This is where you put headline
This is where you put text or you can paste in text
IRISH INDEPENDENT Link
From punk to the Pope: the Dublin artist who’s now got the attention of Hollywood stars
Fri 27 Oct 2023 at 13:51
Tom Byrne with his piece Seamus Heaney, which will be featured at Art Source
When Hollywood filmmaker Elizabeth Banks was living in Dublin during filming of the gory horror comedy Cocaine Bear, she spotted Tom Byrne’s work in a Dalkey restaurant and immediately commissioned a portrait.
She was followed by Matthew Rhys and Kerri Russell, who all star in the movie based on the true story of a black bear who overdosed on dozens of packages of cocaine dropped into the Georgia wilderness during a botched smuggling operation.Former punk Byrne also painted Oppenheimer star Alden Ehrenreich, who appeared in Cocaine Bear, along with screenwriter Jimmy Warden.Now he is setting his sights on Art Source, expected to attract over 15,000 people and featuring 200 of the best in contemporary Irish and international artists and galleries at Dublin’s RDS from November 10-12.But the Kilmacud native does not deal only in Hollywood elite.
Max Handelman, Jimmy Warden and Elizabeth Banks with their portraits by Tom Byrne
In 2018, he was commissioned to create a piece for Pope Francis’ visit to Lithuania, which now hangs in the Vatican.
“I wasn’t aware that it was a commission for the Pope at the time. In retrospect, I am actually quite relieved about that,” said Tom.
“I had already done two exhibitions in Lithuania and the National Gallery there had acquired some of my pieces, so I was quite surprised when I discovered the true purpose of the commission.
“I think that art should be spiritual in nature, so I was glad. I got quite a kick out of being featured in the Vatican News, too.”
In quite an unusual artistic career evolution, before the Pope, Tom was a hardcore punk artist.
“I used to design art for the fashion label IGOR in the late eighties and they would incorporate my work into their prints,” he said.
“It was a punk label and at the time, I was hardcore punk. I used to hang out with all the punk bands and design their album artwork and backdrops.
“When I started out my career, I was described as classically trained with a punk mentality.
“Now, I’m still covered in tattoos but I’m also married and have kids and am involved with galleries. I wouldn’t necessarily hang out in that scene anymore.
“My style now is called disruptive realism. I’ve kind of left the punk scene and am more spiritual now, I like to meditate and include spiritual practices in my life and I try to bring that into my paintings.”
Closer to home, his clients have included Sinéad O’Connor, Dara Ó Briain, Louis Walsh, the Happy Pear twins and Gerald Kean.
Cowen noose picture just gallows humour – artist
BRIAN COWEN has been in some tricky situations recently, but none quite as treacherous as this. The artist responsible for the controversial canvas depicting the Taoiseach with a noose around his neck last night defended his work. Tom Byrne maintained that his painting does not depict suicide and wasn’t “all that strong” despite it being removed from display at a gallery in Dublin after a number of objections.
Former Anglo Irish Bank chief executive Sean FitzPatrick is also prominent in the work – as he appears to pull a chair out from beneath Mr Cowen. Mr. Cowen is holding two golf balls in a non-too-subtle nod to recent revelations that the Taoiseach played a round of golf with the bank boss shortly before the controversial bank guarantee was introduced.
“The Personal Guarantee’ went on display in the window of Dublin’s Apollo Gallery on Dawson Street, last Thursday, but was later removed. “We had some very strong opinions coming through the door,” Clare Shanahan said yesterday. “People were very angry about how the Taoiseach was portrayed in the picture. The reaction was such we had to remove the canvas from our window and even take it off display.”
However, the artist responsible defended it. “I’d say the protests had more to do with the Apollo Gallery’s proximity to Leinster House than outrage from members of the public,” Mr Byrne argued. “I’m told all the men who came into the Apollo complaining wore suits.”
Mr Byrne, from Greystones, Co Wicklow, said the painting did not depict Mr Cowen as about to commit suicide. He added: “Given that effigies of certain figures involved in our banking scandal have been burnt outside the headquarters of Anglo Irish Bank, I really don’t think my painting is all that strong.”
‘The Personal Guarantee’ remains for sale at €950.
Tom Byrne’s painting of Brian Cowen Featured in the independent.
tombyrne’s painting of Brian Cowen as a punk rocker was featured in the Irish Independent.
Tom Byrne’s Painting in the Sunday Independent, 16th January 2011
IN THE ROUGH: Brian Cowen and Sean Fitzpatrick in a painting called ‘Golf Date’ By Tom Byrne at the Apollo Gallery in Dublin
