PATRICK DONOHOE
A l i g n m e n t

Opening: Tuesday, 15 February 2005
Drinks with the Artist from 6-8pm

Exhibition: 15 - 27 February 2005

Patrick Donohoe’s work continues to bridge the seemingly outward act of creation of an artwork and the inward focus of meditation, using the medium to explore the necessary discipline undertaken in meditative practice in order to allow the chaos of the mind, and hence the form of the work, to unravel towards a calm balanced rhythm.

Immediately one is taken by the creation of an optical effect, but equally the ripple effect on one’s consciousness is tangible. As the ink circles drift constantly from dark to light, the surface of the work moves and undulates, evoking notions of mechanical repetition and computer code, the cogitations of the mind as it seeks to understand its own experience.

The work successfully links the organic pattern of nature with the pattern experienced visually, of the mind. The repeating forms also provide a hypnotic effect, providing a focus for meditation/contemplation. Here one finds reference to a frequent theme found in Buddhist art; the motif of the "thousand Buddha’s" depicted as rows of tiny identical Buddha’s. In his exploration of the effect of repetition, Patrick allows the medium of ink on panels to take its natural course, intervening to refill the pen nib, and re-applying the marks, continuing, like in meditation, until some clarity of form and rhythm appears.

Integral to Donohoe's work is his desire to embed the facilitation of a united experience between the artist and the viewer. The spontaneity of this experience asks the viewer to touch upon forms and ideas that are both recognisable and unrecognisable in the same moment.