Art

Precisely because we expect nothing less than the usual quiet excellence of his work, it's easy to take Felim Egan (right) for granted. But a new exhibition by him is always a major event, and his Kerlin Gallery show, which opened yesterday, should prove of particular interest. He is one of the few Irish artists with an established international presence - last year he became the first Irish artist to be honoured with a solo show at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam. Writing about his work there, Director Rudi Fuchs pointed out that his "abstract paintings are essentially landscapes, often seascapes too", which is a pretty good description of his distinctive brand of atmospheric abstraction. The elegant austerity of his paintings with their soft, beautifully textured grounds animated by the play of a few lines and geometric forms often suggest expanses of sky, sea and sand.