Biography
ABOUT ANTHONY CAREY
Anthony Carey is a Dublin-born abstract artist whose work bridges the deeply personal with the universally resonant, inspired by themes of resilience, belonging, and transformation. His textured, abstract figurative pieces, created using plaster and acrylics, delve into the untold stories and shared human experiences that shape our lives. Through fractured figures and layered textures, Carey invites viewers to explore the beauty of imperfection and the strength found in connection.
While his work is deeply influenced by his connection to Ireland—the land that molded his perspective—it transcends geographic boundaries. Carey’s art reflects the universal truth that everyone carries a backstory, often untold, yet deeply formative. By exploring themes of empathy and healing, his work acts as a visual reminder that, despite our differences, we all belong and are connected.
Inspired by artists like Leonora Carrington, Jackson Pollock, and Jack Yeats, Carey incorporates Jungian archetypes such as the Wanderer and the Shadow into his practice, creating works that resonate with the collective unconscious. His art has been exhibited internationally, including at the prestigious 2022 Chianciano Biennale, and is held in private collections across Ireland, the USA, Canada, and Europe.
Read more about my creative process here.
THE INSPIRATION BEHIND MY WORK
My art is a dialogue between chaos and calm, a meditation on belonging, resilience, and transformation. I create abstract figurative works that reflect the untold stories shaping who we are—offering spaces for empathy, healing, and connection. Inspired by Carl Jung’s archetypes, such as the Wanderer and the Shadow, my figures embody the universal human experiences of searching for identity, confronting inner struggles, and finding strength in imperfection.
Using plaster and layered textures, I craft fractured forms that reflect the fragility and resilience of the human condition. These figures are not merely visual—they are emotional, symbolic markers of our shared journeys. Through them, I aim to bridge the personal and the collective, inviting viewers to find their own narratives within the work.
Rooted in personal reflection, my practice draws inspiration from Leonora Carrington’s exploration of transformation and the unconscious. My art reflects my belief in the interconnectedness of humanity: though we may carry fragments of the past, we are all part of a continuing narrative, finding light in the fractures of our lives.
Learn more about:
Share This Page
CV
Anthony Carey
Born in Dublin, Ireland
Currently lives and works in Dublin, Ireland
email: hello@anthonycareyart.com
website: www.anthonycareyart.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/anthonycareyart
Education
Current: BA in Creative Arts with OCA - University of Creative Arts, Barnsley, UK.
Solo Exhibitions
2024 Belonging, A Quest for Home, Sariff Library Gallery, Mountshannon, Clare, Ireland.
2022
Small Talk, Icon Factory, Dublin, Ireland.
Group Exhibitions
2024 So this is early onset bowel cancer, The Loft Gallery, Brisbane, Australia.
2024 6 x 6, RoCo Art Centre, Rochester, NY, USA.
2024 Art for Gaza, The Copperhouse Gallery, Dublin, Ireland.
2023 Open Studio, Dublin, Ireland.
2023 Art at the Mill, Berkeley Gallery, Grennanmill, Thomastown, Kilkenny, Ireland.
2023 Summer Of Love, Courthouse Gallery, Ennistymon, Co.Clare, Ireland.
2023 Mountshannon Arts Festival, Mountshannon, Co. Clare, Ireland.
2023 6 x 6, RoCo Art Centre, Rochester, NY, USA.
2023 10th Annual Abstract Sanctuary, Verum Ultimum Gallery, Portland, Oregon, USA.
