Covid Eyes 2020

Insatallation shot of Covid Eyes exhibition at Olivier Cornet Gallery

My painting practice has been an ongoing response to stories in the media, be it climate change, homelessness or the Irish Diaspora. 

Covid Eyes was a temporary exhibition of most of the paintings from my Covid Eyes online art project – funded by the Arts Council of Ireland during the first phase of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

During this strange period of isolation, social distancing and face masks, I became acutely aware of the special significance of human eyes.  For the online project, I posted a new image of eyes every Tuesday over the summer of 2020. 
 
Razan, watercolour by Eoin Mac Lochlainn 2020
Razan, watercolour by Eoin Mac Lochlainn 2020
Waiting, oil painting by Eoin Mac Lochlainn
Waiting, 90 x 120 cm, oil on canvas, 2008
Paul, oil painting by Eoin Mac Lochlainn 2013
“Paul”, 80 x 90 cm, oil on canvas, 2013
paintings by Eoin Mac Lochlainn of battered heads for anti-war exhibition
3 Heads, 50 x 150 cm, oil on canvas, 2008
Architect, mixed media painting by Eoin Mac Lochlainn
Architect, 90 x 80 cm, mixed media, 2013
watercolour self-portrait by Eoin Mac Lochlainn 2020
Lockdown Self-portrait, 30 x 50 cm, watercolour on Arches paper, 2020
The eyes can tell so much about us, our fear, our frustrations, our compassion, but at the same time, the masks can hide so much. It can be more difficult to ascertain age, social standing, emotions etc.  This exploration of eyes ultimately pointed to the fact that we are not that different from each other, that we are all in this together and that we must rely on each other to get through this.
 
Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine,    Eoin Mac Lochlainn
 
Coverage of the exhibition:
 
An Artist Focuses in on “Covid Eyes”    Thanks to Laoise Neylon of Culture Desk, Dublin Enquirer, Wednesday 14th of October 2020
 
“Gné-Alt: “Covid Eyes” – Taispeántas le Eoin Mac Lochlainn”    mo bhuíochas le Tegan Nic Giollarnáth, ó Seoid, Deireadh Fómhair, 2020