Division | Aches at Hang Tough Contemporary

Hang Tough Contemporary is delighted to announce ʻDivisionʼ, a new body of work from Aches.

Achesʼs work goes beyond just paint on a wall, the typical tags that you see day in day out slashed against disused buildings. From hoarding, gable ends, to drab alleyways, Aches has created some of the most recognisable and key images in the countryʼs cultural scene. His mural of ‘Savita Halappanavar’ became one of the defining images of the Repeal the 8th movement, and his Dolores OʼRiordan mural in Limerick was a focal point for a city in mourning. These monumental pieces have arguably reframed the way we think about social issues and refocused our collective consciousness. He has redrawn narratives and created spaces of cultural significance where passersby have smiled, laughed and cried.

With ʻDivisionʼ Aches responds to the past two years of the world in which we are currently living and the strange new way of life to which we have all become accustomed. The work is focused on the division of community and social circles that people have felt throughout the pandemic, specifically the feeling of anxiety and loneliness. Layers of colour are separated to represent the divide in society and also align with Aches’s body of work, inspired by Additive and subtractive colours theories.

The new body of work features work on wood, canvas and glass, all using the same colour theory, keeping with a cohesive aesthetic throughout the different mediums.

Aches b.1992 is an Irish artist. After painting and drawing everyday as a child, he started to paint graffiti at the age of 15. He studied Visual Communications at NCAD in Dublin and received his B.Des. in 2015. Using the knowledge and skills he had learned there, he began to incorporate them into his Graffiti pieces.

Aches’ work focuses on the additive and subtractive colour theories. Using overlapping colours of Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Red, Green and Blue he creates a sense of movement, dynamism and optical illusions. After experimenting with these theories within his graffiti pieces, he started to incorporate these ideas into his murals and studio work, painting portraiture and figurative work in this style. These design choices have been directly impacted by the digital software he uses, creating a more graphic and modern aesthetic to classic figurative painting. Over a decade of painting outdoors, led Achesʼ artistic practice to be shared in equal balance between contemporary murals and studio work.

ʻDivisionʼ x Aches will be hosted in Hang Tough Contemporary. Drinks are kindly provided by Teelings Whiskey.

This is a free event but guests must register to attend the launch via Eventbrite.

Hang Tough Contemporary Opening Hours (After Exhibition Launch):

Monday, Closed
Tuesday, 12 – 6
Wednesday, 12 – 6
Thursday, 12 – 6
Friday, 12 – 6
Saturday, 12 – 6
Sunday, 12 – 4

Exhibition Enquiries – gallery@hangtoughcontemporary.com

Press Enquiries – press@hangtough.ie

www.hangtoughcontemporary.com