Visual Arts

The exhibition, simply called 'The Journey', is a collection of abstract expressionism that deals with history, memory and myth - and is a rare opportunity to see his work in the UK.

A particular focus of the exhibition is O'Donoghue's father, Daniel - who was born in Manchester of Irish descent, served as an infantryman in WWII and chronicled his experiences of the war in letters home to his wife.

It is these accounts, along with the artefacts Daniel carried with him: his flute, goggles, sheet music, a camera and books that O'Donoghue uses to construct his art, incorporating photography as well as painted images to produce multi-layered images, designed to represent memories rising to the surface of murky waters.

"My paintings are still images but the influences and sources of inspiration in my work are drawn from many different areas; from life and memory, from documentary film and cinema, historical archives, newspapers and books and from my own collection of discarded and found material."

Born in 1953, Hughie O'Donoghue has been exhibiting internationally in solo and group exhibitions since 1982, with the reputation of being one of the most ambitious and significant painters currently at work in the UK, and his powerful paintings are often compared to the likes of Francis Bacon.

O'Donoghue was made a Royal Academician in 2009. Founded in 1768, membership in the Royal Academy is limited to 80 full members, featuring the greatest living names in contemporary British art. The Academy's rules state that there must always be at least fourteen sculptors, twelve architects, and eight printmakers.

'The Journey' runs from Friday 11 September until Sunday 15 November 2009 at Leeds City Art Gallery.