THE POWER AND THE GLORY
Francis Scattergood
22 June – 31 July 2026
Opening: Monday 22 June
Closing: Friday 31 July
Event evening: Friday 27 June, 6:30pm - 8:00 pm
Location: Scenius Gallery, Sligo
Gallery 1 (Adelaide St.): Street-facing installation, viewable 24 hours
Gallery 2: Open Monday–Friday, 10:00–17:00
Admission: Free
About the Exhibition
The Power and The Glory presents new work by Wexford-based artist Francis Scattergood, taking its title from a song he wrote that has lost none of its relevance with time. Across large-scale drawings in pencil, graphite and pastel, Scattergood traces the arc from the glorification of conflict to its lasting human cost, the trauma, grief and disillusionment carried by soldiers and civilians alike. Enlarged figures and caricature give the work an unsettling, almost absurd edge, holding the viewer's gaze on themes of senseless violence and the loss of innocence. Scattergood studied Fine Art and Design at the College of Marketing & Design, Mountjoy Square, and has exhibited at EV+A Limerick and the Iontas Small Works Exhibition in Sligo, where he received a joint EV+A award for visual arts. Alongside his visual practice he works as a musician and composer, contributing soundscapes to independent film and theatre. The Power and The Glory questions rather than illustrates, asking what remains once the spectacle of war falls away.
During the first week of the exhibition (Monday 22 to Friday 26 June, 10am–5pm), Francis will be working live in Gallery 1, creating a large-scale drawing of approximately 3–4 metres in length directly in the street-facing space. Visitors are welcome to stop in and watch the work develop across the week. On the evening of Friday 26 June, from 6:30 to 8pm, a soft opening will bring the week to a close: Francis will perform a song composed in response to the themes of the exhibition, followed by a discussion of the completed work and a short Q&A session in Gallery 2. The exhibition continues until 31 July. All are welcome.
Francis Scattergood, Detail from Innocence is the First Casualty of War, 2026, charcoal and pencil
Francis Scattergood, They Came and Took, 2025, charcoal and pencil
Francis Scattergood in his studio, 2026
Artist
Francis Scattergood
My work for this exhibition centres around themes of war and conflict and its outcomes. I explore the shift from its glorification to the resulting trauma and suffering of all people involved. My inspiration for this body of work comes from the words of a song, ‘The Power and The Glory’. I wrote it some time ago but seem as relevant today as when written.
Using the medium of drawing, in particular enlarged images, this work interrogates themes of senseless violence, cruelty, disillusionment, grief and loss of innocence. I have created pieces using pencil and graphite on paper while exploring the use of pastels and soundscapes. Drawing on absurdity and caricatures I aim to question and put a spotlight on the indescribable suffering and futility of war and the unspeakable trauma on civilians and military alike.
Facebook: @francis.scattergood.artist
Francis Scattergood, Detail from Angel, 2025, charcoal and pencil
Credits
Curated by Marita O’Hanlon & Ian Jermyn
With Scenius Gallery