In September 2026, Leah Fitzpatrick, intern at Olivier Cornet Gallery, wrote about David Fox's Container on Parnell Square, available to purchase for 450.00 Euro.

'Container on Parnell Square' is a piece completed by David Fox in 2023 as part of his 'Urban Fingerprint' solo show here in the Olivier Cornet Gallery. The painting depicts a shipping container covered in illegal graffiti work. The container sits on the side of the street in a no parking zone which, at the time, happened to be directly in front of the Hugh lane Gallery, only a short walk away from the Olivier Cornet Gallery. The container itself feels unusual and completely out of place in comparison to its surrounding scenery yet mundane and somewhat familiar as it is not entirely uncommon for shipping containers to be seen in public. The normality of this painting is what I find makes it unique. There is no exquisite scene or moment, it is simple, comprehensive and, in ways, humdrum. Nonetheless, this painting is certainly not boring, rather it is domestic in a nostalgic way.

David Fox's paintings explore the complex connection between urban spaces and personal identity. He takes on a new perspective of Irish landscape by focusing on urban areas, depicting places that often become overlooked or 'rejected' by society. There is a comfortable blend of infrastructure and nature within his pieces, suggesting the constantly developing relationship between modern urbanism and the outdoors, questioning the ability for them to exist at the same place at the same time in harmony. The simplicity of 'Container on Parnell Square' speaks to the natural connection people build with their community. While this scene was not particularly interesting, it is distinctly Irish and in such, familiar. Fox's art brings the comfort and intimacy of home to viewers by featuring places that one witnesses everyday without realising. It invokes feelings of yearning and a distinct homesickness for a place so ordinary that it becomes far too familiar to forget.

Fox often celebrates street art and it's existence, a promotion of the unspoken, hidden aspects of an everyday city and the streets people walk past. Personally, I find it vital to be vocal about the importance of street art having a home on Irish streets. It is a representation of community and culture, a visual demonstration of us as people and the connection we foster through art. Public art, specifically street art like graffiti, is proof of an outcry for secure, lasting cultural spaces for both artists and art enjoyers. Public street art allows all to express themselves creatively while promoting it as a place of art and culture. It is a reminder of how important art is in our society and the role it plays in place making. David Fox does an excellent job of joining this connection within his pieces, highlighting the often chaotic co-existence of nature, urban structures and art. 'Container on Parnell Square' encapsulates this harmonic connection, a subtle reminder that even the most mundane scenes can become art.

David Fox captures the raw, unfiltered beauty of Irish landscapes, provoking nostalgia and familiarity in his depictions of Irish streets and scenes. While Container on Parnell Square may not be the most profound visual, it's simplistic representation becomes a sophisticated remembrance of home.

David Fox was born in tullamore and now works out of Dublin city. He graduated from GMIT in 2011 and then Belfast school of art in 2013 (MFA course).

Fox has three solo shows internationally in Madrid and Tarragona. He worked out of an artist led studio group at Pallas project. From the same exhibition 'Urban Fingerprint', the CIAS acquired 'Elephant Mural, Waterford City'. As well as this, The OPW has acquired two of his pieces: 'Motorway VI' from his 2019 solo show 'An Altered Land' and 'Motorway VII' in February of 2017.

David Fox recently exhibited a piece in the previous show at Olivier Cornet Gallery, 'God, Kinch, if you and I could only work together' as part of the annual Bloomsday groups show. 

Leah Fitzpatrick, 20 September 2026