Malachy McCrimmon is a post-digital, new-age, anime-girl, hybrid-creative, ecologist-warrior, meme-queen navigating the e-jungle in a state of observation. The digital screen is their muse, transporting them into electric fields of information, connections and mayhem that materialise as multilayer canvases; explorations of Glitch Ecology that immortalise the displacement of the natural world amongst our surrealist, Anthropocentric overthrow. Their work exists in an intersection between humour, ecology, and post-internet culture. Each piece carries meaning beyond the chaotic compositions, asking the viewer to contemplate their positionality in a mutating world.

See Malachy’s work as part of our exhibition of work by emerging artists, Starter Pack, curated by gallery intern Hope Reynolds. Starter Pack is many things: it’s a grass roots opportunity for artists to begin, or expand on, their repertoire of exhibitions, to connect with other artists in Glasgow, to further their understanding of working with galleries and curators, and to gain publicity. Starter Pack runs at Six Foot from August 12th to August 26th.

Hi Malachy! Tell us about your artistic background – what is your earliest memory of being interested in art?
I’ve always been fascinated with the arts since a young age, no matter how random it may have been. From the stick figure comics and garage fashion shows of my toddler-era to present-day Minecraft-canary-hybrid paintings, I will always use my creativity to keep myself entertained in some strange way.

What excites you about your work?
For a long time, I struggled finding my voice within my own artistic practice, feeling conflicted between traditional skill and imagery, as well as modern references. Through research, I’ve articulated a balance within my work, now existing in a liminal space between old and new which often manifests through themes of nature and technology.

What is your chosen medium, why do you enjoy working with it?
I really enjoy using oil paints within my work. They have such a rich history within traditional art that a rebellious feeling comes to surface when I use them to paint absurd scenes, such as Minecraft, pixels or even slime! It has taken me a long time to get used to the unpredictable nature of the paints, but sometimes that same energy produces the most exciting results.

What are you working on right now?
I am currently working on an ongoing series of paintings that are inspired by digital
doom scrolling: the overconsumption of virtual media that often lead to feelings of brain rot, disappointment and mouth drool. The composition of the works are inspired by trending, split-screen videos that simultaneously play two clips at once as a method of holding our attention. This particular format is filled with memes, obscurity, humour and dread that amount to a forward commentary on technology’s role on human disconnect with our surroundings.

Tell us about your ‘style’, what does it mean to you?
I continuously find myself fascinated with the Internet, post-digital aesthetics and the virtual world and I doubt that passion will shift for a while considering how quickly it evolves. However, I think for now it’s better if I don’t claim a specific style in my work. It’s easy to become obsessed with finding a style to create a sense of direction, but I’m not ready to constrict myself too soon!

How do you overcome creative blocks?
I think it’s important to give yourself time to think away from your practice: go on a walk, meet your friends, go a little crazy! You never know for certain what may happen on these little excursions; what might become your next source of inspiration.

Find out more about Malachy’s work on Instagram. Starter Pack runs at Six Foot Gallery until Tuesday 26th August 2025.