Black Pool, White Water, by Jason Ellis recently unveiled at the Garda Memorial Garden in Dublin Castle is an ideal example of the timeless quality of abstract sculpture, writes Riann Coulter.
One of the advantages of working in an art gallery is the opportunity to become familiar with art works in a way that is usually the preserve of the artist or their patrons. Over the last few months I have had the luxury of spending time with nine of Jason Ellis’ sculptures which are currently on display in the garden of the F E McWilliam Gallery & Studio, Banbridge. Despite the differences in style, subject matter and materials, Ellis’ abstract stone sculptures sit harmoniously beside McWilliam’s bronze figurative works which include Homer (Belfast City Hospital) and Woman in a Bomb Blast. The rhythmical forms of Ellis’ sculptures, such as December Sea Swim (Fig 1), echo the sensuous lines of McWilliam’s iconic work Legs Static and, plus attention to surface texture and pattern produces tactile qualities that make it practically impossible (even for a curator) to resist defying the optimistically placed Do Not Touch signs.