2025 Capsule Exhibition

Chromatic Icons
by John McMahon

A curated release of radiant portrait abstractions drawing on the iconography of the Atlantic. Each work is constructed in layers of lacquered pigment, metallic leaf, and silkscreen interventions for a finish that vibrates under gallery lighting.

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Preview Galway studio, 1 March 2025

Edition range Series of 8 – 14 works

Medium Acrylic, oil, metallic leaf

John McMahon standing beside a series of abstract coastal paintings — Atlantic Reverie, 2024

Collection window 1 March – 30 June 2025

Dimensions 120 × 120 cm (47 1/4 × 47 1/4 in)

Price From £7,500 GBP

Global delivery Museum-standard logistics

Selected works

Collection Highlights

John McMahon’s new series translates tidal rhythms and atmospheric light into sweeping planes of colour. Each painting is built over months through translucent glazes, allowing undertones to radiate through the final surface.

Atlantic Reverie

Series of 12

Waves of cerulean and magenta crest across the canvas, echoing the luminescence of twilight seas with delicate gilded highlights.

Horizon Chorus

Series of 10

Layered strokes of chartreuse, cobalt, and pearl mica shift with the light, immersing the viewer in a chorus of atmospheric colour.

Luminous Shoal

Series of 8

Metallic teal and sunlit coral flow together, suggesting the movement of fish beneath rippling water.

Tidal Aurora

Series of 14

Midnight blues dissolve into opalescent violets, capturing the horizon as dawn begins to break over the shoreline.

Artist Documentation

Each painting is accompanied by a signed dossier, pigment notes, and photographic process study that articulate McMahon’s layered methodology.

Layered Surfaces

Metallic leaf and translucent glazes are burnished into the composition, creating a luminous surface that shifts throughout the day and under curatorial lighting.