Viewers are confronted with strange drawings, all of which are created with extraordinary skill and attention to details. Visiting from Iowa in the mid-West of America, Bill Sandler arrived in to the Arts Centre to view the drawings: “I’m struck by the work and the wonderful clarity in the drawings. I’m surprised to see work here by a young American artist, although I know she lives in Ireland part of the year. The images are slightly disturbing especially the one of the little boy crying. I don’t know what’s happening in the drawing but it’s certainly unsettling.”This reaction was added to by another person who was in Clonmel visiting a college friend. Yuki Mosaka studies in Trinity College in Dublin, but is originally from Osaka in Japan. She said: “My friend had attended the opening of this exhibition and said I should drop in to have a look. Mercedes work is wonderful and I like the strangeness of it. I want to keep looking at the pictures to see what happens next.”
Mercedes Helnwein began initially working as a writer of short stories and shortly after began publishing works in various magazines and literary journals – fiction as well as non-fiction. After moving to Los Angles in 2000, Mercedes began work on her first novel ‘Amazing Grace’, while at the same time beginning to exhibit her drawings. Borrowing from a list of influences as varied as southern blues, turn of the century Russian literature, and sixties comic book artists such as Robert Crumb, her work garnered praise from even the most hardened critics. In 2003, she instigated the America Motel project, an art installation based on a fifteen-day trip through the American Midwest and South. She wrote the accompanying book for the exhibit, entitled ‘Devil Got Religion’. ‘Devil Got Religion’ was met with great critical acclaim, being covered in such publications as the L.A. Times. It was also chosen by art writer and critic Peter Frank to be part of an art exhibit entitled In America Now.
Mercedes will be exhibiting in Los Angeles again later on this year. The show at the South Tipperary Arts Centre runs until June 24th. Admisssion to the Gallery on Nelson Street is free.
More details on the Arts Centre’s website: www.southtipparts.com
