EVA O’DONOVAN SELEC T ED WOR K II 2021
Eva O’Donovan is a Dublin based contemporary artist. Her work is a marriage of two of her interests, fashion and interiors. Eva’s portraits in oil are modern and timeless. Inspired by fashion magazines, the subjects are usually adapted
from
behind-the-scenes
fashion show shoots, the poses reminiscent of fashion editorials. All aspects of femininity are embraced in her striking portraits. The wonderfully intricate pieces entice any viewer, emanating strength, as well as a sense of elegance and modernity. Eva obtained her Fine Art degree as a mature student at the National College of Art and Design (NCAD). Her highly soughtafter pieces are popular amongst interior designers and feature in many private and commercial collections throughout Ireland, United
Kingdom,
and Germany.
Brazil,
Iceland,
United
States
of
America
A Marriage of Art & Fashion My work embraces two of my interests, interiors and fashion. These two elements are prominent attributes of my portraits. The patterned textiles refer to life, the domestic, heritage, era and taste. Textiles furnish both the homes we live in and the clothes we wear. Textile designs pass from one world into the other. Trends ebbing and flowing, documenting social and economic movements. The very essence of the domestic is displayed through textiles. Integrated into our everyday lives, they change with time, historically mapping the passage of one’s life. Similarly, fashion also tells the story of our lives. It encompasses eras, represents social standings and of course, augments individual personalities. The very nature of fashion presents statuesque women. They are at the forefront, modelling the designs from fashion houses and mapping the passage of taste and time.
ORLA 70cm x 50cm Oil on vintage Liberty fabric
“Fabric is the
most extraordinary thing: it has life. You must respect the fabric.” H e rb e r t d e G ive n chy
BLARE 100cm x 75cm Oil on Schumacher Fabric
The Emergence of the Female Figure Through looking at both fashion and textiles, I find I am constantly referred to the female figure. Traditionally
associated
with
domesticity,
patterns,
considered to be more feminine, prominently emerge from the archives. Using strong images from fashion photography, movie stills and behind-the-scenes images from catwalk shows, provides me with the silhouette I need to work with, in order to compliment the pattern presented by the fabric. These two feminine ‘entities’, I hope, become more than the sum of their parts when combined. Each element invigorating the other, giving life to both.
VIVINNE 80cm x 60cm Oil on Vintage David Hicks designed Moygashel Fabric. Adapted from Gucci campaign.
STEPHANIE 80cm x 60cm Oil on Liberty Art Collection Fabric adapted from Stephanie Farrow image
ALI 80cm x 60cm Oil on Designers Guild Fabric
CELINE 60cm x 40cm Oil on Designers Guild fabric
Producing portraits of strong women gleaned from the pages of hundreds of magazines, or from stills from the cinema screen, and then harnessing them in the energy of the textile chosen specifically for them - is
MAYA 80cm x 60cm Oil on Designers Guild fabric adapted from Louis Vuitton campaign.
where the magic happens. Each element dances throughout the process of the painting, until a harmony of sorts is created.
STELLA 60cm x 50cm Oil on Liberty London Fabric
LARA 60cm x 50cm Oil on Liberty London Fabric
Distant travelling
memories of my grandfather’s cinema play hazily in my mind.
Flashes of cinema reel projected onto curtains, walls and trees fuel my imagination. What is real and what is imagined is difficult to distinguish. Yet, it is from these memories, that my figures emanate. They emerge from the detail amidst the patterned surface of the textile. In latter years, this has been an integral component of my work. Recognising and resting with this personal history and adapting it to my own visual language has been my journey.
AMANDA 80cm x 60cm Oil on William Morris Bluebell.
LILLIAN 80cm x 60cm Oil on Antique French fabric - 1910 Inspired by silent movie actress Lillian Gish
EVA O’DONOVAN evaodonovan.com @evaodonovanartist
MEDIA ENQUIRIES Raymond Paul Schneider rps@raymondpaulschneider.com
PHOTOGRAPHY: Niko Salvino nikosalvino.com
EDIT: Chloe Aboud myartshopper.com
DESIGN: Mr + Mrs Stevens mrandmrsstevens.ie