On the cusp of happiness and other people's sunsets

Colm Mac Athlaoich’s solo exhibition On the cusp of happiness and other people’s sunsets invites viewers to explore the psychological rhythms of the digital age, examining how the modern mind constantly fluctuates between the public and the private. In his latest body of work, the Dublin-born artist juxtaposes expansive, romanticised imagery (such as shared sunsets) with deeply intimate, close-up scenes, mirroring the contemporary reflex of scrolling through a hyper-connected world. The presentation captures the mind as it oscillates effortlessly between internal introspection and outward digital attention.

As Mac Athlaoich observes, “Jumping between sunsets and close-up intimate scenes becomes a reflex practice of navigating the digital image...” Through this distinct visual language, the exhibition probes where personal intimacy ends and collective consumption begins, translating the restless cadence of modern image culture into a compelling painterly dialogue.

On the cusp of happiness and other people’s sunsets was presented as an associated project of Hallahan & Welch and kindly funded by Fingal County Council.

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Pada sunset

200cm x 140cm, Oil and acrylic on canvas, 2026

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Deep sunset

120cm x 90cm, Oil on canvas, 2026

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Dove hands

90cm x 70cm, Oil on linen, 2026

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Things behind the sun

90cm x 70cm, Oil on canvas, 2026