Martina Galvin—Air between form

Air between form refers to the actual invisible space that surrounds objects, ourselves and our environments. The material and physical elements of this exhibition:  wood – paper – Perspex, are conduits to carry and hold light and air. In air there is light, in light there is colour, in colour we get the description of form. This is the source of fascination for the making of these new works.

Within the process of exploring form, the materials reveal individual qualities that add to the tactile nature of the works. Line, colour and shadow all become elements of the artworks, Galvin’s material processes use these materials to draw both air and space.

+Billion- text by James Merrigan

Biography:

Martina Galvin has been an active artist since the mid ‘90’s after completing a BA in Painting at NCAD, and then a Masters Degree in Fine Art Practice and Theory at Cardiff College Of Art, Wales, funded by a  British Council Scholarship. For a number of years Martina was involved with a Polish artists group: the Artists Museum Centre.Lodz, Poland, as well as the Wyscodnia Gallery,Lodz. This Eastern European connection gave Martina the chance to travel to and be invited to exhibit in numerous large site-specific events in Finland, Australia, Israel and New York. It also allowed Martina to see first-hand Eastern European abstract art in Poland and this had an influence on her practice.

The installation in New York “Crossing Lines of wires” (2002) as part of ‘Artfront / Waterfront’ Site-ations International, Staten Island, New York – the largest wire installation Martina has created – has strong resonaces with her current work in the Project Space at PP/S.

Martina has participated in group shows in the Glucksman, Cork; Temple Bar Gallery, Dublin; Sculpture in Kells, Kilkenny; and “Fractures, Lines and Light” at the Red Stables, Dublin. Solo shows include: Wyscodnia Gallery, Lodz, Poland and Temple Bar Gallery, Dublin.

Martina has received numerous awards and bursaries from the Arts Council, most notably an individual award for her 5-year photographic project on Aldborough House. She has works in significant public and private collections, most notably for the OPW and two large-scale works created for the Irish Pavilion, World Trade Fair in Hannover, 2000. These two works will be re-presented in new government buildings over the next 2 years.

In 2013 Martina was selected to exhibit in the Pallas' Periodical Review #3. In 2014 she was  selected to exhibit in Exploring Spaces curated by Marianne O'Kane Boyle at the Braid Arts Centre,Ballymena, which is now touring. Currently Martina is exhibiting in Ormond Studios 5-year anniversary show, and her “Duo” installation was selected for the Rua Red Winter Open show in November. Martina currently has a studio at Ormond Studios, and lives in Dublin.

Air between form is an artist-initiated project, in partnership with Pallas Projects/Studios