Rory O’Kelly

“Painting has been a force in my life since I was a boy watching my father paint, as he had watched his father painting, and I recognized the absolute authority of the artist's eye to transform anything it sees, into whatever it desires. I see the choice to turn not only ugliness into beauty, but also possibly beauty into unashamed ugliness as well – as an act of character that fortifies my perspective.

The style of my current body of work is overtly mid-modern because the hard surfaces, the functional perpendicular construction, the bravado of the acidic colours, all ring true to my sensibilities right now. The intelligent design and lean mid-century aesthetic is indelible on our vision of the future, and so it is as relevant today as it ever was. The idea then is to evolve this work in response to our times, our concerns, our unfolding future.”

Rory O’Kelly (b. 1965, Bagnelstown, Ireland) is a contemporary painter based in London, Ontario. His work is strongly informed by mid-century modern design, architectural structure, and bold colour theory. Through disciplined geometry, hard-edged forms, and vibrant palettes, O’Kelly explores how modernist aesthetics continue to shape contemporary visual culture and our evolving sense of the future.