2023 Art Is, Kefi Art Gallery, Toronto,Canada.
2023 Group Show, GalleryX, Dublin, Ireland.
2022 Chianciano Art Biennale, Museo d’Arte di Chianciano, Tuscany, Italy (Award in abstract category).
2022 Art at the Mill, Berkeley Gallery, Thomastown, Kilkenny, Ireland.
2022 The Garden of Loss and Triumph, Artaviso, Amsterdam , Netherlands.
2022 Door to Door, Artaviso, Litehaus Galerie & Projectraum, Berlin, Germany .
2021 Art in Brooklyn, Brooklyn Art Cave, New York, USA.
2021 Pluid Project, The Cowshed, Farmleigh, Phoenix Park, Dublin, Ireland.
2021 Sculpture in the Garden, Berkley Gallery, Kilkenny, Ireland.
2021 Newsprint, Three Works, Scarborough, UK.
2021 London Art Biennale, Chelsea Old Town Hall, London, UK.
2021 Newsprint Exhibition, Three Works, Scarborough, UK.
2021 Hope, Fragmented Collective, Glasgow, UK (virtual).
2020 Door to Door (UK & Europe), Artaviso, (virtual) .
2020 Art & Architecture: Uncovering Libraries & Collections,Temple Bar Gallery + Studios, Dublin, Ireland.
2020 Artist spotlight, Sauvage Gallery, (virtual).
2019 The Christmas Fair, Icon Factory, Dublin, Ireland.
2019 Art & Architecture: Uncovering Libraries & Collections, Temple Bar Gallery + Studios, Dublin, Ireland.
2019 Sculpture in Context, National Botanical Gardens, Dublin, Ireland.
2018 Showcase, 30 years, Gallery@OXO, London, UK.
2018 Art & Architecture: Uncovering Libraries & Collections, Temple Bar Gallery + Studios, Dublin, Ireland.
2018
Trasna 8, Courthouse Gallery and Studios, Co. Clare, Ireland.
Film
‘Story’ a one minute experimental film has been officially selected as a finalist/nominee at film festivals in London,
Berlin, Tokyo, Lisbon, Rome, Los Angeles, Bali, Toronto and Vancouver.
2021 Imagine Rain Independent Film Awards, California, USA, Best Experimental Short - winner.
2021 Great Message International Film Festival, Mumbai, India, Best smartphone - winner.
2021 Tagore International Film Festival, West Bengal, India, Best One Minute Film - winner.
2021 Art Film Awards, Skopje, Macedonia, Best super short film - winner.
2021 Art Film Awards, Skopje, Macedonia, Best poster – winner.
2021 World Film Carnival, Best Experimental Film – winner, Best One Minute Film – winner.
2021 Virgin Spring Cinefest, West Bengal, India, Singapore, Best One Minute Film – winner.
2021 Druk International Film Festival, Best One Minute Film – winner.
2021 1st Monthly FIlm Festival, Belgrade, Serbia -Honourable Mention.
2021 Luleå International Film Festival, Luleå, Sweden - Semi-Finalist.
Fundraising
2023 Twitter Art Exhibit, supporting Urban Native Youth Association, Vancouver, Canada.
2023
Outside the Box,
RHA, supporting Scoop Foundation, Dublin, Ireland.
2022
ArtHouse, in aid of Outhouse Dublin.
2022 Incognito, in aid of Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation.
2022 Twitter Art Exhibit, supporting The Encephalitis Society, The Hiscox Building, York, UK.
2021 Incognito, in aid of Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation.
2021
ArtHouse, in aid of Outhouse Dublin.
2021 Twitter Art Exhibit, in aid of LINC, Cheltenham, UK.
2021 Pluid Project, Dublin, Ireland.
2020 Inside Out Homeshow, in aid of The Coombe Childrens Hospital.
2020
ArtHouse, in aid of Outhouse Dublin.
Books
2018 Connection, Anthony Carey, Dublin, Ireland.
2020 Letters from Dublin, Anthony Carey and Stephen Carey, Dublin, Ireland.
2020 Ask Me Arse and other useful phrases, Anthony Carey and Becca Carey, Dublin, Ireland.
Reviews
Whelan, Ken: ‘Finglas Connection’, Northside People Sunday, 2nd September, 2018.
Whelan, Ken:
‘Author writes letters from Dublin’, Northside People Sunday, 7th January, 2020.
Publications
2021 Red Sails in a Covid Urban Landscape, Artists Responding To, Issue 6.
2021 Opinion, Haus-A-Rest, Issue 13, The Uncanny.
Works held in private collections in Ireland, the USA, Canada, Mexico, Australia, UK, Germany, and Greece.
Part of my process is to hang work on the wall at home for days sometimes weeks and see how it speaks to me throughout the day. It is always fascinating to see the changing colours and shadows throughout the day. I took a photo of this work in natural daylight every hour from 9am to 5pm and created this
short video.
Dawn Passage, hourly light from 9am to 5pm (16 seconds)
