Painting after painting

Cross Gallery, 59 Francis St, Dublin Until Jul 28 01-4738978

No one could accuse Michael Coleman of settling into a stylistic groove – Coleman’s unpredictability has been a hallmark throughout his career, and one feels that if he ever felt he was too comfortable with what he was doing he’d abandon it and move on. Which is pretty much what he has done, in fact.

David Hockney once remarked that generally artists weren’t that worried about the distinction

between abstraction and representation. Coleman is a perfect illustration of that, moving seamlessly from almost austere minimalist abstraction to fairly straightforward representation without any qualms. The snag is that an audience can come to expect stylistic consistency, and Coleman is in the business of not providing it.

“If I were to say what the paintings are about, I would say they are about nature,” he remarks of his new work. “The finished work is always a surprise.” His fusion of figuration and abstraction is an attempt to convey “the everyday experiences of my life.”

Can’t see that? Catch this

Up in Smoke No Grants Gallery, Temple Bar, Dublin Until Jul 26