Vigo Gallery is pleased to present inscape, a new series of paintings by Erin Lawlor.
Taking its title from a term coined by poet Gerard Manley Hopkins, inscape refers to the unique inner pattern or essence that gives each thing its identity. Hopkins developed this concept from philosopher Duns Scotus to articulate how intrinsic nature manifests in outward form. This philosophical framework underpins this body of work which is concerned with inner projection and interior states.
Lawlor's paintings feature sweeping, fluid brushstrokes that create dynamic vortices across the canvas. Working in wet paint, alla prima, she allows colours to blend in ways that capture the fluidity of thought and feeling. These are not physical landscapes but embodiments of psychological terrain – the topography of consciousness itself.
"While my previous exhibition 'divining' leaned into interrogating the land and external projection," Lawlor explains, "these works concern inner projection." This shift toward interiority is reflected in the intimate scale of the paintings, inviting personal encounters.
The palette spans cool blues, warm reds, soft pinks and earthy tones, each suggesting different emotional states. Hopkins positioned inscape in dichotomy with his concept of "instress," whereas Lawlor's work explores tension with the word "escape". These paintings simultaneously invite immersion in inner experience and transcendence beyond ordinary perception. They continue themes from Lawlor's Wellington Arch exhibition titled after Camus' observation, "In the depths of winter, I found within myself an invincible summer."
Concurrent with inscape at Vigo Gallery, Lawlor will present a national touring exhibition opening at Highlanes Gallery in Drogheda, Ireland, before moving to the Galway International Arts Festival in summer 2025, and concluding at The Source Arts Centre, Tipperary, in December 2025. Lawlor's work will also feature at Art Dubai in April 2025.
