Seawood - Irish Art

'Seawood' - new art by Christopher Banahan - Hallward Gallery, Dublin is on the theme of children caught in a moment of contemplation, freeze framed in a timeless state, Another unusual twist in this show is that the painter turns the focus on himself, revealing intimate portraits of his face and hands. The exhibition also continues the theme of reworking popular old masters paintings with an installation of Leonardo da Vinci 'Lady in Ermine' (face detail). Each portrait in this installation is painted on a different colour ground to give a different tonal mood therefore making each one unique with subtle changes of expression in the interpretation. The reworking of such famous images in repetition reveals more about the interpreter than the original artist or muse, and questions the symbiotic nature of viewing. Ends 27th January. Irish Art