The concept behind my work began when I discovered auctions on eBay that were selling collections of old family/personal photographs. I found it fascinating that there is a market for buying and collecting such images of stranger’s lives. I began to think about the possibility of where my own photographs may end up one day and how disposable they can become.
Experimenting with mixed media such as paint, collage, film and photography, I aim to connect between parallel lives and echoes of the past and present. I want my work to create a new narrative for these photos and a sense of empathy of shared life experiences and celebrations.
I incorporate my own photographs and memories with the collections I have from eBay, forging connections between the people depicted in the old photos and myself. My work references themes of nostalgia, mortality and identity.
!['Remember when'](https://2022.ncad.works/media/pages/graduates/courtney-burke/f3c35bea24-1653590082/1-img-1863-2-1200x-q90.jpg)
'Remember when'
!['The good old days'](https://2022.ncad.works/media/pages/graduates/courtney-burke/f7567635b5-1653590083/2-img-1731-1-1200x-q90.jpg)
'The good old days'
!['Connected'](https://2022.ncad.works/media/pages/graduates/courtney-burke/0e9f2ed82d-1653590084/3-619e148a-10b7-4d6b-89ea-8cbb50d16d41-1-1200x-q90.jpg)
'Connected'
!['Melted memories'](https://2022.ncad.works/media/pages/graduates/courtney-burke/23d5a9c960-1653590084/4-img-1968-1200x-q90.jpg)
'Melted memories'
!['Flashback'](https://2022.ncad.works/media/pages/graduates/courtney-burke/22cfc7a88b-1653590085/5-img-1969-1200x-q90.jpg)
'Flashback'
!['Photobooth collection'](https://2022.ncad.works/media/pages/graduates/courtney-burke/3868c34f1b-1653590085/6-img-1966-1200x-q90.jpg)
'Photobooth collection'
!['Merging connections 1'](https://2022.ncad.works/media/pages/graduates/courtney-burke/0ba284b880-1653590085/7-304d1627-e1b0-4228-ae94-a800d6cec8a9-1200x-q90.jpg)
'Merging connections 1'
!['Merging connections 2'](https://2022.ncad.works/media/pages/graduates/courtney-burke/d3236e8de5-1653590085/8-7fce24d4-0a81-40f8-8d67-4bb059d241ce-1200x-q90.jpg)
'Merging connections 2'
!['merging connections 3'](https://2022.ncad.works/media/pages/graduates/courtney-burke/ff989b9ff4-1653590085/9-148f98cc-cb30-4749-8bac-17752211d9d4-1200x-q90.jpg)
'merging connections 3'
!['Time for tea'; Bleached photograph collection](https://2022.ncad.works/media/pages/graduates/courtney-burke/fa86840c10-1653590085/10-6660b51b-0c2e-4c80-8d9a-65942c3da8f7-1200x-q90.jpg)
'Time for tea'; Bleached photograph collection
Teaching Placements
Presentation De La Salle, Bagenalstown, Co. Carlow
Tyndall College, Mortarstown Upper, Co. Carlow