Artists: Annika Berglund, Hugh Cummins, Mary A. Fitzgerald, David Fox, Nickie Hayden, Eoin Mac Lochlainn, Miriam McConnon, Sheila Naughton, Yanny Petters, Kelly Ratchford, Vicky Smith and Maria Atanacković.

In a year of upheavals, combining -paradoxically- paradigm shifts and unchallenged status quo, the Olivier Cornet Gallery is presenting a themeless exhibition, or rather one featuring many themes. With ‘Contrasts’, we will -more than ever before maybe- highlight the rich diversity of artists the gallery is working with, showcasing examples of their work this year. The exhibition purports to assemble in unison a wide selection of contrasting colours, media and practices.

Our visitors can expect surprises too with, for instance, a new series of small works in glass by Kelly Ratchford, juxtaposed with more familiar themes: Miriam McConnon continues to explore the theme of people displaced by conflict with her great new series of Domestic Resistance. For her piece Domestic Resistance V, the artist writes

“In this painting, a wedding dress is laid out like an ancient artifact. It is crumpled and aged. It holds a narrative in the pattern that is encrypted into its fabric. These patterns are personal testimonies from the artist’s life. It is an autobiographical work, a testimony to her personal domestic resistance . This is rare for the artist Miriam McConnon whose practice is usually based around the personal narratives of other people’s lives.

Miriam’s recent work examines the link between pattern and tribalism in archaeology and social history. She expresses the personal accounts of people displaced by conflict through objects and patterns related to their individual journey. These objects are presented like ancient artifacts that display evidence of resilience in the face of the trauma of war.”

Nickie Hayden‘s new painting ‘Healing Totems’ is also a new departure for the artist who has been working in a more minimalist way of late, and yet the artist continues to imbue her work with a strong sense of empathy. 

My painting and its underlying intentions are heartfelt. I have embedded healing symbols and incorporated elements from modalities like Reiki into my new work, I am channelling a positive, transformative energy that goes beyond the canvas. Art has an incredible power to convey emotions and inspire change, especially when it’s infused with the genuine wish for healing, love, and tolerance that I am describing.

It’s true that the world often feels weighed down by greed, inequality, and environmental neglect, and it can feel overwhelming to try to make a difference. However, my work stands as a testament to the idea that change begins with small acts—acts of expression, empathy, and connection. Art has the capacity to awaken people, provoke thought, and spread a ripple of positivity and hope. Even if it touches just one person profoundly, it has made an impact. 

For this winter group exhibition, we have also invited the artist Maria Atanacković, winner of the Signal Arts Centre’s Open Exhibition 2024.

Contrasts features work by Annika Berglund, Hugh Cummins, Mary A. Fitzgerald, David Fox, Nickie Hayden, Eoin Mac Lochlainn, Miriam McConnon, Sheila Naughton, Yanny Petters, Kelly Ratchford, Vicky Smith and Maria Atanacković.