Virus Dance. Gleason. 2020.
Social Distancing Ballet (after Degas), Mixed Media on Paper, 2020
Gerry Gleason is a painter, sculptural installation and mixed-media artist from Belfast. Beginning his art career in 1976, Gerry is a founding member of Queen Street Studios. Working in a variety of mediums, he takes influence from artists such as Picasso, Matisse and Bacon, to produce work concerned with the human condition, and social, political and historical issues. His work has been shown extensively, in Poland, Germany, France, Great Britain, the Republic of Ireland and the USA.
Social Distancing Ballet (after Degas) is part of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland art collection. It is part of a wider series of works called 'Lockdown Chronicle'. The series represents a personal visual diary of ideas and feelings the artist experienced during the Covid lock down period. Sometimes with humour, sometimes with great sadness at the loss of life, at other times observing the unfolding of events as they occurred.
Many pieces were inspired by old and modern masters, who themselves lived through plagues and pandemics in their own time. The works represents a tribute to front line workers and families who lost loved ones.
Further information about Gerry and his work can be found at www.gerrygleasonart.com