Elizabeth O'Halloran
In my work I draw on personal experience to explore human relationships through abstract sculptural forms. I want to express the interior world without the surface distraction of the exterior. I believe what is personal is also most universal, and I hope the work will resonate with viewers and prompt them to reflect on relationships from another perspective.
While following in the tradition of Modernist abstract work and utilizing industrial materials my work does not seek in any way to reflect the machismo or monumental scale of early proponents. My work seeks to express a contemporary feminine perspective on relationships, informed by an understanding of human relationship psychology.
The work was conceived as a series of pieces which are abstract expressions of emotional states. The piece called Harmony 1, is an expression of a secure attachment as described in the work of psychologist John Bowlby. The fluid lines of the steel and acetate flowing together give form to the equilibrium of a healthy relationship.
The materials used have qualities which illustrate human characteristics. Steel has strength but can also be rigid, and this rigidity can be a weakness in human terms when it leads to inflexibility. Acetate is transparent and pliable, but an excess of flexibility can lead to poor personal boundaries and can be viewed as weakness. These qualities in the materials aid the forms in expressing my ideas about relationships.
Elizabeth came late to formal art education and has enjoyed an exploration of many modes of artistic expression during the last number of years. These include drawing, painting and now finally sculpture. In 3D she has found a form that truly excites her. Elizabeth has exhibited in **Down the Road, around the corner**, Pallas Projects / Studios (2026), **Fractal**, Powerscourt Townhouse (2024), Derrynane House, Co. Kerry, and **The Place Project**, IMMA Studios (2022).
