Donald Teskey RHA (b.1956)
Thomas Street, Dublin
Oil on canvas, 168 x 213.5cm (66 x 84'')
Signed. Also signed, inscribed and dated 2004 verso

Donald Teskey was born in Castle Matrix, Co....

Donald Teskey RHA (b.1956)
Thomas Street, Dublin
Oil on canvas, 168 x 213.5cm (66 x 84'')
Signed. Also signed, inscribed and dated 2004 verso

Donald Teskey was born in Castle Matrix, Co. Limerick and studied Fine Art in the Limerick College of Art and Design where he graduated in 1979. Just a year later he had his first solo exhibition in the Lincoln Gallery, this was to be the beginning of many pivotal solo shows, originally focusing on drawing and eventually evolving into large scale oil paintings. His work explores the ever changing Irish landscape, be it the densely populated streets of Dublin or more recently, the rugged cliffs and harbour villages along the western coastline.

 

Teskey states in an interview with Mike Fitzpatrick that his paintings are an exploration of contemporary techniques. Interestingly we see these contemporary techniques within what is often considered a traditional genre, that of landscape painting. This contrast allows for a less romanticised version of the Irish landscape that we have become so accustomed to, resulting in intensely powerful images wrought with movement and each with its own distinct atmosphere.

 

Thomas Street is part of a body of works focusing on urban landscapes. In this instance, Teskeys contemporary techniques are shown by the thick gestural brush strokes of rich oil pigment, creating a focus on texture and allowing the medium to be of equal importance as the subject matter itself. His interest in hard-edged abstraction is evident in the clear focus on colour, light and shape.

 

Thomas Street is unique in itself as an integral part of Dublins inner-city landscape. It is a street that has maintained its character and charm despite on-going gentrification, a digital hub yet a glimpse into old Dublin. Modern structures stand alongside Georgian red brick and derelict frames with boarded up windows are intertwined with an array of street vendors, the stream of traffic often interrupted by a horse and cart. Teskeys piece however captures the street at a rare quiet time, before the working day has begun. It is also fitting that the National College of Art and Design stands here, where many of Teskeys contemporaries began their careers.

Isobel Foley NCAD September 2016

 

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