A visual artist based in Kilkenny, Lee’s bold and engaging work focuses on the importance of communication and human interaction, and pushes the boundaries of narrative and figurative painting. His work delves into the lyrical and the uncanny, combining moments of quiet reflection and interactions of emotional weight, leading viewers into an environment that is startlingly new but remarkably familiar to us all. Figures often appear together or solitary in states of silent exchange or astounding isolation. At times, an event has just occurred that we, as viewers, can never ultimately grasp the significance of and are left with unanswered questions. Shanahan’s visual world occupies a liminal space; emotional complexity and uncertainty are key to its poetic representation. Suspended in ambiguous narratives that invite the viewer to create their own interpretations, Lee’s paintings offer a tactile reflection of intimacy, communication, and the fragile beauty of human connection. The physical act of painting is evident in Shanahan’s work. Oil paint is applied in heavy impasto; in other areas, the pigment is scraped and scratched over bare canvas. There is a confidence in the gestural handling of material but also an intimate and hesitant uncertainty in the brushwork, making the physical works all the more poignant. The colouring is unintrusive, relying more on tonal values and sharp contrasts to elevate the conceptual themes within the paintings. Shanahan's painterly approach balances raw strength with a subtle sensitivity, resulting in a distinct and entirely his own artistic voice.

Connection to Skylines

The theme of Skylines really spoke to me in relation to my own painting practice. For me, as a narrative based figurative painter, the setting and environment play an equally important role as the human role within the work, which is not always immediately recognised. I am very much drawn to the liminal and the transitional times of day and night which is evident in the works below. Night scenes and simplified, bold or minimal cloud formations, I feel add to the dreamlike and surreal nature which is playing out in the internally tension and weight in the figures in these exterior environments.