In this latest series of paintings I am looking at objects and spaces that form parts of daily life. Things that are often overlooked or passed by. Plants and garden tables have been a substitute for figuration, holding place and providing a window into the life within the spaces. When I approach these paintings I am not attempting to make them resemble life but give them their own through the paint
TAYLOR TWO is proud to present Tender Ruins, an exhibition of new paintings by Karl Hagan, curated by Eamonn Maxwell.
Hagan’s paintings occupy a space between image and abstraction, exploring themes of memory, identity and the passage of time. Photography and digital collage form part of the early stages of his process, allowing him to build a multiplicity of layers that are subsequently translated into paint. These accumulated fragments create a sense of depth and complexity, inviting the viewer to consider the hidden narratives contained within the work.
Fragmented forms and distorted figures frequently emerge from Hagan’s compositions, reflecting the fluid and often unreliable nature of memory and the subconscious. Rather than simply depicting the world around him, Hagan uses painting to explore the ephemeral and ambiguous qualities of human experience.
In this latest series, Hagan turns his attention to objects and spaces that form part of everyday life — things that are often overlooked or simply passed by. Plants and garden tables become substitutes for figuration, holding places within the paintings and offering windows into the lives and spaces they inhabit. These familiar objects are transformed through paint into something less fixed and more suggestive.