
Fintan Whelan
Hometown: Goettingen
Based in: Germany
Hometown: Goettingen
Based in: Germany
Fintan was born in Dublin and has spent his adult life in Ireland, Spain and Germany (his current home). He studied at Dún Laoghaire School of Art und DIT, Mountjoy Sq., Dublin. His work has been exhibited and acquired by numerous collectors across North America, Europe and Asia, and featured in prominent corporate projects in the UK and USA.
Fintan was artist in residence at Chelsea Harbour Design Centre (London) and is a member of BBK (Federal Association of German Fine Artists). He studied at Dún Laoghaire School of Art und DIT, Mountjoy Sq., Dublin.
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2019 March - 508 Gallery, London
2018 Feb - March - 508 Gallery, London
2017 Aug - Gallery Wasserscheune, Adelebsen, Germany
2017 June - "Lichtenberg Project", Künstlerhaus, Göttingen, Germany
2016 August - Rothe House, Kilkenny, Ireland
2014 Sept. - Winkelman Gallery, Hannover, Germany
2014 May - June - InterView III - Künstlerhaus Gallery Göttingen, Germany
2013 Oct. - Beautiful Losers - 4h-art Gallery, Hannover, Germany
2013 Sept. - Oct. - Torhaus Galerie, Göttingen, Germany
2013 June - July - Schofield's Gallery, Göttingen, Germany
2010 Feb - Atelier Block 16, Hannover, Germany
2009 Nov - 2010 Jan. - Silberstein Atelier, Göttingen, Germany
2005 March - ‘Luz y Espacio’, Museo de Blas Infante, Granada, Spain
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2020 Dec - Lichtenberghaus, Göttingen, Germany
2019 Nov - Dec - Künstlerhaus Gallery, Göttingen, Germany
2019 Dec - Menier Gallery, London
2019 June - Steidel Contemporary, Palm Beach, Florida
2019 June - Orchard Gallery, New York
2018 Dec - 508 Gallery, London
2018 April - 508 Gallery, London
2017 April - May - Luzia Sassen Gallery, Cologne, Germany
2017 Feb - "100% Abstract" - Le Dame Art Gallery, London
2016 Nov - Dec - Künstlerhaus Gallery, Göttingen
2016 June - July - Gallery Bottega d'Arte Merlino, Florence, Italy
2015 Nov - Dec - Künstlerhaus Gallery, Göttingen
2015 Nov - Dec - Culture Bunker (Kulturbunker Köln), Cologne, Germany
2015 Aug - Espacio Gallery, London, UK
2015 Aug - Oct. - Boundary Art Gallery, Cardiff, UK
2014 July - Faust Gallery, Hannover, Germany
2014 April - 4h-art Gallery, Hannover, Germany
2012 July - Ex Chiesa di San Nicolao, Bellano, Italy
SELECTED ART FAIRS/EVENTS
2020 March - Affordable Art Fair Battersea / Caiger Contemporary Art
2019 Dec - Red Dot Miami / Art Basel Week
2019 Dec - The Auction Collective - Menier Gallery London
2019 Nov - The Other Art Fair, Brooklyn Expo Centre, NY
2019 Oct - The Other Art Fair, Victoria House, London
2019 May - Affordable Art Fair, Hampstead, London
2019 May - The Other Art Fair, Mana Contemporary, Chicago
2019 March - Affordable Art Fair, Battersea, London
2019 March - The Other Art Fair, Los Angeles
2019 Jan - Art Palm Beach, Florida
2018 Oct - The Other Art Fair, London
2018 July - The Other Art Fair, Bristol
2018 May - Affordable Art Fair, Hampstead, London
2018 March - London Design Week
2017 Oct - The Innovative Art Fair, Contemporary Art Ruhr, Germany
2017 Sept - Focus Show, Chelsea Harbour Design Centre, London
2017 Jan - Artrooms, Meliá White House, London
2016 Oct - Kunstmesse Kassel, documenta-Halle, Kassel, Germany
2016 July - Art Santa Fe 2016 (USA)
2016 June - present - BigScreenPlaza / 6th Avenue, Manhattan, NY
2015 March - July - Installation Project "Wow Brows" funded by Association of German Fine Artists
2013-2015 Art'pu:l, Cologne, Germany
2007 Nov - 2008 Jan - Kunstmarkt, Hannover, Germany
What inspires you?
I’m fascinated by everything that’s organic whether microscopic or on a vast scale or somewhere in between. Forms, textures, shadows, movement and capturing energy are aspects that dominate my work. It’s very important for me to have a daily routine, to keep at paintings until they’re finished.
Describe your creative process.
I started using powder pigments while living in Spain. There is something essential and fundamental about pure pigments that I kept coming back to. This led me to experiment with them using emulsions and other media, and over the years my practice has evolved to what it is now. I have more recently reduced my palette to two or three pigments for most of my paintings which enables me to create the type of work I aspire to.
What are 3 words that best describe your work?
organic, experimental, evolving
Who are some artists that have influenced your work?
Toni Tàpies, Pierre Soulages, Sean Scully and Alberto Giacometti
What is the best piece of advice you have been given?
A fellow artist once told me “there are no rules in art”. In other words, stick to what is working for you and stay true to it no matter what
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