Contemporary Art Gallery Association Exhibition: Salvatore of Lucan | Fancy Situations

Kevin Kavanagh

6th June 2024 @ 6:00pm

Exhibition: Salvatore of Lucan | Fancy Situations

Salvatore of Lucan
Fancy Situations
6th – 29th June 2024

Opening Thursday 6th June 2024
Reception from 6pm

The Gallery is pleased to present Fancy Situations, a solo exhibition by Salvatore of Lucan.

‘When I looked through images of the paintings in Fancy Situations, I was thinking that one thing I’ve always liked about Salvatore’s work is how friendly it feels to me. I don’t often feel that way about visual art, quite the opposite actually- more often it feels like both me and the artwork are approaching each other with suspicion and coldness, sizing each other up. Here though, I feel invited in, and the invitation sometimes feels cosy and natural, like the domestic scenes that make me miss my family and friends and Ireland, and sometimes the invitation feels illicit and funny, something I’m not usually privy to, like seeing the blood of someone else’s sex which makes me feel giddy and rude.

I think part of why I feel at home in this work is that there’s something reassuringly of childhood in it. I don’t mean formally, of course, or that Salvatore is naive about his own work or intentions, but rather something to do with a lack of guile that is intrinsic to unvarnished physical desires. Need doesn’t stop after childhood, but we do learn to mask it, make it more artful and less abject. Here, need is as innocently and plainly overt as a baby’s, whether the need is for food or physical comfort or play. Mostly what I like and feel a kinship with is the need to mesh one’s own body and self with your fellows and your surroundings, leaking and spreading out into each other. I always feel a sense of proxy-pride when I see a painting of one of Sal’s friends, to think how good it would feel to be loved that particular way.’

Extract from an Accompanying Text written by Irish journalist and author, Megan Nolan.

This exhibition coincides with the launch of a new publication Fancy Situations, Dead Present, Etc.. by Salvatore of Lucan. Featuring a commissioned text by Megan Nolan, published by Kevin Kavanagh, produced by Brian Teeling and designed by Keith Nally.