Plaque unveiled to renowned Dublin artist who died in motorbike crash
The late Jonathan Wade remembered at ceremony at his former home in Walkinstown
Today at 07:53
A plaque has been unveiled commemorating the life of renowned Irish artist Jonathan Wade at his home in the Dublin suburb of Walkinstown.
Specialising in painting industrial and urban landscapes, Jonathan has been described as one of Ireland's finest visual artists of the last century.
He was born in Thomas Street in 1941, and his family moved to 2 Walkinstown Avenue in 1952.
It was while living here in his teenage years that he developed his love of painting, and produced many of his earliest works.
His first solo exhibition was held in Fergus O'Farrell studios in 1966, followed by the Royal Hibernian Academy in 1968.
His largest and most important solo exhibition was held in the Project Arts Centre in Abbey Street in 1970, with 37 paintings on show.
He had spent a considerable amount of time in Dublin's dockyards around this time, influencing his output and leading to the creation of a series of paintings depicting landscapes of rusted metal junk.
Jonathan is represented today in the collections of The Hugh Lane Gallery and The Arts Council.
His work was profoundly shaped by his left-wing political beliefs, and sought to portray a sense of overwhelming industrial catastrophe by painting images of decaying and rusted buildings and machinery.
He tragically died in a motorcycle accident in January 1973, following a visit to see his mother, who lived in Walkinstown.
Speaking at the plaque unveiling ceremony, local councillor Ray Cunningham said: 'I am honoured to be here on a day when such an influential figure in our cultural heritage is being recognised.
'As public representatives and communities, our focus has moved since Jonathan Wade's time, we are better at improving our cityscapes and protecting our environment.
'It is also important that we protect the heritage of the watcher, the man whose images of twisted metal and broken concrete wilderness marked out his reputation as one of the great visual artists of the last century.
'If there are to be doers, there must be see-ers. The eye of the artist is a treasure and a resource that our city should cherish and celebrate. That is what we have a valuable opportunity to do today.'
The plaque was unveiled by the Dublin City Council Commemorations and Naming Committee, a group which facilitates the commemoration of people, events and organisations that have made a unique and significant contribution to Dublin.
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