Terry Bradley’s new exhibition, ‘COST’, delves into the unseen price of endurance and the mental, emotional and physical toll that comes with simply existing, creating and surviving in a demanding world. Through this series, Terry reflects on the pressures that shape us, the weight of resilience and the quiet battles that are often carried alone. Each piece draws attention to the human experience beneath the surface - the vulnerability, determination and strength that define the moments when we push forward, even at a personal cost.
It was launched in the Belfast Gallery on 27th November 2025, where the originals were displayed for one week before moving into print and canvas editions.
Featured Artwork
(A-Z)
On display at the 'Cost' Exhibition, Bradley Gallery Belfast.
'Contender'
2025
‘Contender’ captures the spirit of Belfast’s enduring resilience. Painted for the 2025 COST exhibition, the piece reflects the city’s legacy of hard-working men who carried both physical and emotional battles on their shoulders. Bradley’s subject, marked by a plaster across his nose and those striking, piercing grey eyes, embodies a quiet strength shaped by struggle. His expression hints at the grind of daily labour but also the invisible weight of mental health challenges that so often go unspoken. Through muted tones and rugged texture, Bradley honours the men of Belfast who continue to stand firm, even when life leaves its marks.
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'Cost'
2025
The title painting embodies the central idea of the exhibition: the price of endurance. It captures the quiet strength it takes to survive life’s pressures, showing the marks left behind by struggle.
‘COST’ is not about defeat but acceptance - that to keep going, we all pay something in energy, hope, time or peace of mind. It’s both personal and universal, asking the viewer to reflect on what life has taken from them and what it has given in return.
‘COST’ stands as a powerful reflection on the emotional, physical and mental toll inherent in the creative process.
'Doubt'
2025
‘Doubt’ explores the inner conflict that lives beneath confidence - the fear that we might not be enough. The figures appear strong, yet the tension in their expression reveals uncertainty, that constant questioning that follows anyone trying to stay true to themselves.
This painting represents the invisible struggle, the mental cost of second-guessing, of holding it all together when the ground beneath you shifts.
'Hope'
2025
Despite the weight of the series, ‘Hope’ closes the circle with quiet light. It’s not naïve optimism but the fragile belief that endures after everything else has been tested. The head is held high in reflection, worn but unbroken.
Within COST, ‘Hope’ is the final offering, the reminder that even when everything has been given, something essential remains. It’s the part of us that says Never Give Up.
'Unbeaten'
2025
Weathered yet unwavering, the subject’s gaze holds the viewer with a steadiness that speaks of battles fought, both seen and unseen.
The word ‘unbeaten’ inscribed along the bottom of the painting serves as both declaration and defiance. It anchors the work in a broader human truth: the refusal to bow to the pressures, expectations and internal conflicts that shape a life devoted to work, identity and creation.