.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
Stephen Conroy studied at the Glasgow School of Art, graduating in 1987 to critical acclaim. In that same year his work was included in The Vigorous Imagination at the Scottish Gallery of Modern Art. Since that time he has held numerous solo exhibtions in Glasgow, London, Paris and New York.
The Entrance II exemplifies both Conroy's outstanding ability as a draughtsman and his technical skill in the dramatic manipulation of light through colour. These aspects demonstrate Conroy's knowledge and understanding of the Italian Old Masters, particularly Caravaggio. Conroy draws on the art of the Baroque and succeeds in creating a style of his own that is unquestionably modern. The large scale, sometimes life-size, figures reconcile traditional portraiture with a solidity of presence that brings them into the modern era, drawing on 20th Century precursors such as Francis Bacon.
Conroy has created a new figural language which is both contemporary and ground breaking. Entrance II typifies his recent work using the device of black strips to mark out the force fields in which the figure is presented. Conroy creates both physical and emotional tensions in introducing this highly abstract feature. The unexplained barriers frame his figure in an enigmatic, inaccessible world. Conroy forces the viewer to relinquish any understanding of the space the figure occupies. This enables him to draw the viewers attention to his particular area of interest: his fascination with, and exploration of, psychological expression.
Conroy's paintings are in high demand on the global art market and can therefore only be viewed by virtue of loans from collections. His work has been of central attention at the Basle Art Fair. The offering of this work provides a rare opportunity to acquire such a seminal painting by this artist.
Works by Conroe are included in the collections of The British Council, London, Contemporary Art Society, London, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, National Portrait Gallery, London, Robert Fleming Holding Ltd., London, The Royal College of Surgeons, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh and the Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester.
The Entrance II exemplifies both Conroy's outstanding ability as a draughtsman and his technical skill in the dramatic manipulation of light through colour. These aspects demonstrate Conroy's knowledge and understanding of the Italian Old Masters, particularly Caravaggio. Conroy draws on the art of the Baroque and succeeds in creating a style of his own that is unquestionably modern. The large scale, sometimes life-size, figures reconcile traditional portraiture with a solidity of presence that brings them into the modern era, drawing on 20th Century precursors such as Francis Bacon.
Conroy has created a new figural language which is both contemporary and ground breaking. Entrance II typifies his recent work using the device of black strips to mark out the force fields in which the figure is presented. Conroy creates both physical and emotional tensions in introducing this highly abstract feature. The unexplained barriers frame his figure in an enigmatic, inaccessible world. Conroy forces the viewer to relinquish any understanding of the space the figure occupies. This enables him to draw the viewers attention to his particular area of interest: his fascination with, and exploration of, psychological expression.
Conroy's paintings are in high demand on the global art market and can therefore only be viewed by virtue of loans from collections. His work has been of central attention at the Basle Art Fair. The offering of this work provides a rare opportunity to acquire such a seminal painting by this artist.
Works by Conroe are included in the collections of The British Council, London, Contemporary Art Society, London, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, National Portrait Gallery, London, Robert Fleming Holding Ltd., London, The Royal College of Surgeons, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh and the Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester.