Art
‘One Minute to View a Lifetime’ exhibition by David Murphy at Dooradoyle Library up to March 7
One Minute to View a Lifetime: David Murphy Exhibition at Dooradoyle Library
A new David Murphy exhibition at Dooradoyle Library is encouraging visitors to slow down and truly look at the world around them
Running from 7 February to 7 March, One Minute to View a Lifetime is a solo exhibition by Limerick artist and retired civil engineer David Murphy.
The exhibition reflects on how quickly people move through galleries and through life, often glancing at things without considering the work and time behind them.
Each of Murphy’s paintings takes approximately a month to complete. Built through careful layering of colour, depth and structure, the works are influenced by his engineering background, where precision and patience were essential.
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“The title came from something I observed,” Murphy explains. “I once saw a man walk into a gallery, look at each painting for just a few seconds, and then leave. It struck me how something that can take weeks or months to create can be viewed in less than a minute.”
However, Murphy stresses that the exhibition is not about whether someone likes his painting or not. “It’s about recognising the work that goes into everything not just art. The buildings we visit, the houses we live in, the cars we drive all represent years of skill, planning and effort. Yet we can pass through them in a minute without a second thought.”
Colour plays a central role in the exhibition. Murphy’s paintings are rich and layered, with depth emerging gradually as the viewer spends more time with them. His artistic influences include internationally renowned painters such as Gerhard Richter, Jackson Pollock and Francis Bacon artists known for their emotional depth, texture and meaning.
“I admire artists who create depth and feeling within their work,” Murphy says. “There’s something powerful about paintings that reveal more the longer you look at them.”
The exhibition was officially opened by Sean Ahern, Commercial Director of John Sisk & Son, who recently commissioned one of Murphy’s paintings for the company’s new offices Lines and Levels a fitting connection given Murphy’s own background in civil engineering.
Although now focused on art, Murphy previously worked as a civil engineer and has sold works through respected Irish auction houses including De Veres and Morgan O’Driscoll. He has also donated works to charitable causes over the years.
Ultimately, One Minute to View a Lifetime carries a simple but timely message.
“People are doing everything at a hundred miles an hour now,” Murphy reflects. “Maybe we all need to slow down, take a minute, and really see what’s in front of us.”
The exhibition is open to the public at Dooradoyle Library until March 7.
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