Biography
Peter Monaghan is an Irish artist living and working in Dublin. A graduate of the National College of Art and Design, he has worked as an award winning graphic designer, run his own graphics design business, worked as an art lecturer in the Dun Laoghaire College of Art and for the past decade, produced distinctive, sought after art pieces.
The result of his interest and research into the experience of looking, Monaghan’s work demands that the viewer actively participate in the dialogue. Every movement, tilt of the head or squint of an eye tests the ability to keep up with his inventions. The aesthetic pleasure derived is not just visual, but cerebral. Almost all of his work is comprised of colour planes attached to a single colour background. Considering the self-imposed limitations; the colour, size, rhythm and compositional associations have presented a complete variety of expression which, in turn, has proven to be infinitely adaptable. He articulates and orchestrates his colours to contrast and interact, while phrasing and placing complimentary elements. The desired effect is to make the viewer question what is real, and what is imagined; what is the foreground and background and why are the colours and shapes shifting. The work is a personal exploration of the relationship between two and three dimensions and the illusions that result from that exploration.
Monaghan’s work has been shown in Dublin, Bristol and London as well as mainland Europe, Asia and the USA. In 2010 he was awarded the National Allianz Business to Arts Award. His commissioned work can be seen in the V.I.P. Presidential Suite in Dublin Airport, the Gibson Hotel and the Beacon Clinic. He has produced large-scale installations for UCD’s scientific centre, The Marker hotel in collaboration with Scott Tallon Walker, and One Grand Parade in collaboration with O.M.S.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2020 FOLD, Heather Gaudio Fine Art, New Canaan, CT
2018 Coastal Structures (and an Ice Cream Van), MoMA Machynlleth, Wales
2017 Fold, Gormley’s Fine Art, Dublin
2017 Lúnasa, Cill Rialaig Co. Kerry
2016 Ómós, Cill Rialaig Co. Kerry
2015 Cube Gallery, London
2013 Transitions, Gas Gallery, Oriel Nwy, Aberystwyth, Wales, UK
2013 Hadfield Fine Art, Cheltenham, Autumn Exhibition 2013
2010 Cube Gallery, Bristol
2008 Gormleys Fine Art, Dublin
2005 Coloured Rain, Belfast
2005 Coloured Rain, Belfast
2002 The Oisin Gallery, Dublin
Selected Group Exhibitions
2021 Spring Group Exhibition, Gormleys Fine Art, Dublin
2020 Summer Selections, Heather Gaudio Fine Art, New Canaan
2020 Ian Davenport & Peter Monaghan, Gormleys Fine Art, Dublin
2020 Christmas Group Exhibition, Gormleys Fine Art, Dublin
2020 Christmas Exhibition, Cube Gallery, London
2020 Cut, Fold, Burn, Cube Gallery, London
2019 Christmas Group Show, Gormleys Fine Art, Dublin, Belfast & UK
2019 Collect, Cube Galler, London
2016 Color Separation, Heather Gaudio Fine Art, New Canaan, CT
2012 Cube Gallery, London
2012-2002 Art First Gallery, London
igse Carlow Arts Festival
2012-2004 RHA, Dublin
2007 Coloured Rain, Belfast
2006 Oisin Gallery, Dublin
2004 Elgse Carlow Art Festival, Dublin
2002 Art First Gallery, London