New and Recent Paintings and Drawings
21 JUNE – 26 JULY 2025
WEDNESDAY TO SATURDAY 12pm – 5pm
UV Arts presents a two person exhibition of new and recent paintings and drawings by Malachy McGonagle and Declan McGonagle, which will run from 21 June to 26 July, open to the public from 12 pm to 5pm, Wednesday to Saturday.
Both artists have had careers in senior positions in education and in curating and both originally studied Fine Art at the Belfast College of Art, from which they graduated in the 1970s.
Malachy McGonagle’s paintings are based on a visual analysis of landscape imagery, which is then manipulated and transformed through a painterly process which goes beyond conventional representation. The artist’s intention is to develop a personal, poetic interpretation of the source imagery.
Declan McGonagle’s figurative drawings are based on collaged images from mass media which reflect the stressed situation of the contemporary world, locally and further afield, to create a sense of an incomplete narrative, which the viewer is invited to resolve.
Both artists have had work included in exhibitions, at different times, throughout their careers. This is an opportunity to see their contrasting bodies of work, each with distinct starting points in terms of subject matter and creative approaches.
About the Artists:
Declan McGonagle
After graduating from Belfast College of Art in 1976, Declan McGonagle was involved in Youth Work in Derry and was a Lecturer in Art & Design in Further Education in Donegal, then the first Curator of the Orchard Gallery.
Declan was Director of Exhibitions at the ICA in London, the founding Director of the first Tyne International Exhibition in Gateshead and Newcastle on Tyne, the first Director of the Irish Museum of Modern Art, also of the Civil Arts Inquiry in Dublin and Interface Research at the University of Ulster in Belfast. Before retiring from full time posts he was Director of the National College of Art & Design and latterly Curator of Dublin Port’s Art & Engagement Programme.
Declan was the first Chair of the board of the Liverpool Biennial and served as Interim Chair and then Board member of Derry/Londonderry UK City of City of Culture.
He was shortlisted for the Tate Gallery’s Turner Prize and later served on the Turner Prize and Jerwood Painting Prize juries in London as well as other national and international Awards panels. His work as an artist has been exhibited in one person and group exhibitions in Derry, Belfast and Dublin and there are examples in the Collections of Derry City Council, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and private collections.
Malachy McGonagle
Malachy McGonagle was born in Derry in 1950 and attended St Columb’s College
1961-1968. He later studied Fine Art at the Ulster College of Art and Design, Belfast
1968-1972 and at Leeds Polytechnic awarded an Art Teacher’s Diploma 1973 before
being appointed Head of Art at at Foyle College 1973-1977 and later Head of Art and
Design at St.Columb’s College 1977-2012.
Malachy has also contributed significantly to the development of Art and Design Education in Northern Ireland as a moderator for GCSE and A-level art and design and for many years as Chair of Examiners for History of Art at CCEA. He has also worked for DENI as a leader of Consortia groups to train teachers in the implementation of the Art and Design Curriculum and in 1991was appointed to the Ministerial Working Group to formulate proposals for Art and Design Programmes of Study.
In 2008 he was elected President of the Northern Ireland Association for Art and Design Education. He was a founder/member and first Chairman of the Northwest Artists’ Association 1986.
Work has been exhibited in Group Shows/ two person shows throughout Ireland and
England. Exhibition centres have included galleries in Derry, Belfast, Armagh, Omagh,
Dublin, Waterford, Leeds and Cambridge.
Work is included in public and private collections in Ireland and England such as the
Northwest Arts Trust, the University of Ulster and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.
Artist’s Statement
“My paintings originate from a systematic exploration and visual analysis of selected
landscape imagery. Through a rigorous transformation and manipulation of these
images and their relationships I develop a personal, in-depth poetic interpretation.
This serves as a catalyst for an internal dialogue of sensitive experiences/ memories and the painterly process of handling the physical qualities of paint. It results in a dynamic break from conventional representation and the confines of realism that allows for the exploration of inner landscapes/ nature.
This abstract flexibility and fresh perspective stimulates my imagination and promotes innovation for my very personal and creative narratives interpreted in vivid colour hues and dynamic forms.”
Malachy McGonagle
For further information you can contact: Karl Porter – info@uv-arts.co / karl@uv-arts.co / 07846887680
The Playhouse, 5-7 Artillery St, Derry
About UV Arts – Garden of reflection Gallery takeover
The project is part of UV Arts community outreach program and continued takeover of the Garden of Reflection Gallery. The partnership between UV Arts and Inner City Trust continues with engaging and inspiring art opportunities and exhibitions for local artists.
“The Urban Art Gallery” hosts a series of workshops and demonstrations, and a School for Street Art, promoting and educating people and places via street art and contemporary mural arts, in addition to having an alternative art store stocking all the tools required to create colossal art and also a podcast studio that can be booked by local creatives and businesses.
UV Arts aims to educate, promote and change perceptions of public spaces via street art, graffiti and contemporary mural arts. Specialising in large scale outdoor murals, advertising and community-driven initiatives, Karl Porter and his team are involved in many creative and collaborative projects across the North West.
