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- Darragh Ryan
Darragh
Ryan
Why Is Everything I Do A Self Portrait?
My work explores themes of identity, firstly as a person but also as an artist, through an autobiographical lens. I work across various mediums and surfaces including wooden panels and canvases, using them as open-ended spaces where collage, printmaking, drawing and photography intersect. My work focuses on self-portraiture in a traditional sense, contrasted with abstracted, humorous imagery of myself.
Some of the portraits appear playful and whimsical (and borderline terrifying!), but they ask deeper questions about how we perceive and construct ourselves.
Each artwork reflects aspects of my own identity, through subconscious decisions and emotional states. My work is an exploration of what these decisions mean for me.
Screenprinting, airbrushing, drawing, spray 2666, mark-making and photography are central to my practice with each work being an amalgamation of all or some of these methodologies. This allows for unique, almost random creations to emerge, free from the constraints of predefined formats.
I have been using chance as a way of creating non-linear narratives that evolve and layer in unpredictable ways. This strategy helps me to avoid prioritising perfection in order to create a work of art.
Pulling inspiration from the punk and graffiti subcultures, my canvases are placed on a wall that has been constantly evolving over the last few months, creating a fully immersive experience that showcases my art practice. The background is covered with layers of paint, prints, drawings and other mark- making techniques.