Genieve Figgis: From painting at kitchen table to six-figure sales 

Social media has brought the Dublin-born artist to world acclaim in just a decade

Lemon Queen by Genieve Figgis at Whyte's.

Propelled onto the international stage by the use of Twitter Genieve Figgis has a contemporary rags-to-riches story that breaks the mould. In just a decade the Dublin-born artist has gone from creating art on the kitchen table and working part-time in a shop in order to get by to a secondary market (art already sold once) turnover of €2.6 million and a primary market at auction in Hong Kong.

The work she posted on the social media platform attracted the attention of renowned American painter and photographer Richard Prince. He bought some and subsequently introduced Figgis to New York where she is now represented by the Helwaser Gallery and has had a number of solo exhibitions. Figgis has been included in landmark exhibitions and is the first Irish artist commissioned by Dior to reinterpret their Lady Dior handbag.