Brian Bourke

Brian Bourke, born in Dublin in 1936, briefly attended the National College of Art. He moved to London where he continued his studies at St Martin’s School of Art. On his return to Ireland, he moved to the west of Ireland where he still lives and works. Although arguably best known for his dynamic, energetically drawn landscapes inspired by diverse locations both in Ireland and abroad, he is also a fine portraitist who uses a wide range of media including plaster, bronze and paint. Bourke's work has evolved to encompass paintings, drawings and sculpture that explore his interest in the close observation of places, people and things around him. Alongside this, he is fascinated by mythological and literary narratives such as those describing the lives of Sweeney and Don Quixote, who he depicts in various guises, sometimes with self-portraits. He also produces expressive still lifes that echo memento-mori and feature objects such as skulls, masks and African carvings.