CONTEMPORARY IRISH ARTIST
“Art lurks in the obscure parts of one’s inner mind” Ai Wei Wei
Debbie Chapman is a contemporary Irish artist working from a studio in West Dublin. She exhibits internationally and has been commissioned for public, corporate and personal collections such as The Hermitage Medical Centre, Waterford General Hospital, Dublin City Council and others. In 2023 she collaborated with U2’s Adam Clayton to create an artwork for the “Elephant In The Room Project” in support of The Samaritans.
Debbie creates modern, contemporary artwork, incorporating acrylics, oils and elements of collage. Her practice is grounded in figurative expression, symbolism and abstraction. Biomorphic shapes and bold blocks of brilliant colour collaborate with realism, striving to create harmony and balance that is reflective of nature itself.
Statement
I’ve always portrayed elements of what it means to be human in my artwork and this continues in these pieces. I’m exploring several interconnecting themes: the essence of humanity, the narratives we construct for ourselves….. and the profound influence we exert on one another, as well as our remarkable planet. I paint as a way of understanding and to start conversations that might make people think and reflect, hopefully in a kinder, gentler, more responsible way. The paintings don’t have answers but they are a prompt to take some time for reflection.
COLLECTIONS
The Hermitage Clinic, Dublin
Waterford Healing Arts Trust
Dublin City Council
Naas Courthouse, Co. KIldare
The Druid Theatre Company
Institute of Technology Tralee, Co. Kerry
Private Collections
SELECT EXHIBITIONS/PROJECTS
May/June 2024
Gormleys Fine Art, Art + Soul International Art & Sculpture Exhibition, Castlemartyr, Co. Cork
Nov 2023
The Doorway Gallery, Residency & Solo Show
May/June 2023
“Elephant In The Room Project” - Artwork collaboration with U2’s Adam Clayton
Nov 2022
GOMA (Gallery Of Modern Art) Waterford- 6th Annual Members Exhibition
Aug 2022
Electric Picnic Festival - Invitational - 9ft x 12ft Painted Panel
Dec 2021
Mason, Hayes & Curran, Dublin. Invitational Group Show
Dec 2021
Dunamaise Art Centre, Portlaoise. Group Show curated by Sharon Murphy
May 2021
The Doorway Gallery, Dublin. Solo Show ‘Unseen Works’
Apr 2021
The Druid Theatre Company, Galway. Creating a painting onstage in a collaborative piece, “Boland-Journey Of A Poet”, transmitted live worldwide.
Directed by Garry Hynes. Edited by Colm Tóibín
Aug 2021
The Gallery Kinsale “Destination - No Longer A Place”, Solo Exhibition
Sept 2019
Shorelines Art Festival, Invitational Group Show, Portumna, Co. Galway
Aug 2018
The Kilkenny Art Gallery, Kilkenny Arts Festival, Group Show
July 2018
Ranelagh Arts Centre, Dublin, Group Show
Jun 2018
Gallery Zozimus, Dublin, 'Rainbow' Group Exhibition
May 2018
OPW, Ashtown Castle, Dublin, ‘On Second Glance’ Solo exhibition
Mar 2018
Dublin City Council Funded, Phoenix Park Art & Creative Explorations Project, Solo exhibition. Chapelizod, Dublin
Sept 2017
Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast ‘Queeriosity’ International Group Show,
Dec 2015
Still Point Art Gallery, Maine, USA - Juried Show and Publication
Sept 2015
Copelouzos Art Museum, Athens, Greece. 35 x 35 Project (invitational) Permanent Exhibit & Publication
Mar 2015
Dublin City University, Juried Group Show, ‘Humans Too’
Nov 2014
Dublin City Council Funded, Farmleigh Gallery, Dublin, Curated & Exhibited, Project Exhibition, ‘Dereliction’,
June 2014
Speaker - Irish Museum Association Forum: Education & Outreach 2014
“Teens Responding To Historic Buildings and Collections: An Artist’s Perspective”
PUBLIC ART
Jan 2018
Dublin City Council ‘Street Trees Matter’ Collaborative Public Artwork
May 2017
Dublin City Council funded ‘Storyboards’, Chapelizod, Dublin
2014
Dublin City Council funded ‘Dereliction’ project and exhibition
2013
Waterford General Hospital, Neo Natal Dept - 4 x paintings 80cm x 80cm, 3 x paintings 100cm x 80cm (triptych)
2009
Institute Technology Tralee Library & Resource Info Centre - 1 x Painting 120cm x 100cm
2007
‘The Hermitage Medical Clinic’, Dublin. Commission, - 5 x paintings 120cm x 150cm, 3 x paintings 2m x 2m
AWARDS AND RESIDENCIES
2019
BMYI, Youth Art Residency & Public Artwork, Clonsilla, Dublin
2019
Visual Artist in Prison Scheme, Dochas, Mountjoy Prison, Dublin
2017/18
Irish Heritage Council, ‘Phoenix Park Art & Creative Explorations'
2016
NYCI Ringsend Irishtown Youth, Arts Residency & collaborative piece
2015
NYCI Artist in Youth Work Residency, OPW Dublin Castle and South West Inner City Network
2015
Visual Artist in Prison Scheme, Wheatfield Prison, Dublin
2014
Dublin City Council Arts Grant, Arts Project ‘Dereliction’