Dermot Seymour

Dermot Seymour RUA (b.1956) is a Northern Irish painter, an elected member of Aosdána and an Academician of the Royal Ulster Academy of Arts.

He juxtaposes idyllic landscapes with a host of other elements, ranging from farm animals to military helicopters, exploring symbolism and identity to show the absurdities inherent in Northern Irish society.

[10] His first Dublin show came a few months later when he joined another Ulster born artist Liam Magee at the Project Arts Centre, in an exhibition called Two Tribes.

[12] The critic Dorothy Walker selected Seymour's work for inclusion in the 1986 Guinness Peat Aviation Exhibition and Awards for emerging young artists.

[15] Seymour received the patronage of The Arts Council of Northern Ireland once more when they hosted a solo exhibition in their Bedford Street gallery in 1989.

[18] After the turn of the century Seymour completed a number of portraits depicting politicians and sportsmen, such as Brian Cowen, Pat Rabbite and Roy Keane.

[21] Since then he has received awards from many institutions including the Claremorris Open Exhibition, An Chomhairle Ealaíon and from the Government of Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs.

[24] Seymour's peers elected him to membership of Aosdána in 1997 along with seven others, including the fellow Northerner and poet Ciaran Carson, and the Limerick artist John Shinnors.