Artist Talk | Maurice Quillinan

“We exist as memories, ethereal, multipartite, incomplete particles, constantly in a transitional longing to become whole again.”

Maurice Quillinan grew up in Limerick, Ireland. He studied at the Limerick School of Art and Design (LSAD), the Royal College of Art, London (RCA), the Ecole Nationale Superieur des Beaux-Arts, Paris and the University of Limerick (UL).

His measured tactile method of working manifests as semi abstracted interwoven narratives, explored through a wide variety of media, painting, drawing, print, collage, photography, sculpture and text. Central to his practice is a strong set of spiritual values which underlie his exploration of existence, incorporating the landscape, horses and the human figure as metaphors for the metaphysical challenges we encounter.

This internal dialogue manifests as multi- layered palimpsests, which suggest that there are many meanings and explanations for the spiritual, psychological and physiological conundrums we collect as memories.

The paintings are low key in colour, often bordering on the monochromatic. Their sedimentary process of constantly revised mark making, guides the viewer into the memory of the work, which can only exist as a sort of historical loneliness, suggesting that we don’t have the knowledge to ask of, let alone expect, coherent logical solutions to the great questions.

Maurice has been a recipient of many awards, including: Limerick City Vocational Educational Scholarships (VEC) awards, The Henry Moore Foundation Scholarship, a number of Arts Council awards, Culture Ireland awards, Limerick City and County Council awards and bursaries. He has represented Ireland in exhibitions in many countries, both in one person and group at home and internationally. His works are held in public and private collections in thirty-four countries.

Maurice’s work is represented by Hambly & Hambly.