As if proof were needed, the recent phenomenally successful Tony O'Malley exhibition has now firmly established the Fenton Gallery as one of the top venues in the country. Following on from such a landmark would always be a difficult proposition but in a way, Brian Kennedy's current exhibition of abstract monoprints offers a calming, contemplative antidote.
The essential format of Kennedy's work remains intact throughout, consisting of horizontal and vertical rectangular divisions of the pictorial space. This template is fleshed out by Kennedy's investigation of different colour arrangements, predominantly low key, but nonetheless complex. A perfunctory scan of the selection might well lead some to the conclusion that these prints are overly uniform and clinical. A more studied approach, however, will reveal how layers of colour interact with great subtlety and control, forcing the eye to untangle the myriad of possibilities as the constituent parts of the images shift in emphasis and focus.
In the vaulted space of the gallery is the appropriately enigmatic work of part instrument technician, part artist, Mick O'Shea. This atmospheric annex is perfect for O'Shea, particularly for his illuminated lamp sculptures. The influence underpinning the work is Christian reliquary and imagery with an Eastern European flavour present through reference to St. Vitus and the infant of Prague. In these sculptures O'Shea takes parts of statues and elegant cast glass motifs and attaches these to metal structures, making bizarre creations of otherworldly intrigue. Imagine a cross between a Dalek and a cleric and you get an insight into O'Shea's gnarled, Baconesque imagination.
Runs until 28th Oct.