"The Quick and the Dead"

In 1986 four Irish Artists appeared in a collaborative exhibition between Northeastern University and Boston College called: “Four Irish Expressionists”. Over twenty years later The Hugh Lane – Dublin City Gallery reunites Patrick Graham, Patrick Hall, Timothy Hawkesworth and Brian Maguire in another collective show. “The Quick and the Dead” is a timely exhibition that revisits the uncertain Ireland of the 1980’s creating an analogy with the current social and economic landscape of Ireland. Social, religious and political anger is present throughout the show despite the two decades gap between some of the artworks. The artists through the use of a crude and dramatic approach to colour, form and their materials achieve the sense of anger impeccably. Of particular interest is Timothy Hawkesworth’s painting “The Sower at Night” (1986). There is an obvious link to Jean François Millet’s painting “The Sower”, however, the pleasant social reality of the peasant is transformed by Hawkesworth into inner demons and darkness due to the lack of options.