting in London and Europe. On his return to Ireland he was awarded the ACNI Artist in Education Award in 2002. He set up and led Void Art School between 2007-15. As a member of Void Gallery’s Curating committee  he curated Cathy Wilkes in 2007, Dan Hays 2007, Matt Collishaw in 2010, amongst others as well as numerous Void Art School exhibitions within the programme. In 2016 he was awarded the ACNI Fellowship at The British School at Rome and a subsequent residency with Fondazione per L’arte in Rome 2016-17. He has been guest lecturer at the Slade School of Fine Art, London and Universitá Bocconi in Milan. 
Exhibitions include Milch Gallery London 1998, fuori uso, Caserta 1997, Fantasy Heckler, Liverpool Biennale 1999, Void Gallery 2011, Accademia Britanica, Rome 2016, About Blank, Macro, Rome 2016, Wild Tulips, Derry 2019.

damienduffy.eu

The Culture Cafe, BBC Radio Ulster

This residency is in partnership with St Augustine’s Heritage Site and is kindly funded by The Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Derry City & Strabane District Council and The Community Foundation NI.

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