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Kevin Meagher
Kevin Meagher has been producing work for seven years, beginning during a stint in Macquarie Hospital, NSW. He has amassed a varied body of work through connections with the Pioneer Clubhouse studio in the northern Sydney suburb of Balgowlah. He is currently the artist-in-residence at the Insideout Gallery and studio at Macquarie Hospital. Meagher has exhibited widely. Recent exhibitions include, Unseen Ways at Macquarie University Gallery and the Australian Ceramic Triennale.
His work focuses on capturing spiritual and mythological figures, and he has an interest in discrete belief systems, blending symbolism from western, eastern, astrological, spiritual and religious faiths. Meagher also references Greek, Norse, Slavic and ancient Egyptian mythology.
He brings a dissenter’s eye to these revered and ancient images, merging symbolism from all these systems, as well as elements from popular culture and prosaic objects such as rubbish bins. In some of his works, the familiar image of Jesus is re-imagined by Meagher as keeping company with figures from Hindi and Roman mythology. Far from using his work to undermine religious beliefs, Meagher 
describes himself as spiritual, explaining his work is created from his impartial love of all gods, using his art to deepen his understanding of religion and mythology.
These totems are not presented to us as sacred offerings, but as works that are self-reflexive, drawing attention to their own construction. Meagher’s subversiveness extends beyond the juxtaposition of the holy and mundane to the artistic process itself. Rather than attempting to convey perfection through meticulous craftsmanship, Meagher works quickly, revealing his role in the creative process through frenzied pen marks to balls of clay at the base of his ceramics.
Written by Helen Machalias, AART.BOXX committee 2011.