Floating | Solo Show


For Baboró International Arts Festival for Children, Galway artist Finbar McHugh, created a new series of abstract paintings outdoors in nature.

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The exhibition entitled Floating was on display during Baboró from Monday October 15 – Sunday October 21 in the O’Donoghue Centre for Drama, Theatre & Performance at NUI Galway. One of Finbar’s art works from the exhibition also appears on the cover of this year’s Baboró festival programme.

The work explores McHughs’ inner world of thoughts, emotions and feelings, which are brought to life in stunning splashes of energetic colour. McHugh describes painting as his meditation, where he feels completely present and connected and where his creative energy flows.

This series was painted outdoors in nature where McHugh feels most at home; one of the locations was Silver Strand beach at Barna in Galway where McHugh says he finds solace.The idea behind Floating is the feeling of leaving your body to go somewhere else, much like day dreaming.

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During Baboró, Finbar facilitated workshops with school children encouraging them to daydream, to go on an adventure and to explore their inner worlds. 

Commenting on his approach to work, Finbar McHugh said: 

‘These paintings are moments, snapshots from my travels. Each one a different adventure through space and time. When I began to explore my inner landscape, I connected to nature, finding solace on the beach at Silverstrand; I learned through meditation and observation a new perspective on life. The landscape of the west coast is wild and ever changing. For me, it mirrors the light and darkness we feel in ourselves. When I paint, I aim to visualise these feelings, to create a picture of our inner landscape that is transient, reflecting how we can feel in that exact moment and allowing us to open up and understand ourselves better.’

This is Finbar’s second solo show since his 2017 exhibition, which explored the theme of ‘Feelings’.

Finbar believes that people can unlock their true nature when they place more value on what they want in life rather than on limiting beliefs. He believes that by being present and open, we can learn more about ourselves and our place in the universe.


 
 
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Feelings | Solo Show