London: Conor Harrington ‘The Story of US and Them’ |

Irish born painter Conor Harringtonreturns to London with a new solo exhibition “The Story of Us and Them” at HENI Gallery in London. Fascinated by art history, Renaissance and the Baroque era, Conor Harrington continues to explore patriotism and contemporary social political themes, combining classical oil painting techniques and graffiti influences.

The exhibition features 12 new large scale works featuring two fictional male figures dressed in ornate baroque uniforms fighting each other and brandishing their bright coloured flags as weapon.

The viewer is immediately transported in this semi fictional tale, through bold red and blue vibrant colours, while the energetic brushstrokes accentuate the feeling of drama and movement.
Duality is an omnipresent theme : realism vs onirism, a sense of political division occurs through the use of colours, flags.
Conor Harrington’s painting techniques have also evolved with more loose paint gestures, the use of solvent and extinguishers to create some blurring effects while some elements of the composition are in focus with intricate details such as the uniforms or expressions of the faces.

“The works are set against a background of a fictional nation state and feature two so-called ‘blind patriots’ engaged in combat,” the gallery says. “By using predominantly red and blue in their apparel and the flags they brandish, Harrington draws on the various political and cultural connotations associated with this pairing to make a comment on society today.”