Four Courts illustration by Shane O’Connor, who works and exhibits under the name Sketchy Inc.
Fionn Rogan | Deputy Opinion Editor
Dublin-based Galwegian print artist Shane O’Connor, perhaps better known as Sketchy Inc., is quickly gaining recognition within the bourgeoning Irish print scene
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Dublin-based Galwegian print artist Shane O’Connor, perhaps better known as Sketchy Inc., is quickly gaining recognition within the bourgeoning Irish print scene for his colourful, clean-lined, highly surreal prints of Dublin and Galway cityscapes. The Four Courts, St. Stephen’s Green, The Róisín Dubh and now Trinity College are just a small selection of Dublin and Galway that have been immortalised in Sketchy form.
The vibrant palette has a restorative effect on the cityscapes and helps to inject a new essence of life into Dublin and Galway
O’Connor cites street art and artists such as Takashi Murakami, Jon Burgerman and Buff Monster as having an important influence upon his art. Their influence shines through clearly in O’Connor’s unapologetic use of bright vivid colours. A lurid pink moon beaming over Westmoreland Street would not be considered unusual in O’Connor’s Sketchy world. The vibrant palette has a restorative effect on the cityscapes and helps to inject a new essence of life into Dublin and Galway. The brilliant yellows and greens are perhaps more reflective of the general jovial and lively spirit of each city than the muted greys and rusted amber that dominate the cities’ hues.
There is a distinctly modern Irish feel to O’Connor’s art
O’Connor moved to Dublin from Galway five years ago and since graduating from NCAD with a Masters in print, his adopted city has become something of an immense and fruitful muse to him. Simple walks around town are enough to inspire a new print, which is a testimony to the abundance of intriguing architectural quirks that are scattered throughout Dublin. His hyper-detailed prints, daubed with psychedelic colours, highlight each of these quirks that give Dublin its pleasantly warped character. Galwegian Sketchies capturing the NUIG Quad, the Blue Note and Róisín Dubh pubs also feature in O’Connor’s canon of work. There is a distinctly modern Irish feel to O’Connor’s art. While the clean, cool and exacting details of the prints aren’t exclusively Irish, the subject matter and use of colour infers a sense of humour that is decidedly Irish.
The native, however, will recognise the street and would not think to question why it was drawn – it is an integral and recognisable feature of Dublin city
Sketchies focusing on the “Why go bald?” sign on George’s Street or the Fade Street Sketchy exist almost as an Irish in-joke. People who live in the city will recognise these features and seeing them in Sketchy form is strangely satisfying. O’Connor’s work is doubly surreal in the sense that it baffles different groups of people for entirely different reasons. Crossover, a Pearse Street Sketchy, illustrates this element of the Sketchy print perfectly. The non-native may ask, “Why make such an unattractive street the focus of your art?”. The banality of the streetscape lends the print a certain surreal air. The native, however, will recognise the street and would not think to question why it was drawn – it is an integral and recognisable feature of Dublin city. Locals will appreciate the fact that it has been converted into art but will be bowled over by O’Connor’s interpretation, which involves cerise fencing, ochre skies and slender, mournful aliens that O’Connor has christened Sketchies as well.
These strange creatures have begun terraforming the landscape
“The Invasion” is a recurring motif in O’Connor’s work. But what is “the Invasion”? O’Connor explains: “It started 6 years ago. ‘The Invasion’ they called it. It began with just a few lone Sketchies, lurking around deserted streets, hiding in plain sight but now there are more. These strange creatures have begun terraforming the landscape. Enormous triangles grow from the ground and litter the sky. Explosions of colour replace the everyday scenes. What do they want? When will it end?”.
I thought they looked like they were from another planet so I started thinking of them as aliens invading earth and replicating their home planet by turning everything sketchy
O’Connor, a self-professed “sci-fi nerd”, explained how the Sketchies came into being and how they found such a prominent position in his artwork. “I was always drawing little characters and doodles and I wanted to incorporate them into my work. I thought they looked like they were from another planet so I started thinking of them as aliens invading earth and replicating their home planet by turning everything sketchy.”
The Sketchies help to maintain the surreality in O’Connor’s work and by doing so create a truly compelling piece of art. The marriage of hyper-detailed architectural drawings and vibrant alien characters in a familiar local setting results in an artwork that continues to offer something new with each viewing.
There is definitely a larger market for cleverly designed prints
O’Connor’s success may be attributed in part to the growing interest in print in Ireland. The Irish newfound fascination with print has manifested itself in the form of clever design shops with Jam Art Factory, Irish Design Shop and Makers and Brothers springing up around town in the last year or so. “There is definitely a larger market for cleverly designed prints. Even in the last year it has grown – as you can see by the number of people starting to make them. I think people are getting sick of going to Ikea or the likes and getting mass-produced artwork when for the same price they could get something in an Irish shop made by an Irish artist that is limited to a small number.” He speaks glowingly of the Dublin-based creative community and enjoys the friendly competitive element of the expanding print scene. “People buzzing off each other makes the scene better.”
“I’m working on Georges Arcade now … for about a month. That’s probably too much time but it’s such an amazing building I’m trying to do it some justice and I have enjoyed every minute of it”
At the moment O’Connor is wrestling with a hectic work schedule but appears to be relishing the challenge. He is receiving an increasing number of commission requests. One couple who commissioned him to do a Sketchy of the Four Courts were kind enough to allow him to sell a limited run of ten prints. He is also currently working on several new Sketchies of his own. The Guinness Brewery on James Street, George’s Arcade and our own Trinity College are the next three Dublin sites to be invaded by the Sketchies. O’Connor had hoped to have these prints finished before Christmas but admitted: “I’m working on Georges Arcade now … for about a month. That’s probably too much time but it’s such an amazing building I’m trying to do it some justice and I have enjoyed every minute of it.”
With that in mind it may be a while before the Trinity Sketchy is complete but certainly, looking at previous Sketchies, it would appear the delay is always justified.
