Studio Sale | Rachel McDonnell

"This is a drawing of the complete Oxford English Dictionary definition of "Martyr".  It was a rumination on the use of language and how it informs our thinking.  Following 9/11, there was a political argument about whether the perpetrators of the attacks were "martyrs".  It felt like people were almost talking at cross purposes - or, perhaps, cross definitions, with one group feeling that martyrs had to be giving their lives in a noble cause, and another that the cause could be, as the dictionary has it "the worst... in the world".  It seemed to me that simply saying they were evil, or indeed madmen, was too simple, and that it obviated the need to think about the reasons that the attackers did what they did.  This is not to condone - I can't even imagine wanting to condone such a heinous act - but without an attempt to understand, I think we fail to address the causes of such actions, and so it ends up more likely that they happen again." - Rachel McDonnell, 2021
 

Accolades 

Education: Foundation, Art and Design, City and Guilds of London Art School. BA, Philosophy, Politics and Economics, St. Anne’s College, Oxford. 

Solo Exhibitions: Menier Gallery, London, 2012. James Wray & Co, Belfast, 2009. 54 The Gallery, Shepherd Market, London, 2008. 54 The Gallery, Shepherd Market, London, 2006. Bell Gallery, Belfast, 2005. The Mill Gallery, Lyme Regis, 2004 

Group Exhibitions: RA Summer Exhibition 2016, 2019. RWA Open, Bristol, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019 

Awards and Prizes: National Open Art Prize. Winner of the Be Smart About Art Award. Shortlisted for: Sunny Art Prize, BEEP painting prize, Bath Art Prize, Black Swan Open, Wells Art Contemporary and Derwent Art Prize. 

Rachel is a part of the Walking the Land artists' collective and RWA Artist Network.