The Vanquished Writing History, a body of work comprising 18 large-scale portraits, are portraits of people, or their advocates, who find themselves marginalised, ostracised, vilified or disbelieved, and who have told their own story, making a positive contribution to Irish society, usually through activism or advocacy.
MacCormaic began painting the series in response to the well-known expression that ‘history is written by the victorious’. The artist wants to counter this by depicting people who are working against the established views and writing their own history. Those who have portraits painted are usually part of the élite, politicians, CEOs and archbishops. Simply painting a portrait of an ordinary person is an act of defiance. Although the dictionary meaning of vanquished is ‘utterly defeated’, MacCormaic uses vanquished as a one-word opposite of victorious.
The first person to agree to be portrayed was Catherine Corless, the historian who uncovered the tragedy at the Tuam mother and baby home. That portrait has been purchased by the National Gallery of Ireland for its permanent collection. MacCormaic includes the relatives of victims and survivors of The Troubles in Northern Ireland who are seeking answers and justice.
“Wave Trauma Centre in Belfast deals with many of the people I have read about and would like to feature. Alan McBride, who works there and whose wife and father-in-law were murdered in the Shankill Road bomb attack, is portrayed, along with those representing the Ballymurphy Ten, John Teggart and Bloody Sunday Julieann Campbell, who wrote a history of the incident, plus Paddy Armstrong of the Guilford Four. Relatives of victims of the Dublin and Monaghan Bombings are represented by Margaret Urwin, who is coordinator for Justice for the Forgotten. Those who turned to violence to achieve their goals are excluded from the series.”
Paul MacCormaic
Artist Bio
Born in Dublin in 1961, MacCormaic grew up in Finglas. His style and approach has always been figurative and much of his earlier work was imbued with sardonic humour and included collage, printmaking and painting. Before leaving his job as a technician in Eircom in 2001, he had 6 one-man shows. As a mature student, he read History of Art at UCD and studied Fine Art at Dún Laoghaire IADT. MacCormaic has worked as a professional artist and teacher since graduating in 2006. The most recent exhibitions were Food Fight, in the Seamus Ennis Arts Centre in The Naul (2021) and Icons II in the Tinahealy Courthouse (2022)
MacCormaic’s work is political, and portraiture in a realist style is a means to an end – to make social commentary and pay tribute to those who have contributed to contemporary Irish life. His portraiture has won him awards such as The Ireland-US Council/ Irish Arts Review for best portrait in the 193rd RHA Annual Exhibition and his portrait of Catherine Corless was purchased by the National Gallery of Ireland. He has been shortlisted for the Zurich Portrait Prize three times and his 2023 entry, a portrait of Annie Murphy, caused great interest in her story with radio and newspaper articles. This is his tenth solo exhibition.
www.paulmaccormaic.com #TheVanquished
Facebook: @paulmaccormaic
Images: 01. Paul MacCormaic, The Kavanagh Sisters Making Their Podcast, 2023, Acrylic and oil on canvas, 122 x 168cm, Image courtesy of the artist.
02. Paul MacCormaic, Antoinette Keegan, spokesperson for the justice for the Stardust 48, 2023, Acrylic and oil on canvas, 122 x 122cm, Image courtesy of the artist.
03. Paul MacCormaic, Martin Collins, traveller rights activist, at his desk in Pavee Point, 2024, Acrylic and oil on canvas 122 x 92cm, Image courtesy of the artist.
04. Paul MacCormaic, Annie Murphy, former lover Of Bishop Eamonn Casey, at her home in Riverside, California, Oil and acrylic on canvas, 122 x 92cm, Image courtesy of the artist.
05. Paul MacCormaic, Finola Cassidy, spokesperson for the Irish Thalidomide Association, at her home in Sandymount, Dublin, Acrylic and oil on canvas, 122 x 92cm, Image courtesy of the artist.
