Ronan Day-Lewis Juggles Art and Film Ahead of Major Releases

Dublin, Ireland — Ronan Day-Lewis is balancing art and film as he prepares for two significant projects. The 27-year-old artist is currently working on his painting collection, Anemoia, which will debut in Los Angeles, while also directing his first feature film, Anemone, set to premiere at the New York Film Festival.

Day-Lewis has transformed a Dublin post-production house attic into a temporary art studio while also using a grading studio across town. “I don’t know how I thought I would be able to do both at the same time,” he said with a chuckle. Oil pastels and works on paper surround him as he paints late into the night.

Inspired by nostalgia for times he never knew, Anemoia features seven oil pastel pieces that emanate a sense of a recent past, likened to glimpses through a childhood video store window. “Each work is mostly based on Flickr images from the early 2000s,” Day-Lewis explained. His unique works blend imagery into a surreal tapestry, inviting viewers to share a fabricated kinship with the figures.

In addition to his art, Day-Lewis’s first directorial venture, Anemone, stars his father, the Oscar-winning actor Daniel Day-Lewis. Both father and son collaborated to create a film exploring familial bonds. Daniel noted he was eager to re-enter acting alongside Ronan, stating, “It was pure joy to spend that time together with him.”

Daniel Day-Lewis cited past anxieties about returning to acting but felt inspired to work with Ronan on Anemone. “Working with Ro, that furnace just lit up,” he shared. The film, which involves the complexities of family ties, is set to have its world premiere on October 3 in North America and will be released in UK theaters on November 7.

As Ronan continues to hone his artistic voice through his paintings and film direction, his journey echoes a profound exploration of memory and identity. Anemoia is on display at Megan Mulrooney Gallery in Los Angeles until November 1, while Anemone heads to audiences later in October.