Born in Dublin (1958), Gerard Byrne is one of Ireland’s leading contemporary artists. His expansive collection is representative of a versatility unparalleled in the contemporary Irish art scene. Byrne’s oil painting is distinctive for its vibrant palette, expressive brushwork and skillful contrasts of light and shade, all of which bring to mind the work of the Impressionist Masters. It is for this reason that Byrne may be regarded as a Contemporary Impressionist. His artwork can be seen in collections across Ireland and the world, including the Irish Government’s art collections, the Irish Embassies in Singapore and Beijing, and the Citadelle Art Museum in Texas, USA.

With no history of formal artistic training, Bryne’s journey to becoming an artist is a unique one. His extensive and varied life experiences are reflected in his artwork, from landscapes to still lifes to large scale figurative paintings. The time Byrne spent travelling as a young artist around the world, from Europe, through America and on to Asia, is present in the differing qualities of light across his paintings, while his intriguing multi figure compositions suggest a life full of interactions with a variety of people from a variety of cultures.

The spontaneity of his works, their boldness, scale and sharp perspectives reveal Byrne’s true natural talent. His is an artist’s eye; something that is inherent, something that cannot be taught.

The motivation and determination that helped Byrne build his career as an artist and gallery owner is still present to this day. He continuously works to further his career and challenge himself artistically. In 2019 Byrne was invited to spend a month as the Artist-in-Residence in the Singapore Botanic Gardens. His Residency was initiated by the Embassy of Ireland in Singapore, and supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Currently, Byrne is working towards a number of future international projects, which were put on pause due to the Covid 19 outbreak. Painting the cherry blossom season in Japan has been his long term dream, something that he had hoped to achieve this past year. Bryne plans to further his artistic connections within Asia, and is also working on potential collaborations in New York, Paris and Sydney.