Exhibition of works by Tommy McHugh – Sep – Oct

Tommy McHugh, a former Liverpool builder who, after suffering a stroke eight years ago was left with an overwhelming urge to create. Having no background in creativity previously, this urge, known as ‘sudden artistic output’, dramatically changed the way Tommy now lives his life.

After life saving surgery, Tommy’s condition began to reveal itself in a most peculiar way. To his dismay, Tommy was only able to speak if he did so in rhyme, a symptom persisting for three months, only diminishing as he started regaining some motor function, and could therefore write down and expunge these streams of consciousness from his mind. This was just the beginning of a journey of creative discovery for Tommy, as another symptom of his ‘sudden artistic output’ is that he is constantly subject to a never ending ‘slideshow’ of images flashing through his brain.

Now several years since Tommy’s stroke, he is learning to live with his condition. Still bombarded constantly by his ‘slideshow’, the only way he has found to deal with this distracting symptom is to draw, paint and sculpt the images flashing behind his eyes. This all but unique way of seeing the world and creating Art has had a distinct effect on the works he develops.

As Tommy may begin a piece with a particular image in mind, it is not long before the ‘slideshow’ takes over and he is compelled to ‘download’ the images from his head onto the page, canvass or stone. The resulting pieces of art often have a distinctly organic feel as his process of production dictates that each piece necessarily changes and develops throughout its construction.

Several pieces also display a somewhat disturbingly frenetic quality, which is suggestive of his constantly changing internal ‘slideshow’, whilst others have a much gentler impact on the viewer. .

The Engine Rooms
14-16 Westgate Street, Skelmersdale, Lancashire WN8 8AZ
01695 731016
info@engine-rooms.co.uk

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