Daithí Holohan (born 1956)^[2] is an Irish artist from Kilkenny.^[4] Specialising in portraiture, he also does landscape and still life.^[2][3]

Holohan studied Fine Art Painting at the National College of Art and Design (NCAD) and graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1978.^[2] Campbell Bruce, former NCAD Professor of Painting, said of his work: "Firstly the psychological interaction between artist and sitter is revealed. They are almost entirely people known to him before he decides to do a drawing, usually quite small, always observed with great precision. The intensity of the drawing process is immediately apparent and to be subjected to such scrutiny must t times be most uncomfortable for the sitter, for who knows what may be revealed." He added: "They have become technically more accomplished, more human in understanding and they now have a density that is rare in contemporary portraiture."^[3]

In 1988, Aidan Dunne (writing in the Sunday Tribune) described him as an 'instinctive naturalist with a good eye . ... sincerely an artist of promise'.^[3]

Holohan's first major retrospective occurred in 2004.^[3]

He stood as a candidate in the 2014 Kilkenny County Council election and the 2015 Carlow–Kilkenny by-election.^[5] During the latter campaign he made a notorious appearance on Tonight with Vincent Browne, where he was repeatedly chastised by the moderator for interrupting other candidates.^[6] Experiences of life in psychiatric hospitals feature in his work.^[2]

References