Driven by an ongoing, exploration of process and the poetics of materials, And the World Turns comprises a series of eight new paintings created using oil on hessian. The exhibition has been inspired by research into biology and microscopy through psychology, neuroscience and spirituality. Located at the intersection of art and science, Sean’s work builds on the history and language of abstraction, paired together with subject matter informed by collective narrative and lived experiences of disease and trauma. Embodying a strong sense of hope for the future, And the World Turns provides a space to foster connection and collective healing during a period of increased violence, illness and global instability.
Blending representation and abstraction, the works in the exhibition have been inspired by found microscopic images of human and plant cells, ranging from healthy to diseased and deteriorating. The paintings evoke blood, skin and other celltypes, as well as drawing inspiration from the artist’s observations of aerial landscapes, stained glass windows, and geological digs. In the exhibition, viewers are invited to reflect on their relationship to - natural world - where patterns and shapes repeat themselves. McDowell uses contrasting colours, depth, texture and scale to evoke the world of micro-organisms that form, and connect all matter.
.png)
