Kolobris, oils on canvas, 152 x 122cm
Kolobris, oils on canvas, 152 x 122cm

In Beautiful Decay we encounter art history, botany, the seasons, the cycle of life (and death), and a spectrum of feelings. Through the melancholy of Keatsian romanticism and the tenderness of maternal love, these paintings confront us with much that is familiar and often uncomfortable. Light and shadow move through floral arrangements in various states of decay while the materiality of paint, of surface, texture and technique disrupts and at times, energises.  Sara O’Rourke 

 

We are delighted to present Melissa O’Donnell's inaugural solo exhibition with Solomon Fine Art. In this, the artist’s first since her impressive 2021 solo at the Royal Hibernian Academy of Arts, O’Donnell presents a new body of paintings which offer a contemporary take on botanical art whilst paying tribute to past masters and historical depictions of this genre. 


O’Donnell has exhibited both nationally and internationally. Her work was included in the recent Sotheby’s Irish Art sales in London and Paris and has been exhibited online at the Contemporary Irish Arts Centre, Los Angeles.  In 2020 she was shortlisted for the prestigious John Moore's Painting Prize and was a selected painter on the Turps Contemporary Painting Mentorship Program, London 2018-2021. In 2019 she was awarded a summer residency at Notre Dame Global University, Galway. O’Donnell’s work is held in both private and public collections, including the OPW State Art Collection and the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland, Dublin.

 

** Works may be previewed and purchased before opening night on May 4

- Red dots below indicate works that are already SOLD

- Yellow dots indicate works that are on temporary reserve.  

Please contact us via info@solomonfineart.ie or call +353 1 672 4429 to enquire about reserved works 

Melissa O'Donnell: Beautiful Decay