With the solo exhibition "Raw", Nicholas O'Leary invites us to really see the unseen, and the everyday scenes. He challenges us to notice the details that we wouldn't normally even give a glance, or the small elements that slip by in pursuit of the more obvious beauty. Each painting is a tribute to a specific aspect of the subject, where O'Leary captures what he sees with a raw and direct approach.
The exhibition explores two central themes in Nicholas O'Leary's artistry: the Norwegian landscape and people. Through sketches and portraits on the one hand, and intense depictions of Norwegian nature on the other, the artist encourages us to reflect on the untamed and unpredictable in both nature and man himself.
O'Leary paints exclusively plein air, which means he works directly out in nature, rather than inside a studio. With the easel placed in the landscape, he captures the surroundings in real time, influenced by the constantly changing weather on the west coast of Norway. This gives the paintings a lively and authentic quality that reflects nature's own dynamics.
The exhibition is a reminder that nature does not need to be manipulated to become aesthetically pleasing. It is already remarkable in its complexity and rawness, and in the exhibition Raw he shows us that the unpredictable and unpolished can be at least as fascinating as the perfectly staged.