After nearly two weeks of painting, Australian street artist Fintan Magee completed his powerful new mural titled “Structure” for the fifth edition of Out in the Open festival, hosted in Aalborg, Denmark by KIRK Gallery. The festival’s lineup, we reported on in April 2019, featured seven artists from five different countries all over the world. The festival intends to “break away from a museum setting and have street art of the highest caliber more accessible to the public.” Magee’s contribution brings his amazing propensity for photorealistic portraiture to the city’s streets, while incorporating a slightly new painterly touch.
Magee conducted research for the completion of “Structure” as outlined by KIRK Gallery. Their press release for the piece states, “we’ve had the pleasure of following the process of his work, starting out with the artist taking photos for sketches of young locals of 5 different nationalities at the gallery. At the same time the residents at the area of the mural sent a few inspiring words about what it is like living there in Aalborg.”
The result is a powerful mural that seems to convey gentle themes of community. “Structure” features two strong female figures, one falling backwards in surrender to the other’s embrace. The girl being held has her arms at her sides, which appears to communicate that she is in a state of exhaustion, her head thrown back. The girl doing the hugging holds her face to the other figure’s neck, a gesture of intimacy and deep care. While the nature of their relationship is unclear, the atmosphere’s tenor is strong: this mural says “I will care for you, I will hold you up when you are down.”
The title “Structure” applies not only to the arrangement of these two women, but also the artistic technique that Magee employed in creating it. While the top is extremely cohesive in his signature style, the mural fades fades into deconstruction, which the press release explains, “adds even more layers to the very powerful piece.” Magee himself said the effect reads “almost like water color.” The somewhat somber mural upholds the emotional motifs present throughout his body of work. KIRK writes that “[Magee’s] paintings are colourful, even though the themes often are dark and tragic.
Based in Aalborg, KIRK Gallery’s website explains that the organization “features Danish and international contemporary art, showcasing the latest currents and developments within the new contemporary art scene, presenting powerful and visionary art by artists in a line-up that bridges the gap between fine art and the new contemporary movement.” They prides themselves on their “international reach and a collaborative approach.”
This approach extends beyond the shows they organize for museums and other gallery partners to include “beautifying the local area with the ‘Out in the Open’ mural project started in 2014.” In hosting this impressive event, KIRK not only gives back to the local community with the gift of awe-inspiring, world renowned art, but it also helps to make Aalborg an artistic authority in Denmark and the world beyond.
Fintan Magee: website | facebook | instagram
KIRK Gallery: website | facebook | instagram
