36.8cm x 26.6cm

About artist: Lee Welch was born in Louisville, Kentucky in 1975 and currently lives and works in Dublin, Ireland. Welch creates gestural, atmospheric paintings that attest to the psychical and emotional depths of his chosen subjects and map out delicate negotiations between beauty, desire, and the painted image. Depicting figures from his own milieu, as well as from history, literature, music, and tennis, Welch finds feeling in that which he depicts, always rendered with the intensity of his particular humanism; a close looking akin to love. In each subject’s specificity, the artist reveals the universal feelings that connect us to each other, and that stretch from our present moment back through time. Welch received his BFA from the National College of Art and Design (NCAD) in 2009 and his MFA from Piet Zwart Institute, Rotterdam in 2011. He has since been widely exhibited internationally and received numerous awards. Recent exhibitions have taken place at the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum, Michigan State University; Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane; Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Castilla y León (MUSAC), León, Spain; Glucksman Gallery, Cork; Objectif Exhibitions, Antwerp and Kerlin Gallery, Dublin. His paintings are in private and public collections such as the Arts Council, Dublin City Gallery, The Hugh Lane and the OPW - State Art Collection.
About artwork: "As Eternal as Longing" draws inspiration from Edvard Munch's emotional intensity, specifically referencing his "Woman with Her Hand on Her Chest." Both works share common emotional themes, with Welch’s soft, fluid brushstrokes evoking a sense of melancholy and contemplation. The figure’s simplified and abstract features suggest vulnerability, despite the minimalistic approach. Welch maintains a strong focus on the figure’s emotional state, though the loose, almost ghostly form invites more interpretation. This ambiguity, particularly in the figure’s hand placement and expression, allows viewers to project their own emotional responses onto the piece. This openness creates a universal resonance with themes of anxiety, isolation, and introspection—central concerns for both Welch and Munch. Welch’s abstract style subtly nods to Munch’s exploration of existential and emotional turmoil. By employing the delicate medium of watercolour, he captures the complexity of human emotion while adding his own distinctive perspective.
Website: https://www.leewelch.com
Instagram: @_leewelch_

Excellent Condition

Watercolour on paper

Yes