Ken Browne's new collection of paintings stems from a strikingly original and poignant theme, the basis of which finds its source in the work of unknown painters of the Italian Renaissance and pre-Renaissance period.
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On a trip to Italy earlier in the year, Ken came across such works during visits to out of the way churches not usually deemed as tourist destinations. Here he was struck by the severity of the atmosphere and the strong sense of sorrow and despair which permeated the pieces of art displayed. However despite this there was also an underlying beauty present in the backgrounds of the paintings, the golden hues and hazy atmosphere of which gave the paintings a poignancy and beauty independent of any religious subject matter. The backgrounds of such pieces, for example the Stations of the Cross, are usually of a dark and sombre colouring, with their aged appearance being characterized by the presence of craquelure, the hair line cracks that run throughout the surface of a painting once the varnish has reached a certain age.
In Ken's new collection the power and sombre mood of the paintings is captured without the inclusion of actual figures, with a clear focus on the depth and moving quality of the landscapes. As with all of Ken's work, the absence of figures results in the viewer's immediate immersion in the painting.
Though religious works of this nature are often depictions of graphic despair and even death, the ever present landscapes behind are a consistent source of beauty that in general goes unnoticed. Ken's present work shows that these paintings are just as powerful and absorbing without the inclusion of figures of any nature, and that their effect can be uplifting and thought-provoking.
While the basis of this theme is that of landscapes, its development depends on the perpetual poignancy of mood conveyed. The overall impact resulting from the exploration of this theme has been so strong for Ken it may indeed fuel a second collection of a similar nature.
In Ken's new collection the power and sombre mood of the paintings is captured without the inclusion of actual figures, with a clear focus on the depth and moving quality of the landscapes. As with all of Ken's work, the absence of figures results in the viewer's immediate immersion in the painting.
Though religious works of this nature are often depictions of graphic despair and even death, the ever present landscapes behind are a consistent source of beauty that in general goes unnoticed. Ken's present work shows that these paintings are just as powerful and absorbing without the inclusion of figures of any nature, and that their effect can be uplifting and thought-provoking.
While the basis of this theme is that of landscapes, its development depends on the perpetual poignancy of mood conveyed. The overall impact resulting from the exploration of this theme has been so strong for Ken it may indeed fuel a second collection of a similar nature.
Sue Rainsford, Trinity College Arts.