JUSTIN MCCARTHY (1892 - 1977)

ONE OF THE PIECES OF WORK SHOWN AT THE MUSEUM OF EVERYTHING IS NOT ONLINE, BUT IT WAS THAT PICTURE WHICH REALY DREW ME TO HIS WORK. IT WAS A PAINTING OF TWO BOXERS FIGHTING AND THE BACKGROUND WAS TWO BOLD BLOCKS OF ORANGE AND YELLOW. THE PAINTERS SORT OF MERGED INTO ONE FIGURE AND THE LINES TO SHOW THE EDGES OF THE RING WHERE THERE JUST ENOUGH TO GIVE CONTEXT.
HE HAD A DIFFICULT START TO LIFE AND SPENT TIME IN A MENTAL INSTITUTION BEFORE WHERE HE BEGAN TO PAINT. HIS WORK IS BEAUTIFUL AND I FIND HIS USE OF CHARACTER AND COLOUR AMAZING. HIS WORKS WERE QUITE BIG (THERE WERE ALSO SOME OF HIS ICE SKATERS PAINTINGS IN THE SHOW) BUT WERE FULL OF EXPRESSION WITHOUT BEING OVERLY WORKED...