Malachy McCrimmon is many things: a writer, a painter, a collage artist, a doomscroller, a professional sandwich champion, a virgo, a cyborg in disguise, an anime supervillain, a mermaid warrior somewhere in the Atlantic, a warlock, and on occasion, an artist based in Dundee.
Their exhibition at Six Foot Gallery, A Glitch Ecology of the Electronic Sun acts as a vessel of immortalisation that preserves the tales of the animal protagonists in a dying ecosystem, displaced and transformed within the Anthropocene. Using painting as a method of checkmarking, traditional techniques become recontextualised in chaotic compositions. Natural expression collides against post-digital imagery, layered upon each other forming a dense cacophony of chaos and obscurity. Each piece is symbolic of our collective error in our everchanging relationship with the environment, inviting reflection on the absurdity, pain and grief of a mutating world.
Welcome back, Malachy, it’s great to have you with us again. Can you tell us what your favourite piece in the exhibition is?
I’ve noticed that artists, or at least my friends and myself, often have self-critical tendencies upon completing work. However, one of the only pieces which has survived this mindset is my painting New-Age Valkyrie Symphony, inspired by military dolphins trained to detect sea mines. I discovered this strange story at a similar time to when a specific meme layout was trending: an overly-saturated, 2000s-esque ocean horizon, with dolphins prancing across twinkling waves as the sun sets and ‘Symphony’ by Clean Bandit (ft. Zara Larsson) sounds. The final touch was a short, interchangeable sentiment sat in the middle of the piece; my favourite being: “me after one beer”. The fearsome irony was fabulous. How could I not have created a painting conjoining this fine slice of internet stupidity with military dolphins? It is strange. It is bright. It is hilarious. It is eerie. The piece can be many different things, but it is my favourite.
How do you overcome creative blocks?
Something I have realised helps me is doing something outside of my routine. I love to go on runs, usually accompanied by distasteful heavy bass, but one day I went without headphones! I came back from that run sweaty, unquestionably asthmatic, but full of ideas, some of which can be seen in this exhibition. Creative blocks are strange, but it’s important to give yourself patience and clarity beyond the brushstrokes, as it could be the slightest change to your day that brings in new ideas.
How would you say your art has developed since the start of your career?
When I first started university, I wanted to become a traditional portrait artist, mostly because I could understand it as a sellable artform. I still love portraiture, but this mindset started to create restrictions in my own creative pursuits, focusing more on what was easily palatable for others rather than what truly represented me. For my degree show, the spirits of freewill and courage possessed me to let go of these past beliefs and make work that I was truly interested in exploring. I think that is what made me love the process all the more, and it is something I remind myself of as I continue to develop my body of work and skillset.
What emotions or reactions do you hope viewers experience when they see your artwork?
I remember reading an essay called Death of the Author by Roland Barthes, who argues that once a piece of writing leaves its author’s hands, they are no longer in control of how it may be interpreted. Undoubtedly, the same theory applies to painting, and I think it’s important to acknowledge this as an emerging artist. Laugh at it, admire it, ignore it, pass it, capture it, buy it, love it or hate it! You could be the juiciest peach in the tree and there will still be someone out there who doesn’t like peaches!
Which artists inspire you? Are there non-artistic influences such as literature or music that impact your work?
Although blasphemous to say, I loved writing my dissertation, as it played a key role in igniting my appreciation for literary influences. Writers like Timothy Morton, E. F. Schumacher, and Jennifer Gabrys all helped build my articulation of the world I sought to represent. In particular, Legacy Russell’s Glitch Feminism transformed my understanding of what it means to embody the glitch in its unique manifesto format. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the digital era we find ourselves in, especially in regards to gender, race, and sexuality. Other artists I am inspired by include: Ally McIntyre (painter); Tatsuki Fugimoto (manga artist); Skawennati (multi-disciplinary); Anastasia Samoylova (photographer); Anu Jakobson (painter); and Kristoffer Zetterstrand (painter).
A Glitch Ecology of the Electronic Sun runs at Six Foot Gallery from 8th January – 22nd January 2026. Connect with Malachy on Instagram.
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