Introducing our artists for @artistsopenhouses - Ailbhe Callanan 🍂
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I am an Irish artist based in East Sussex, having recently graduated with a BA in Fine Art Printmaking from the University of Brighton. My practice is concerned with identity in relation to land, with a particular focus on the legacy of colonialism in rural spaces. I am interested in how one’s sense of place is impacted by cultural, geographical and historical factors, particularly during moments of political and military destruction.
My current work is directly engaged with materiality, utilising many byproducts of my printmaking practice as well as other found and waste items to construct new compositions. These materials are combined with imagery from photographs, found images, and prints which I have made in the past, opting to reconsider the reproductive aspect of printmaking by treating this imagery as visual motif rather than as multiple.
My work has been exhibited in many group exhibitions across the south of England, including at Phoenix Art Space, Brighton; Unit 2, St-Leonards-on-Sea; and Bosla Arts, London. I was awarded the Nagoya University of the Arts Grand Prix Award for my graduate degree show, as well as the CVANSE Platform Graduate Award.
See link in bio for my upcoming intaglio print workshop here on 24th May!
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#Workshop #ArtistsOpenHouses #Intaglio #Printmaking #OpenStudio
Hello Brighton heads! I’m going to be hosting this workshop in the garden of my lovely studio space on the last weekend of the Artist Open Houses. The link for tickets and more information is in my bio. Hope to see ye there for some printmakinnn 🌳
Introducing Ailbhe Callanan - one of 10 artists featured in Bosla Arts’ new exhibition, To the Kids Who Live, curated in collaboration with artist-in-residence Rand Hamdallah.
Ailbhe’s practice is concerned with memory, identity and intergenerational trauma in relation to land, with a particular focus on the legacy of colonialism in rural spaces. She is interested in how one’s sense of place is impacted by historical, geographical, and political factors. Her most recent body of work has emerged from an investigation into ‘the cartographic gaze’, a concept which critiques the omniscient position of the cartographer. As a result of this investigation, the aim of decolonising the map has become the key line of enquiry within Ailbhe’s research. By studying aerial imagery in comparison with historical maps, she seeks out evidence of topographical changes in the land before implementing counter-mapping techniques through mis-orientation, superimposition, and subversion.
About this work, titled Ghuzze, 1870s, she said:
“This work presents a section of land in Northern Gaza, taken from an 1870s map. This cartographical survey offers us a record of Palestine immediately before British and then Zionist colonisation. The image has been manipulated in various ways, including removing all place names and adjusting the orientation so that the aerial view reads more like a landscape to the viewer.”
Learn more about her work and explore the entire exhibition now via link in bio.
@ailbhe_@rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrand
A series of ‘prototypes’ for the work 𝘈𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘩! 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥?, made in February and March last year. All around 45 x 30 cm.
1) photo-collagraph with paper ash
2) photo-collagraph with oak gall ink wash
3) photo-collagraph
4) photo-collagraph and chine collé (tissue paper soaked in oak gall and yarrow leaf ink)
5) photo-collagraph and chine collé (tissue paper soaked in oak gall ink)
6) photo-collagraph with paper ash pigment
This edition of 8 lithographs will be on display and for sale at Gallery Lock-In TODAY from 12-5pm, with all money raised being donated to Medical Aid for Palestinians.
The edition is part of a larger body of work which focuses on a small fragment of land in Northern Gaza. Depicting a swirl of tyre tracks left in the ground by artillery vehicles, the image was drawn and then etched onto a limestone slab by utilising the chemical processes of stone lithography. Special thanks to @heike_roesel_etchings for her guidance and for allowing me to squeeze one last induction in before my degree came to an end.
Fair play to @abigailrosedowney for organising the fundraiser, and thanks for having me involved 🇵🇸
📍 Gallery Lock-In, Little Western Street, BN12PU.
𝘈𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘩! 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥? (𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴)
267 x 149 cm
Carborundum, photo-sensitive emulsion, and shellac on aluminium
Another piece I exhibited for my graduate degree show back in June. It’s currently on show at Phoenix Art Space until this Sunday 31st August as part of the Platform Graduate Award Exhibition. Massive thanks to CVAN South East and Phoenix for the opportunity.
This statement accompanies the work:
“Ailbhe Callanan’s practice is concerned with memory, identity, and intergenerational trauma in relation to land, with a particular focus on the legacy of colonialism in rural spaces. As a printmaker, Ailbhe incorporates etching, collagraphy, and photomechanical processes into her practice.
Ailbhe is interested in how one’s sense of place is impacted by historical, geographical, and political factors. Her most recent body of work emerged from an investigation into ‘the cartographic gaze’, a concept which critiques the omniscient position of the cartographer.
The imagery reproduced here was taken from an aerial view of Northern Gaza in late 2023.”
@cvan_se@phoenix_artspace@laurencehill
Spent the morning installing work for this exhibition which opens this Saturday and runs until the 31st August. I’ll be exhibiting one of my degree show pieces alongside 5 other brilliant recent graduates. Thanks to @phoenix_artspace and @cvan_se for the opportunity.
Preview is this Friday 8th August from 6-8pm. All welcome!
𝘈𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘩! 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥?
Photo-collagraph with paper ash
265 x 145 cm
2025
“By studying aerial imagery in comparison with historical maps, I seek out evidence of topographical changes in the land before implementing counter-mapping techniques through misorientation, superimposition, and subversion. The imagery reproduced in this body of work was taken from an aerial view of Northern Gaza in late 2023”.
Sin é!
Thanks to everyone who came to see the degree show. More installation shots and details of individual works to come. For now, here’s some context:
“My practice is concerned with memory, identity and intergenerational trauma in relation to land, with a particular focus on the legacy of colonialism in rural spaces. I am interested in how one’s sense of place is impacted by historical, geographical, and political factors. My most recent body of work has emerged from an investigation into ‘the cartographic gaze’, a concept which critiques the omniscient position of the cartographer. As a result of this investigation, the aim of decolonising the map has become the key line of enquiry within my research.“
‘10/8 - 24/11’
Photo-collagraph with paper ash ink
44 x 29.5 cm
Delighted to have this piece included in GLIMPSE - the first group exhibition at the brilliant new Unit 2 space in St. Leonards. It’s open today and tomorrow 10am-5pm.
@unit2stleonards
~ a sneak peak ~
My graduate degree show opens to the public this Saturday 31st May until Sunday 8th June. A culmination of three years of learning and practicing a boundless range of printmaking techniques. It’s been real.
Anyone local to Brighton, come along for a look and/or chat. Open 10am-5pm on weekdays, 12-5pm on weekends.
@fineartprintmaking_uob@uob.printmaking.l6
