Irish artist Mary Roynane's ‘Garden of Eden’ exhibition launches at HOFA, London (31 March – 12 April 2023)
This new exhibition explores parallels between the leisurely pursuits of past and present times in a light-hearted way that entertains and amuses while also teasing at the absurdity of excess
Mrs Merton’s Dining Room, 2023. Enamel on wood panel, 50cm x 60cm.
LONDON: 22 March, 2023: Phenomenal Irish figurative painter Mary Ronayne will début new vibrant and playful paintings at her upcoming solo exhibition titled 'Garden of Eden' at HOFA Gallery, London, from 31 March – 12 April 2023. Ronayne reprises her role as observer and storyteller, and in her signature satirical style delivered with masterful subtlety and a wink, she depicts the absurdity of leisurely excesses while celebrating the freedom to engage in them.
Highlights of the show include a large-scale triptych, ‘The Garden of Eden’, showing three stages of a grand garden party rendered in tragicomic style. Inspired by the iconic 'Garden of Earthly Delights' painting by Hieronymus Bosch, the three panels retell the creation story with a very contemporary slant on the Fall. 'Discovery of the Virgin Islands' is another large-scale work headlining the show which depicts a colonial army’s discovery of a tropical beach and the amorous shenanigans that predictably ensue.
Mary Ronayne, The Love Boat, 2023. Enamel on wood, 120 x 120 cm.
'Mrs Merton's House Party' is a set of eleven unique works also making their début. Taken together, the narrative style paintings of 9 interior and 2 exterior scenes are intended to be viewed as chapters in a single story. Colourful and brimming with life owing to the artist’s drippy style of painting, the artworks celebrate the timeless house party phenomenon while also showing the dissonance between public image and private indulgences.
Ronayne's comical take on what many would consider scandalous is genius. It is to her credit that she engages the subject in ways that humanise and satirize without stirring outrage. Viewers will likely spot the absurdity of excess conveyed through cleverly constructed scenes, quizzical glances and deflated bodies.
Mrs. Anna McCarraig and her Companions, 2023. Enamel on wood panel, 60cm x 80cm.
Commenting on her spring solo show, Mary Ronayne says, “I like to paint people engaged in activities that make them happy and give them joy. However, there's a twist because as we know all too well, people are prone to excess. We tend to overdo, overuse and misuse, and that’s where the trouble lies."
Speaking on the artist’s unique style of painting, HOFA Co-founder Simonida Pavicevic says, "Mary Ronayne knows how to entertain and engage viewers through her works which are very theatrical, accessible, and joyful despite their more thought-provoking subtext. HOFA Gallery is eager to début Mary's new paintings this spring."
Mary Roynane, Race Day, 2023. Enamel on wood panel, 120cm x 120cm.
‘Garden of Eden’ solo exhibition runs 31 March – 12 April 2023 at HOFA Gallery, London.
Press preview 30 March 2023, RSVP only emmalouise@thehouseoffineart.com
ENDS
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