Joe Farrell is an Irish painter, photographer and television documentary director.

His work is in the OPW/Irish State Art Collection and in private and institutional collections in Ireland and Canada.

He has directed broadcast documentaries and factual programmes in more than 20 countries including Ethiopia, DR Congo, Kenya, Korea and Jamaica.

Artist Statement
I have always been interested in the potential for paint and lens to observe, describe and understand the world in different ways.

My paintings address the fragile, fugitive qualities of memory by recapturing and distilling my experiences in more than twenty countries over almost five decades.

The paintings rely solely on memories of people, places and events. The images are built up from multiple layers or frames of memory. As each frame is attenuated by time and distance, the paintings become enigmatic and abstract. Shifting timescales, viewpoints and perspectives coalesce until a precise image emerges from colour, gesture, surface and line: this is THAT place - THAT time - THAT experience.

My photographic work uses the discipline of classic ‘Street Photography’ to explore contemporary life and culture. In contrast to the paintings, they are discrete chance encounters anchored in the exact 1/250th second when the shutter opens. They demand rapid decisions on timing and framing and there are no second chances.

Exhibitions and Broadcast Credits

2022 The Kenny Gallery, Galway. Group Show

2018 Courthouse Arts Centre, Tinahely. Painting/Photography/Video. Solo

2015 Blackbird Gallery. Kilkenny. Group Show

2013 Eco Eye Environmental Series. Segment Director

2012 Democratic Republic of the Congo: Leaving the Conflict Behind? Documentary. Director
Ethiopia: Beyond the Lens of Famine. Documentary. Director
Eco Eye. Environmental Series. Segment Director

2011 Eco Eye. Environmental Series. Segment Director

2010 Kenya: Welcome To My World. Documentary. Director
Jamaica: Welcome To My World. Documentary. Director

2009 Korea: Welcome To My World. Documentary. Director
South Africa: Welcome To My World. Documentary. Director
Designs For Life. Architecture Documentary Series. Director

2008 The Embryo War. Science Documentary. Director

2007 Scope. Science and Technology Factual Series. Director

2006 Scope. Science and Technology Factual Series. Director

2005 Sri Lanka Stories, Tsunami Appeal Video. Director

2005 Scope. Science and Technology Factual Series. Director

2004 Scope. Science and Technology Factual Series. Director

2003 The Spire of Dublin. Arts/Architecture Documentary. Director

2002 No Frontiers. Travel Series. Director

2001 No Frontiers. Travel Series. Director

2000 No Frontiers. Travel Series. Director

1999 No Frontiers. Travel Series. Director

1998 The Big Move. Feature length Documentary. Director

1997 Against The Wind. Documentary. Director

1992 Forest City Gallery. London, Ontario. Between Cultures. Group Show

1987 Maison Alcan. Montreal. Group Show
Artcite. Windsor, Ontario. Freedom ’87. Group Show
London Regional Art Gallery, Ontario. 40th Annual Group Show
Forest City Gallery. London Ontario. Group Show
Temporary City Gallery, London, Ontario. Group Show

1986 London Regional Art Gallery, Ontario. 39th Annual Group Show
Ottawa City Hall. Group Show
John B. Aird Gallery, Toronto. Group Show
McIntosh Gallery, London, Ontario. Group Show

1985 Forest City Gallery, London, Ontario. Group Show
Woman Spirit Gallery, London, Ontario. Spectrum. Group Show
Blyth, Ontario Annual Group Show