Peter Monaghan

A graduate of the National College of Art and Design, Dublin, Peter Monaghan has had his own graphic design business, worked as an art lecturer in the Dun Laoghaire College of Art and for the past decade has been producing distinctive an highly sought-after art pieces.

Monaghan’s previous work in graphic and industrial design won many awards, including several sponsored by the Institute of Creative Advertising and Design, the IDI and the European Design Annual. In 1983 he set up his own firm Monaghan Design and later became a partner in Creative Inputs, working with such clients as AIB, ESB, Jefferson Smurfit and the Office of Public Works. He also designed a number of catalogues for the National Gallery, the Hugh Lane Gallery and the Irish Museum of Modern Art. In 1999 he finished working in design to concentrate full-time on painting and sculpture. Since then he has exhibited his work in many cities around the world including London, New York, Miami, Singapore, Brussels and Hong Kong.

Monaghan’s work is an exploration of the relationship between second and third dimension and the optical effects achieved through colour, shape and illusion.

"My work is the result of a disciplined research into the experience of looking – the experience of pure visual sensation and aesthetic pleasure. Simple forms and colours are used in repetition to engage the viewer. It is a dialogue about light, colour, movement and illusion; exploring the relationships and contrasts between painted flat surfaces, protruding spheres, cubes or geometric shapes. The work aims to evoke a response from the viewer.

The movement involved in viewing the work engages the viewer and this participation links the viewer to the painter and completes the visual experience. “While I continue to draw inspiration from optical art and mid-twentieth century artists such as Joseph Albers, Victor Vaseraly and Bridget Reilly, my strongest influences are drawn from personal explorations inspired by colour, rhythm and compositional movements." – Peter Monaghan