AIDAN SHARKEY
Instagram: @aidan8500
The key theme at the heart of my practice is ‘The Self’. My work takes a lot of
inspiration from my own life and the journeys and events that have shaped my life.
My work addresses many subject matters ranging from inner reflection, environment,
identity and social issues, focusing mostly on issues that have affected me
personally.
Patterns, contrasts, close-ups and juxtapositions of the everyday are all featured
heavily in my work’s subject matter. I tend to paint from subjects that my eyes fall
naturally to in my everyday life, with ambitions to amplify the mundane monotony
that others might disregard or fail to notice.
With my current series of works; titled ‘Recovery’. I aimed to take a critical view of
the medical, social, political and cultural issues concerning mental health, particularly
focusing on my own mental health issues. In my work, I deconstructed the key
aspects that are used in the treatment of mental health illnesses in Ireland today.
In creating this work I mainly focused on the impact that practicing art has had, and
also highlighted the importance that it has had on my own journey to recovery.
This series of work is heavily inspired by the deconstructing of the therapies and
skills I learned while I was a patient of the HSE Mental Health Services for almost a
decade. I rigorously tore apart my daily commute piece by piece and transcribed it to
the canvas, much like how cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) has taught me to
overcome and mange the struggles I face on a daily basis due to my own mental
health issues. With my painting practice I aim to create new artworks that can raise
awareness and hope it can spark action and conversation about the above issues.