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Places such as pubs, schools and similar institutions that by definition are associated with people embody a different emotion when vacant. They become empty and lonely locations, useless, sterile and soul-less in the absence of people. Some of my paintings are reminiscent of early school days and returning to these places almost brings a haunting feeling to my soul. People still have dreams about doing the leaving cert years after they have left school.

In the last two years I returned to these places and institutions which I attended years ago, my primary and secondary schools, the location of courses, work places and hospitals. I take photos and work from that source to create paintings. I also do quick sketches there and then on the spot. There is an eerie feel to some of these paintings and there are no people in the images just memories and ghost of the past in my mind.

More recently I have been developing a new body of work. This deals with themes related to guilt and perpetration. In general the over all development of this particular body of work is centred on the darker side of human kind.

James Mongey 2008.