Guggi

Guggi, as an artist proficient in drawing, painting, and sculpture, delves deeply into a personal yet universally relatable subject matter: the everyday beauty of household objects.

Biography of Guggi

Guggi (Derek Rowen) was born in 1959 in Dublin, Ireland. He grew up with Bono, a lead vocalist of U2.

The artist was a member of an Irish rock band, Virgin Prunes. This band was founded by members of Lypton Village, a "youthful gang" in Ireland established by Guggi, Gavin Friday, and Bono in the early 1970s. Despite being part of a musical group, Guggi remained committed to painting. However, in 1984, he decided to leave the group and dedicate himself to painting and sculpture.

Since the 1990s, Guggi has been featured in numerous exhibitions, showcasing his work to a broader audience. His work has been exhibited in group shows at various venues, including Hendricks Gallery (Dublin), Kerlin Gallery (Dublin), Solomon Gallery (Dublin), Solomon Fine Art (Dublin), National Gallery of Ireland, and many more.

Notable solo shows of Guggi's work include "This is not a Hotel" at Yoshii Gallery in New York (2016); "My Cup Overflows" at Arcane Space in Venice, CA (2019); "Broken" at Kerlin Gallery in Dublin (2019); "Time" at Galerie 75 Fauborg in Paris (2021), among others. 

Guggi’s work is part of the collections of The Clarence Hotel (Dublin), Château La Coste (Le Puy Sainte Réparade, France), Irish Museum of Modern Art (Dublin), National Gallery of Ireland (Dublin), and Akureyi Municipal Art Gallery (Iceland).

Guggi's Art Style

Guggi's work has continued to delve into the portrayal of ordinary everyday objects since the early 1990s. He devotedly revisits his signature motifs of bowls, jugs, and vessels, employing repetition and abstraction to evoke an almost meditative experience. In Guggi's paintings and works on paper, their forms emerge tentatively, with broken outlines set against resonant washes of abstract color.

As Guggi delves into the realm of sculpture, these unassuming instruments are granted renewed majesty and potency. Crafted from polished bronze or fiberglass, they exude an enhanced sense of energy, possessing the simplicity and timeless allure of prehistoric artifacts. A common thread connecting both his painting and sculpture is the sense of openness and fluidity, combined with a keen attentiveness to prosaic details.