£1,600.00
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Gareth McConnell's Spirit and Intention, 1998 engages with the interplay of abstraction and historical memory, particularly through its dominant use of blue and black. The photograph, part of his Details of Sectarian Murals series, transforms politically charged imagery into textured, near-abstract compositions. By isolating sections of Northern Ireland’s sectarian murals, McConnell removes them from their ideological context, emphasizing their materiality and color instead.
Blue, as explored in Kandinsky’s color theory, holds a deeply spiritual resonance. In Concerning the Spiritual in Art (1911), Kandinsky describes blue as a color that evokes depth, contemplation, and transcendence—qualities that align with McConnell’s approach to abstraction. The cool tones in Spirit and Intention create a meditative, almost ethereal atmosphere, suggesting an introspective journey rather than direct confrontation with history. Black, in contrast, introduces a weight of finality and the unknown, grounding the piece in a somber, reflective mood.
Sarah Allen’s essay Abstraction as Survival Strategy and Utopic Appeal provides a framework for understanding how McConnell’s work reinterprets historical imagery. By abstracting sectarian symbols into fields of color and texture, McConnell enacts a form of resistance—allowing for a visual and conceptual space where conflict can be reconsidered and possibly transcended. Kathryn Bromwich, writing in The Observer New Review, has noted McConnell’s ability to imbue his work with both personal and collective histories, making Spirit and Intention a poignant exploration of memory, identity, and the potential for abstraction to serve as a mode of healing.