Dermot Seymour facts for kids

Dermot Seymour (born in 1956) is a talented painter from Northern Ireland. He is a member of Aosdána, a special group for Irish artists, and also part of the Royal Ulster Academy of Arts. His paintings often explore big ideas like peace, what things mean, and who people are in Northern Ireland.

Discovering Dermot Seymour's Art

Dermot Seymour grew up in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He studied graphic design at the Ulster Polytechnic from 1975 to 1978. He later returned in 1981 to earn an advanced diploma in art and design.

Art Inspired by Life

Seymour's art is a direct response to his childhood during a difficult time in Northern Ireland known as The Troubles. He often paints beautiful, peaceful landscapes. But then he adds unexpected things like farm animals or even military helicopters. This mix helps him show how strange and sometimes silly things can be in Northern Irish society.

His art explores what symbols mean and how people see themselves. It highlights the differences between military life and the everyday lives of people in towns and the countryside.

In an interview, Seymour once explained that in Northern Ireland, even a simple object like a cow can have a deeper meaning. It might make people think about who owns it or what group it belongs to.

More Than Just Surreal

Seymour's paintings look very real, almost like photographs. They often have a funny or sharp message. People sometimes mistakenly call his art "Surrealist." This style is known for dream-like or impossible scenes.

However, Seymour himself has said that he doesn't try to be surreal like artists such as Salvador Dalí. Instead, he paints things that he actually saw or experienced around him. He uses real-world elements to create his unique and thought-provoking art.

Early Art Projects

In 1978, while still a student, Dermot Seymour worked with Terence Murphy. They painted a large mural on the side of a building in Belfast. This painting was part of a community art project. It showed members of a local boxing club.

Seymour had his first solo art show in 1981 in Belfast. It was called Northern Images. He had also shown his work in a group exhibition at the same place a few years earlier. In 1982, he had another show with artist Leslie Stannage.

Moving and Exhibiting

A magazine called Theatre Ireland asked Seymour to create drawings for two of their issues in 1984. A few months later, he had his first art show in Dublin. It was called Two Tribes and featured another artist from Ulster, Liam Magee.

Seymour moved to Dublin in 1985. Two years later, he moved to Annaghmakerrig in County Monaghan. In 1986, his work was chosen for a special exhibition for young artists. He showed his art at the annual Oireachtas show that same year.

His first art show across the Atlantic Ocean was in New York in 1987. He showed his work there for two more years. The Arts Council of Northern Ireland also hosted a solo exhibition of his work in 1989.

Throughout the 1990s, Seymour often showed his art across Ireland. This included solo shows in Dublin and Castlebar in 1992. He also had a joint exhibition with Micky Donnelly in Belfast in 1996.

Recent Works

After the year 2000, Seymour painted many portraits. These included pictures of politicians like Brian Cowen and Pat Rabbitte, and sports stars like Roy Keane. These portraits often show a sense of tiredness and deep thought. Seymour usually focuses on the eyes in his portraits. However, in one painting of a loyalist paramilitary, he focused on reflective sunglasses that hid the eyes.

More recently, Seymour's art has explored current events affecting Ireland. His 2017 exhibition, Hidden dips, Blind summits – The road to Brexitaria, looked at Brexit. In 2020, his show A Covid border tangle explored the Covid crisis.

Awards and Recognition

Dermot Seymour has received many awards for his art. In 1983, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland gave him money to buy photography equipment. Since then, he has received awards from many groups. These include the Claremorris Open Exhibition and An Chomhairle Ealaíon (The Arts Council of Ireland).

In 1987, he received a special award that allowed him to live and work in New York for six months. He received another grant from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland in 1993. In 1996, Seymour won a Marten Toonder Award.

In 1997, other artists chose him to become a member of Aosdána. This is a great honor for Irish artists.

Where to Find His Art

Dermot Seymour's art is part of many important collections. You can find his work in places like the Royal Ulster Academy, the European Central Bank, the Ulster Museum, and the Irish Museum of Modern Art.

He has been represented by the Kevin Kavanagh Gallery for many years. Dermot Seymour continues to live and work in rural County Mayo, where he has been since 1990.