Twinkle - a shine and sparkle of the eyes, a blink, a wink, a gleam, a
glimmer of light
Twinkle, the new exhibition by Gemma Browne, presents a series of works
portraying fashion dolls. As with previous work, Browne¹s inspiration for
these images lie firmly in contemporary pop culture. From the childhood
memories of well-loved toys and comics to 1970’s animation, more recently
revived for a new audience in the form of manga cartoons, this kitsch visual
influence has permeated much contemporary art making, from the
electro-geisha art of Mariko Mori to Pierre Huyghe’s annlee project. This
project was also influenced by recent trips to various toy museums and
markets in Europe and the US.
There is a uniformity to the faces of the girl dolls, each differing
slightly but with similar treatment and construction. Using a gestural and
stylised painting technique, Browne¹s arresting images capture the space and
the viewer. The doe-eyed creatures stare either directly at the viewer or
suggestively to one side, to some unknown event or object. These created
representations of childhood project a certain quiet anxiety and unease.
They are empty shells without psychology, ageless, frozen in their inanimate
world, a brief instance, a twinkle.
Ruth Carroll, Exhibitions Curator, RHA
Solo Exhibitions
Twinkle, Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, Dublin, 2004
Sugar-Coated, Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, Dublin, 2003
Being Pretty is Everything, Draiocht, Blanchardstown, Dublin, 2002
Recent Group Exhibitions
Eurojets 03, RHA Gallery, Dublin, 2003
Vivid, Laois Art Festival 2002
Crawford Open 3,Crawford Municipal Gallery, Cork, 2002
Eigse, Carlow, 2001
