Institute of Art Design + Technology
Dún Laoghaire

Conor Fitzsimons 

BA [Hons] Art

Conor Fitzsimons (b. 1956, Derry) is a retired Army Officer and Grandfather who has reacquainted himself with art since his retirement five years ago. His work is two-dimensional, encompassing the representational and figurative, and highly influenced by realist, surrealist, and proto-surrealist artists, both living and dead. Fitzsimons is an advocate of Aristotle’s maxim: “the more you know, the more you know you don’t know”, which proved axiomatic on his journey of discovery as an artist.  He has exhibited in IADT group shows such as Propositions, IADT Campus (2022), Afterthought, United Artists Club (Dublin 2020) and New Translations, IMMA (2019). 

Project Overview 

Fitzsimons’ work explores contemporary issues invoking our natural childlike curiosity and inquisitiveness. He critically analyses and questions the political narrative by throwing out ideas, using biblical and classical allegory, poking fun, half-in-jest, wholly-in-earnest, and uses satire to lampoon a sycophantic and supine political leadership. The works reflect the impact of the arbitrary removal of freedoms through authoritative COVID decrees on the pretext of public safety without any transparency or public debate. These concerns are reflected in the work  Locked Out  and its companion piece; Welcome to the Neighborhood, which sets out to highlight the issue of homelessness and how the problem was exacerbated as an ‘unintended consequence’ of the measures implemented by the government et al. His work engages with the contemporary political realities of our time and explores areas of concern that are both relevant and necessary. Fitzsimons articulates and records these concerns through his paintings.