Irish artist Martina O’Brien’s paintings are rooted in abstraction. Taking what appear to be seascapes as her point of departure, she divides her canvases into two distinct regions, the lower suggesting water and reflections, the higher clouds and sky. This distinction, however, remains permeable, and elements of both areas flow into each other accordingly. By destabilizing this apparent division between top and bottom, ground and sky, O’Brien highlights the tactility of her work.

Ridges of paint – created by applying with a brush then scraping the canvas with a knife – give structure to sky-like areas of her works, evoking Mondrian’s so-called “plus-minus” compositions of the 1910s. Meanwhile, the build-up of layers and ridges of paint in the bottom halves of O’Brien’s canvases gives them mass and movement. While resembling rocky terrain and turbulent waters, these regions of accumulated paint remain intangible. This mixing of abstract styles reveals O’Brien’s confidence, creating a dialogue between distinct styles in each canvas. Martina O’Brien studied art at the Dun Laoighaire College of Art and Design and The National College of Art and Design in Dublin. Her work has been exhibited throughout Ireland and can be found in numerous private and public collections.