Robert Ballagh
Robert Ballagh is a self taught artist whose development has been visible since he first began painting as an assistant to his friend and contemporary artist, Michael Farrell. Ballagh's work is forever in flux according to his position on the role and function of contemporary art in society. As an artist, his work is assertively political in nature and communicates a message in a direct and poignant way.
In 1967 Ballagh attended the ROSC exhibition and was influenced by what he saw there, particularly American Pop Art. Thanks to his exposure, Ballagh became one of Ireland's first pop artists. His reference to Old Master works is often present though sometimes subtle. Something of a chameleon, his work does not have an enduring style as such, as he evolves at the point of realisation of its limitations. Despite this, Ballagh's work is distinctive and he largely lies within the styles of pop art and photo realism.
Ballagh took part in 1972 Exhibition of Living Art. For all the labels that could be attached to Ballagh and is work, he is known as an art activist more than anything else. Kiberd noted in 2006 “His paintings which consist that the personal is political and the political is personal, because no final distinction can anyway be made." Read More
In 1967 Ballagh attended the ROSC exhibition and was influenced by what he saw there, particularly American Pop Art. Thanks to his exposure, Ballagh became one of Ireland's first pop artists. His reference to Old Master works is often present though sometimes subtle. Something of a chameleon, his work does not have an enduring style as such, as he evolves at the point of realisation of its limitations. Despite this, Ballagh's work is distinctive and he largely lies within the styles of pop art and photo realism.
Ballagh took part in 1972 Exhibition of Living Art. For all the labels that could be attached to Ballagh and is work, he is known as an art activist more than anything else. Kiberd noted in 2006 “His paintings which consist that the personal is political and the political is personal, because no final distinction can anyway be made." Read More
