Kevin Sharkey - Biography

Dublin born (1962), Donegal-reared and now based in both Ireland and Spain, the completely self-taught and highly-acclaimed artist, Sharkey, is a bona-fide Irish legend.

Once described by Hot Press magazine as, 'Ireland’s first art superstar' the internationally lauded artist's vividly colourful and boldly expressive paintings and sculptures are sought-after by collectors the world over...

As a child, Sharkey's prefered medium of expression was Irish dancing, for which he won over thirty medals...

Formerly: a fisherman, a child chef and a songwriter (for artists including Boney M and Bob Geldof). He also made history as Ireland’s first ever non-White television presenter (as the face of MegaMix, the country’s most popular ever music show, on RTE - the national broadcaster) before later popping up as a priest when Father Ted' director,

Declan Lowney invited him to appear in the classic series, as Father Shaft, the only Black priest in the series, for
which he had to be 'blacked up'.

A full-time artist for the last 14 years, Sharkey was also the subject, in 2005, of a major RTE documentary
celebrating his work and his phenomenal rise to prominence as one of 'Ireland's most exciting and collectable
artists', shot on location at his homes in Ibiza and Dublin...
The Sunday Times recently described Sharkey as the 'Bankable artist' and the hugely influential Irish Arts Review
said (of him) 'Bank on this artist'... Sharkey's work has increased in value by 400% in the last three years (eg.
Sharkey paintings selling circa €200 in 2003 are now changing hands for €1000). The Inchydonny Spa & Hotel
bought a large piece recently for 17,000 euro whilst a 30cm x 30cm Sharkey painting sold last month in a charity
gala auction for nearly €4000...

Sharkey has had a string of sellout exhibitions over the last couple of years...and the list of public and private
collectors of his paintings reads like a 'Who's Who' of the rich, famous and influential.
When he exhibited his 'Dreamscapes' in Summer 2005 with Irish art 'giants', the late great Tony O' Malley,
'Ireland's greatest living painter', Louie Le Brocquy and the much admired William Crozier at Dublin's Gresham
Hotel, all of his work sold out.

The incredibly prolific artist now has his own galleries in Dublin, Boyle and a new one opening in London's Mayfair.
The Dublin gallery (at 80 Francis Street) opened in March and has already had two sellout shows, 'ALCHEMY' and
'itsmehereisthatyou' the first of which completely sold out within 48 hours.
The maverick painter was sensationally censored by UNICEF for his memorable depiction of Pierce Brosnan in
the painted sculpture 'Pierce Brosnan's Arse’. UNICEF thought the piece was 'stunning but too controversial to
exhibit'.

Sharkey was also the controversial creator of the much talked about 'Moolah' (a life-sized cow covered in real
euro notes) for Baileys Cow Parade Ireland, which raised thousands of euro for The Jack and Jill Children’s
Foundation and the Dublin Simon Community charities. 'Moolah' soon found her home as The Bank of Ireland's mascot...

The artist is very excited at the moment about the forthcoming opening of his first London gallery in the
fashionable and prestigious Mayfair area (Clifford Street) The new gallery (also just called SHARKEY) will open
with an outstanding collection of work (the artist's favourite paintings to date) entitled 'Paintings From Hell' and
will be opened by the legendary broadcaster Ned Sherrin CBE. Kevin is also preparing for an exhition in New York
in the Spring and the launch of the Sharkey Art Leasing Collection.