
By appointment only, book here.
Kerlin Gallery are pleased to announce that the gallery will re-open by appointment to the public on Tuesday 16th of June with the exhibition dalkey2 by Richard Gorman.
dalkey2 is the second part to the exhibition by Richard Gorman that began in early March but was quickly interrupted by Covid-19. All of these paintings were made by Richard while he was cocooning in his studio in Dublin during ‘Lockdown’.
In dalkey2, Gorman continues with his personal take on the ‘emotional geometry’ for which he has become celebrated in the past two decades. Approached with a lightness of touch, the works carry a renewed sense of movement and immediacy: angular, interlocking blocks of colour seem to spiral outwards, while radial shapes pirouette on their axis.
As Gorman’s understanding and mastery of colour has deepened, he has begun to use it not only as a harmonic device, but as an active and animating element in his paintings: flat blocks of colour step to an offbeat rhythm, laid down in a jazz cool palette. Giving a nod to the gestural, expressionist works with which Gorman began his career in the 1980s, this new body of work takes on a more liberated, looser and freer painterly approach, all while demonstrating the intuitive balancing of colour, form and line that his work is prized for.
Recent solo exhibitions include: Keijo, Chigasaki Museum, Japan (2019); Iwano, Kerlin Gallery, Dublin (2016); KAN, Assab One, Milan (2015); KIN, The MAC, Belfast (2014); Richard Gorman, Painting and Prints, Mitaka City Gallery of Art & Ashikaga City Museum of Art Japan (Both 2010); Shuffle, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin (2009); Oeuvres nouvelles, Centre Culturel Irlandais, Paris (2007); Homerun, Kerlin Gallery, Dublin (2003); Paintings and Paper Works, Koriyama City Museum of Art Koriyama, Japan (2002); Big Blue, Mural Koriyama City Museum of Art Fukushima, Japan (2002); Nine Paintings, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin and Crawford Art Gallery, Cork, (2001); Made in Japan, Limerick City Art Gallery, Limerick, Ireland (2000) and Itami City Gallery of Art and Mitaka City Art Foundation, Japan (1999). Recent group exhibitions include: Der Spiegel Galerie, Cologne; Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin; and A Measured Quietude, an exhibition of contemporary Irish drawings, which toured the Berkeley Art Museum, California and The Drawing Centre, New York.
A gifted colourist, Richard Gorman is best known for his paintings and works on paper exploring the dynamic interplay between geometric forms. Infused with a sense of vitality, Gorman’s offbeat shapes appear mobile – as if floating past, wiggling around or colliding with one another, like dancers in motion. Often graced with a subtly playful or humorous undertone, their generosity of spirit is enhanced by a striking colour palette, varying from meditative blues to piquant acid tones. Gorman’s approach to painting has been guided by the places he has visited and been influenced by: Milan, where he has lived on/off for many years, and Japan, home to the family-run paper factory he has visited to produce his handmade kozo washi paper for over 30 years. His works on paper offer a delicacy and fragility in counterpoint to his more robust oils on canvas, but both strands of Gorman’s practice draw their power from the compositional tension between boldly simplified blocks of colour.
Kerlin Gallery was founded in Dublin in 1988. It has built an international reputation for its dedicated, meaningful representation of leading contemporary artists through its exhibition, publishing and art fair programmes. Its current site was designed by the minimalist architect John Pawson in 1994 and offers 3,600 square feet of exhibition space over two floors in the heart of Dublin City Centre.

A respected voice in contemporary art discourse.
Focusing on ambitious storytelling and insightful art-world commentary. Ocula Magazine publishes in-depth interviews, critical essays and timely analysis on the artists, exhibitions and ideas driving the global art world.
Learn more about Ocula Magazine
Showcasing the best of the art world.
Ocula partners with galleries from around the world to highlight their artists, artworks and exhibitions. Gallery membership is by application and invitation, with each member vetted by an independent panel.
Learn more about Ocula Membership
Specialises in the sale of major artworks.
Led by a team with deep ties to the world’s leading auction houses, galleries and collectors. Ocula’s advisory team offers bespoke services to high-net-worth clients from around the world who are looking to acquire the best of contemporary and modern art.
Learn more about our team and services