My practice is concerned with how the built environment shapes and influences us. I am interested in how it has both a direct and indirect impact on our psyche, our movement through space, and our emotions.
During Covid lockdowns I started walking in my area of Tallaght. The more I explored, I began to feel trapped in my surroundings, where high walls, fencing, metal railings and encroaching foliage instilled a sense of confinement. It struck me that urban neighbourhoods like this one are structured to contain their population and govern movement.
Railings are a recurring motif in my imagery; for me they strongly symbolise a sense of isolation and constraint as they demarcate space and disconnect communities. The monochromatic colour palette is used to emphasise the unnerving environment that is felt in these spaces, especially at night. Overgrown plants and hedges darken the space further and conceal sight. Trailing paths and bends strip knowledge of what lies ahead, creating uncertainty and a sense of foreboding.
'D24'; Monoprint Series
'Bus Stop'
'Divided'
'Bus Stop'; Detail
'Walking'
'Look Right'
'Mallaidh'
'Ráillí'