Richard Proffitt’s practice may best be described as evincing a preoccupation with the interspersal of the esoteric, the phenomenological and the darkly fantastical amid the everyday, and often unremarkable, artifacts of childhood and adolescent experience. We observe the conflict, and ultimate coalescence, of these extremities as they are represented in the work of A Memory Circular.

Over the last two years, Proffitt has focused his practice almost entirely on painting and, in doing so, has ostensibly arrived at a point of transition from prior, predominantly large scale, installation work. The notion of complete divergence, however, would seem to be in error. Rendered on found pieces of untamed, irregularly cut wood, the paintings of A Memory Circular retain, and even augment, the preoccupations characteristic of previous installation work; the juxtaposition of the ordinary and the mystic, the ritualistic cohabitating with rubbish.

Extracts from ‘Fragrant portals, dimly starred’, an accompanying text by Mary O’Halloran.

A Memory Circular is accompanied by a limited, free publication designed by Richard Proffitt. This free publication is available to visitors at the opening on 19th August.

This work was made with the support of the Arts Council Bursary.

Richard Proffitt, born 1985 (Liverpool), lives and works in Dublin. Richard is currently showing new work at Phase 2 of EVA International 2020-21 in Limerick. He is a member of Temple Bar Gallery + Studios. Recent solo exhibitions include Every Leaf Was Turning, Kevin Kavanagh Viewing Room (Online Exhibition, 2020), May The Moon Rise And The Sun Set, UCC Music Department, Cork in collaboration with Glucksman & Cork Midsummer Festival (2019), Written in Water, Shone in Stone, Lost in Light, Kevin Kavanagh, Dublin (2017), Hold The Candle To Your Eye/Light The Criss-Cross On Your Chest, Sirius Arts Centre, Cobh (2016), Wild Cries of Ha-Ha, Kevin Kavanagh, Dublin (2015). Recent selected group exhibitions include High Day, Kevin Kavanagh, Dublin (2019), Display, Link and Cure, The Complex, Dublin (2019), They Call Us The Screamers, TULCA Festival of Visual Arts, 126 Gallery, Galway (2017).