John O'Reilly: John O'Reilly
Overview

For the past 40 years, Boston area artist John O’Reilly has constructed complex and intimate photographic “montages.” Using a Polaroid camera, he re-photographs images from art history, found photographic albums and gay pornography. He cuts and pastes them with Polaroids he takes of himself, his home and his studio — collaging history, art and fantasy. This exhibition consists of eight montages, each a portrayal of a character from literature. Themes that O’Reilly has explored over and over again – beauty, age, ecstasy, death, love, art, artifice – are layered into psychological portraits of characters from Henry James, Thomas Mann and the Iliad. This is O’Reilly’s sixth solo exhibition at Hosfelt Gallery.

Works
  • Black and white collage of items and photographs including an Egyptian sphinx, patterned wallpaper, a mirror, fabric draped across the scene and a priest.
    John O'Reilly
    Jeffrey [from the Henry James Series], 2007
    polaroid montage
    13.125 x 12.4375 inches
    33.3 x 31.6 cms
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  • Black and white photo collage including mini sculpture of crucified Christ, a Greek male sculpture, ornate wallpaper, images of a night sky and photographs of a woman holding a child’s hand while walking and seven male nudes standing in a line.
    John O'Reilly
    Miles [from the Henry James Series], 2007
    polaroid montage
    12.75 x 13.625 inches
    32.4 x 34.6 cms
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  • Black and white collage of items including children’s block toys, a ceramic cat sculpture, a hammer, planks of wood and a large book. Included in the collage are photographs of a man’s shoes, another man looking at something in his hand, and a third bearded man lying down.
    John O'Reilly
    Hugh [from the Henry James Series], 2007
    polaroid montage
    11.25 x 12 inches
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  • Collage of black and white photographs including a male nude holding a fencing épée, a male torso wearing a draped garment, children’s blocks for play, and draped fabric all resting on a desk.
    John O'Reilly
    Heros Series: Paris 2/8/06, 2006
    polaroid montage
    11.5 x 14.375 inches
    29.4 x 36.5 cms
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  • Black and white photo collage including images of a snowy mountainscape, jar of ink with a feather, a stone sculpture, and a male nude wearing fishnet stockings.
    John O'Reilly
    Hector [from the Heros Series], 2006
    polaroid montage
    11 x 13 inches
    27.9 x 33 cms
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  • Collage of black and white photos depicting a bearded man, wood planks, two stone busts, legs of a man, a polaroid of the artist’s self portrait and a swimming pool.
    John O'Reilly
    Tadzio Series: Wake 4/5/06, 2006
    polariod montage
    10.5 x 11.825 inches
    26.7 x 30 cms
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  • Black and white collage of items including sculpture of a figure’s head, a nude polaroid, a piece of cloth and children’s toys all resting on a wood surface.
    John O'Reilly
    Tadzio Series: Strawberries, 2006 2/25/06
    polaroid montage
    10.75 x 10.25 inches
    27.3 x 26 cms
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