One has to be cautious when attending an exhibition of paintings by this artist, his images make you think and you know how dangerous that can be. Cullinane's work references contemporary social and political situations, Mythology, Philosophy and Literature but there is always sufficient space in the picture for the viewers to place their own ideas and draw their own conclusions.

The most powerful images are those that appear fantastical yet have a strong link with reality. Consider Ghost Town and Ghost Town II each a beautifully rendered painting that evokes an overpowering sense of how urban corporate mindlessness is slowly, successfully blocking the creative spirit. This concept is echoed with a different emphasis in Thinktank Landscape where men in suits are isolated from the environment and packed in boxes, where one supposes they are intended to solve the problems of the world outside.

The Shadow Watchers is the most compelling work. This image shows five people standing and staring at their own shadows thrown up against a long white wall. The catalogue tells us the image references Plato's Cave "in which the characters' shadows seem to form doorways through a massive wall".  However, for those of us unfamiliar with the reference, we can interpret the work as we chose. For example the mysterious, impenetrable white wall could represent inhibiting ideological or social constructs. Behind the monolith people lurk in the shadows, one tries to flee while others wait to come forward, take their place in the sun, prove their existence by casting their own silhouette onto the structure. But shadows are fleeting and the only one who is able to leave any lasting mark is the one who defaces it.

If a harsh reality is found within the images, Cullinane's glowing surfaces offer a sense of fantasy. The artist creates a surreal world of unreal colours then peoples it with simply drawn figures that seem to live continuously on the edge. Viewers easily relate to these lost souls, recognize the foibles and fetishes of the human condition and accept the message in the narrative. We then go on to appreciate the richness of the painting itself. Cullinane pushes the oil medium around with determination, smoothing it here with long even strokes, ruffling it there with short choppy marks, spreading it thick in buttery layers, then giving it a warm inviting surface.

Cullinane's unique style and his well considered subjects provide viewers with an experience that will keep us thinking of the art and the ideas long after leaving the gallery. Intellectual art may a dangerous thing, but thank heavens there's still some of it around.