Collection: Sean Layh - Studies in Narrative

Studies in Narrative, a new exhibition by Sean Layh, presents a compelling insight into the artist’s process, bringing together a selection of finished paintings alongside preparatory drawings that underpin larger works. Moving between refinement and immediacy, the exhibition reveals how gesture, composition, and character develop over time, offering audiences a rare glimpse into the evolution of Layh’s narrative-driven practice.

We have two new limited edition prints by Sean Layh - order yours now!

Opening reception: Saturday, May 30th, 5 – 8 pm. This is a free event. As Beinart Gallery is a licensed venue, any minors attending the opening reception will need to be accompanied by a responsible adult.

This exhibition will run from May 31st - Jun 21st, 2026 and will coincide with, Tanya Gomelskaya's Inside Out and Michael Kennedy's Into the Wilds.

Drawing deeply from Shakespearean drama, Studies in Narrative explores enduring human tensions—ambition, power, grief, and moral conflict—through studies inspired by Macbeth, King Lear, A Midsummer Night's Dream and Hamlet. These works distil pivotal psychological moments from the plays, translating them into visceral visual language. Together, they form a body of work that simultaneously reflects Layh’s engagement with literary tradition and invites viewers to consider how stories are constructed, fractured, and reimagined through representational painting. 

Sean Layh is a figurative painter whose large-scale, multi-figure compositions are influenced by classical literature and theatrical traditions, particularly their tragic structures centred on fate, conflict, and choice. In 2026 Sean's paintings won The Archibald Packing Room Prize, the  prestigious Best in Show and first place in the Figurative category respectively in the 18th Art Renewal Centre's (ARC) Salon Competition. Between 2023 to 2025, Sean  won multiple awards at the Portrait Society of America, in addition to winning first place in the Best Figurative Work category in both the Bold Brush the Almenara international painting competitions. His work has found homes in private collections world wide.