Hughie O'Donoghue

Born in Manchester, England, in 1953, Hughie O'Donoghue's Irish heritage and deep connection to his roots have had a profound influence on his artistic expression. His exploration of personal and collective memory is highly individual and he is considered amongst Ireland’s most important artists. O'Donoghue's work primarily revolves around the human figure, depicted on occasion in introspective, contemplative poses. His often vibrantly coloured paintings are richly layered, generally large in scale and are characterised by elaborately textured surfaces and a particular use of the medium. There is significant depth and emotional resonance in his works and his charcoal drawings display an uncommon technical dexterity. One of the most significant aspects of O'Donoghue's oeuvre is his exploration of the themes of identity, memory, and history. The artist frequently draws on historical events, mythological... Show morenarratives and personal experiences, presenting a complex and multifaceted compendium of works. O'Donoghue's ability to merge the personal and the universal on a grand scale allows viewers to engage with his art in a practically immersive fashion. Several museums have given O'Donoghue solo exhibitions including Haus der Kunst, Munich; Imperial War Museum, London; Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge; The Gemeentemuseum, The Hague and The National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin. He was artist in residence at the National Gallery, London from 1984-85. Throughout his career, O'Donoghue has created notable series of works. His early, monumental series Sleeper and Red Earth interpret the history of the ground itself, exploring what the soil may hold and why: examining the bodies placed in it or that may have fallen or otherwise come to be there. The discovery of his father’s war diaries led to the series A Line of Retreat. Interpreting moments from the soldier’s experiences throughout the Second World War became a starting point for a prodigious consideration of that period through the medium of richly surfaced paint and heavy carborundum etchings. O'Donoghue's ability to merge history and personal experience frequently creates a compelling, resonant narrative. ARCHEUS / POST-MODERN are principal dealers in Hughie O'Donoghue's early works and his graphic works. The following institutions hold his work: Arts Council of Great Britain Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia Ashmolean Museum, Oxford Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery British Museum Cartwright Hall Art Gallery, Bradford Chester Beatty Library, Dublin Cleveland County Museums, Middlesbrough Crawford Art Gallery, Cork Djanogly Art Gallery, University of Nottingham Dublin City Gallery, Hugh Lane, Dublin Eton College, Windsor, Berkshire Ferens Art Gallery, Hull Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge Gemeentemuseum, Den Haag, Netherlands Huddersfield Art Gallery Hugh Lane Municipal Gallery of Modern Art, Dublin Hunt Museum, Limerick Hunterian Art Gallery, University of Glasgow The Imperial War Museum, London The Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin Mayo General Hospital Michigan Museum of Art, Ann Arbor National University of Ireland, Cork National University of Ireland, Galway National University of Ireland, Maynooth The National Gallery, London The Royal Collection, Windsor Castle St John’s College, University of Oxford Trinity College Dublin Trinity Hall, Cambridge Ulster Museum, Belfast Victoria Art Gallery, Bath Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester Yale Center for British Art, New Haven