Brendan O’Connell, the “Warhol of Wal-Mart,” is finally getting a show in Atlanta.
The 45-year-old painter, who grew up in Atlanta and attended St. Pius, was what he calls “an itinerant painter” in 2001, the last time his art was seen in town, and that show was one he had to organize himself, borrowing some space from a friend in a Buckhead post-production studio.
Today things are different. Now collected by celebrities and museums and celebrated internationally, O’Connell will stage a one-man show at Fay Gold Gallery beginning April 25, with paintings that fetch up to $40,000 apiece.
A key to O’Connell’s emergence is his series of paintings of the interiors of Wal-Mart stores around the country, scenes that feature regular people doing the kinds of things people do by the millions: buy stuff.
O’Connell’s pictures are an update of Andy Warhol’s famous Campbell’s Soup can, but O’Connell’s work frequently features whole racks of grocery items — Nutella spread, Utz potato chips, cans of Spam — arrayed in geometric glory, like the lenses in a fly’s eyeball.
“He doesn’t think consumerism is a bad word,” Gold said as she began to unpack the 20-or-so paintings for the show. “It’s a human thing.”
Paintings by Brendan O’Connell at the Fay Gold Gallery within the Westside Cultural Arts Center are on display April 25-May 31. A reception with the artist, 6:30-8:30 p.m. April 25. O’Connell also will speak 2-3:30 p.m. April 26 at the gallery. Gallery hours: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays, and by appointment. The Westside Cultural Arts Center is at 760 10th St. N.W., between Brady Avenue and Howell Mill Road. 404-625-9094, www.faygoldgallery.com/
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