Adam's IMPORTANT IRISH ART Auction Wednesday 24th March 2021

30 20 PATRICK COLLINS HRHA (1910-1994) West of Ireland Fishing Village, 1968 Oil on board, 68 x 83cm (26¾ x 32¾’’) Signed Provenance: Ritchie Hendriks Gallery label verso The highly subjective nature of art can create somewhat of a minefield for critics but no one could disagree with Brian Fallon when he said ‘A painting by Patrick Collins is immediately recognisable, modernist in sensibility and wholly original.’ Throughout his career, Collins’ output was suffused with images of western Ireland, however he did not succumb to the usual portrayal of white-washed cottages persevering in romantic landscapes. Born in Sligo, Collins felt an emotional connection to the land and he wished to convey its meaning and unique personality to his viewers. He believed that each place held a deep history, layered in the archaeology of the ground and this stratification is carried through to his paintings. By building up each work gradually with repeated layers of translucent paints, Collins created a palimpsest of moody tones, each coating offering an insight into the complexity of the overall image. Collins persuades the viewer to actively engage with his work by abstracting the subject matter. With the provision of a title, we are told what to look for at a base level and our mind begins the puzzle of sorting through shape and colour to formulate a realistic image. In West of Ireland Fishing Village , the smudge of white to the left suddenly becomes a seagull in flight, the brown beyond, the wind scraped coastline. The houses emerge through the mist, the obscurity of their structure reminding us that they are but one layer in this eternal vista. The uneven painted border, an effect often implemented in Collins’ work, ensures that the scene will not be encroached upon by the addition of a frame. The roughly hewn edges cannot be straightened and thus stand as a testament to the abrasive nature of the wind and water. Patrick Collins was lauded during his lifetime and he was viewed as a pioneer for Irish art. In 1980, Collins was elected to the Honorary Council of the Royal Hibernian Academy, in 1981 he was elected to Aosdána and in 1987 he received the highest accolade when he was granted the title of Saoi, the first fine artist to join this exclusive association. Now, nearly thirty years after his death, Collins’ work continues to captivate audiences, his battle to encapsulate history rendering each piece timeless. Helena Carlyle, 2021 € 20,000 - 30,000 CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOGRAPHS AND BIDDING