Michael Canning's 'Subterfuge' Elevates Weeds to Portraiture at REITER Berlin

Irish painter Michael Canning presents 'Subterfuge', a solo exhibition at REITER's Berlin gallery from June 19 to July 25, 2026. The show continues his focus on marginal Irish flora, depicting weeds such as dandelions, foxgloves, and willowherb as dignified subjects. Canning, trained as a sculptor, flattens his subjects into silhouettes against gradient skies, creating emotionally specific yet geographically anonymous landscapes. The exhibition includes single-plant portraits, monumental tableaus of pine forests, intimate weathered pieces, and smaller bird studies. The work argues for the worth of overlooked plants, treating them as emblems of what is trampled or forgotten.