Jenny Fitzgibbon previews work from John Boyd’s forthcoming exhibition at the Cross Gallery, Dublin and assesses his explorations into the nature of perception.
The word image, when used in photographic terms, is used to refer a visual representation to its counterpart in the real world. Painters have another more abstract definition of the term, used to reference a mental representation created not through direct perception but internally in the mind’s eye. Since the mid 1970s, John Boyd has made an enquiry into the artifice of image making a central concern in his paintings. This exploration between what is real and perceived underpins Boyd’s practice, and it has informed his interest in subjects ranging from toy models to the figure. While his paintings have previously depicted elusive scenarios, the selection of works for exhibition at the Cross Gallery, Dublin exhibit different concerns. Painted in a subdued palette of greys and blues, Boyd’s recent paintings bring his ongoing interest in psychology to the fore.
David Davidson pays tribute to Bill Doyle, Dublin-born master photographer, who in these fond studies has left an indelible record of his country