Micheal Farrell
Micheal Farrell was born in Meath. He studied at St Martin’s School of Art in London from 1956-60 and later Colchester College of Art. At this point, he spent time in Donegal and explored the Celtic revival. He settled in Paris at La Ruche studios in 1971, amidst a network of artists apartments. His style is distinctive and combines hard edged pattern and figurative references to a muted background. He consciously introduced Celtic motifs from 1965 as well as increasingly making reference to his Irish heritage though his engagement with Ireland’s political situation in his two best known series, the Pressée series and Miss O’Murphy/ Madonna Irlanda.
Though Farrell spent his formative years away from Ireland, he remained engaged with the countries issues around Irish identity and how it hinges on our culture, history and politics. Especially, he was interested in the Troubles in the North and its impact on this question of identity through social history. Early in his career he established himself as one of the leading Irish artists of his generation, asserting a body of work that both referenced his Irish heritage as well as engaging with broader international artistic movements. He found a name for this new style- Celtic abstraction.
His work has been shown in Ireland, England, France, Belgium, USA and Yugoslavia. Farrell was awarded the Carroll Prize in 1964, 1965, 1967 and 1968. His work is in a number of important collections including Ulster Museum, Belfast; Douglas Art Gallery, Dublin; Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin; City Museum of Manchester Art Gallery, Manchester; Pompidou Centre and Musee d’Art Modern, Paris. He is an elected member of Aosdána.
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Though Farrell spent his formative years away from Ireland, he remained engaged with the countries issues around Irish identity and how it hinges on our culture, history and politics. Especially, he was interested in the Troubles in the North and its impact on this question of identity through social history. Early in his career he established himself as one of the leading Irish artists of his generation, asserting a body of work that both referenced his Irish heritage as well as engaging with broader international artistic movements. He found a name for this new style- Celtic abstraction.
His work has been shown in Ireland, England, France, Belgium, USA and Yugoslavia. Farrell was awarded the Carroll Prize in 1964, 1965, 1967 and 1968. His work is in a number of important collections including Ulster Museum, Belfast; Douglas Art Gallery, Dublin; Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin; City Museum of Manchester Art Gallery, Manchester; Pompidou Centre and Musee d’Art Modern, Paris. He is an elected member of Aosdána.
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