Tom Byrne

Tom Byrne was born in Dublin in 1962. He studied at Dun Laoghaire College of Art and Design, where he trained in the Bauhaus tradition, a revolutionary 20th century school of artistic training which integrated craftsmanship, art and technology.

Byrne describes, "religion, politics and celebrity all play equally important roles in my work". His strong interest in current affairs along with his punk mentality merges to create an artist who is in tune with the world around him. Informed by spirituality and popular culture alike, the artist thinks of himself as a contemporary artist first and foremost, selecting beauty from everyday experience and channelling it into painterly abstractions.

Byrne is highly influenced by the writings of Samuel Beckett and James Joyce. Byrne pays homage to these leading Irish writers in his paintings throughout his portrait series, depicting these intellectuals in a "veristic" manner. This verism harks back to ancient Roman portraits, characterized by the inclusion of minuscule details including all the furrows and wrinkles of the skin. He modernizes this technique with loose brushstrokes, occasional impasto, and a very vibrant palette.

In addition to portraiture, the Irish coastline and bridges of the Liffey are also prominent themes in Byrne's oeuvre. The theme of the Liffey bridges has become his most ambitious series yet, and as a result his book, North Side, South Side: 117 Views of the Liffey Bridges, was recently published.

Tom Byrne's style is very unique, he creates luxurious textures in nuanced, lush layers of paint and structured layers of colour, mediated by his own aesthetic experiences. Swirls of jewel-like colours transcend opaque, opulent washes of tone. Furthermore he utilizes wax to create a luminous tangible surface which creates a multi-sensory experience, engaging the viewer not just on a visual level, but through a tactile experience as well.