Daniel Chester

The current body of work is visual enquiry into the landscape of rural Ireland and its spiritual connection with the viewer. The research particularly focuses on the landscape on counties Leitrim, Roscommon, Sligo and Mayo and aims to question what relationship can be connected between the overindulgent nature of humans consumption of land and our historical and sacred connection to the environment.

As part of this area of interest I am also fascinated in the reality of the “Commons in Society” and the connection between the moral responsibilities of the community towards the landscape. The ownership of parks, greens, lanes, walkways and rural areas that is open to the public. My current area of research also extends to an enquiry into traditional drawing and painting of the landscape, in particular the idea and notion of romantics within the rural landscape. Areas of continued interest include artist such as Caspar Fredrich, William Blake and German romanticism painting, In particular my work is influenced by paintings “Monasty Graveyard In Snow (1819) and The Abbey in The Oakwood (1810) by Fredrick, other influences include Dutch painting in particular the work of Pieter Brugel. The recurring theme within my work focuses on notions of disillusion with materialism, return to the natural world, death, destruction and resurrection.

The choice of aluminium as a medium in which to paint on is deliberate one, although this material is not one of traditional use I find its coldness and dampness a direct connection to the landscapes and subjects I choose to paint, the aluminium also enables me as an artist to show the process of painting i.e. brushstrokes, additional liquids each work is very much unique as the experimental development can very much change with each painting.

“Chester’s delicately executed saplings with curved leaves limply adorning the struggling stalks are beautiful, simple, and elegant. The misty shrouds the veil the images add an eerie feeling to the work indicative of Chester’s observed gloominess caused by man’s destructive habits on nature”

Quote from “Land is Ours” booklet, Aedin McGinn 2015