Limavady artist sells out London show

A LIMAVADY artist who opened a sell-out exhibition of his work in London has announced plans for a summer show in Belfast.

David McDowell's latest exhibition VOYEUR will commence this week at Belfast's Salamander Gallery on the Lisburn Road and is set to delve deep into the corners of human intimacy. Accompanied by Lisburn artist, Sandra Robinson, the "stunning" two person exhibit explores the form of figurative painting whilst exploiting the facets of human intimacy. The Northern Ireland artists' work plays with the notion of taking a private moment and making it public, where-by the viewer becomes the voyeur. This theme is highly predominant in David's work, which is "radically becoming very collectable", according to a Salamander Gallery spokesperson. Limavady born David has in the past received huge critical acclaim for his work, with art expert Peter Wheatley-Smith describing McDowell's as '"the highest level of emerging local artistic talent". Since graduating from the University of Ulster in 2008, the Roe Valley man has exhibited his contemporary perspective on figurative art to an international audience.

Speaking about his previous exhibits McDowell says: "The crowds at my international shows have been overwhelming. The support from fans and especially my models has been brilliant."

He continues: "The characters in my work never engage with the viewer but rather stare in a direction off canvas, as though searching for something beyond the view of the spectator."

McDowell's next exhibition, entitled VOYEUR , opens its doors to the public at 7pm on Thursday, August 5. While David says that his art portrays the female form in a "delicate feminine way" the work of Sandra Robinson in contrast presents the model in a typically masculine format, imposing itself as a subject and spectacle to the viewer. VOYEUR opens this Thursday from 7pm to 9pm and will run until Saturday 21st August 2010 at the Salamander Gallery, Lisburn Road, Belfast. All welcome. Further details, and examples of David's work, can be found by logging on to www.davidmcdowell.co.uk.