Having attended classes at a very young age at the Dublin studio of the late Harry Kernoff, Paul Rattigan studied art at the National College of Art Dublin and Slade School of Fine Art London, before going on to lecture at the Courtauld Institute and Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London.

Rattigan then took the commercial art route, honing his skills for some years in the vibrant atmosphere of New York before returning to Ireland to become one of the country’s most successful graphic designers. Along with many other high profile projects, his company, Zeus Creative, has, for the past decade, been responsible for creating the marketing support and graphic material for Riverdance on a worldwide basis. During this time Rattigan worked closely with one of Ireland’s best known artists and designers, Robert Ballagh.

Although he always created and sold paintings throughout his 30-year career in design, this exhibition represents a fundamental departure for Rattigan as he establishes himself as a full-time artist and returns to his roots in fine art.

This extraordinary body of work is distinguished by its excitement and originality, as well as by its bold use of colour. Mainly semi-abstract in style, these large-scale works include figurative and landscape references, with a strong narrative content. They represent a sense of self-discovery, as Rattigan grasps the freedom of working from deep within his own consciousness.

This exhibition at Number 10 Lower Ormond Quay is Paul Rattigan’s first solo show in Ireland.