Sean Durkin: Art for All

York Fine Arts is delighted to announce, ‘Sean Durkin: Art for All!’, its fifth solo show of original paintings, by British contemporary artist Sean Durkin. Shining a light on Britain’s industrial past, Sean’s work brims with grit and the artist’s signature wry sense humour. His interests lie in the collective struggles and merrymaking of ordinary working people, challenging preconceived notions of what and who merits being the subject of a painting. 

Though grounded in the realities of industrial life, Sean’s paintings are characterized by a sense of playfulness, and a lightness of heart. While droves of ‘matchstick people’ trudge through worlds of imposing, brutalist shapes, mischief-making characters are ever-present, their foils and teasing feats of irony revealed to the observant onlooker.

Look closely and you will find a policeman and burglar, clad in black and white stripes, in each and every one of Sean’s scenes, paying homage to a now infamous tale. As a small boy, Sean once came face to face with a stolen L.S Lowry painting on his very own mantlepiece. ‘Borrowed’ by his father from the local gallery under cover of darkness, the painting was held ransom in the family home with a letter of conditions for its safe return. Among a host of spirited stipulations, including the installation of a better gallery alarm system and the raffling of the Lord Mayor’s underpants for charity, Sean’s father demanded that the art gallery open on a Sunday, so that the working man had leisure to visit. It may have been a sensational stunt, but the message, like that of Sean’s work is clear - art is for all.

Gallery Director Philip Short tells us, “Sean masterfully resurrects and honours tales of British heritage with wit, warmth and a generous sense of community pride. To collect his work is to share in that heritage, paying homage to the past while celebrating the reach and bearing of contemporary art in the here and now.”

Sean Durkin has long since captivated the art world with his atmospheric scenes of working life and intriguing character portraits. Having gained a loyal and ever-growing following, his work has become some of the most popular and sought-after contemporary art collected in the UK today. With paintings now hanging in public and private collections across the country, it is with delicious irony that Sean’s work is now displayed in the prestigious Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art, next to the very L.S. Lowry painting his father stole all those years ago. 

The exhibition opens at York Fine Arts on Friday, 2nd of October and runs until Sunday, 25th of October. Due to an expected high volume of interest, we recommend an early viewing to avoid disappointment.