Glamour of Hollywood greats on show at Wicklow exhibit
The exhibition was a unique showcase of work for the Bray venue, which appealed in particular to fans of the silver screen, featuring pencil portraits from the golden age of cinema – Lauren Bacall, Humphrey Bogart, Gary Cooper, Joan Crawford and Judy Garland. Lots of original art was on display, from vintage movie memorabilia and small dioramas.
Shane McCormack is a graduate of Bray Institute of Further Education and IADT, and as a freelance illustrator specialising in portraits from film and TV, has worked on licensed subjects like Star Wars, Star Trek, The Walking Dead and The Hobbit. His short film, The Hotel, which was screened as part of Culture Night last September, is a fascinating piece of social history focusing on the former Bray Head Hotel – a favourite of the stars when filming at Ardmore, and where scenes from Frank, Breakfast on Pluto and The Commitments were also shot.
In the notes for the exhibition, it presents an artist 'fascinated by how the photograph or film frame captures a fleeting moment, one that is forever frozen in time yet continues to evolve in its significance'.
"What remains poignant is how these images continue to resonate today as artefacts of both escapism and aspiration, as well as reminders of the complexities behind the facade. The power of image in vintage Hollywood lies not just in its glamour, but in its ability to shape memory and influence culture long after the original light has faded. Through this exploration, Shane seeks to uncover the layers of artifice and authenticity that intersect in the history of cinema and visual culture.'
You can find out more about Shane on his website, mrharrylime.com – if you know your movies, you should know the inspirational character behind that one. Just don't confuse it with Harry Lyme.
The exhibition closes at Signal Arts Centre in Bray on Sunday, June 22.
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