Abstract

'Pushing Boundaries' was a ground-breaking exhibition organised by the Printmakers Council, of which I am an active member. The show took as its theme the centenary of the Irish revolution, and called for any print-based response to this event. It was the first Printmakers Council touring exhibition in the republic and was part of the living historical process taking place between Ireland and the UK.

My response to the brief was a print, entitled ‘Moment‘. The print was directly inspired by the revolution, in that it reflected the flowering of the new nation at Easter, 1916, with all its hope, possibilities and implications for nationhood, society and culture. At nearly a metre long, the print represented a departure in technique and creative approach in my printmaking, in that it included gold threads sewn post-print, directly into the fabric of the paper.

The print appeared at Dublin’s Farmleigh Gallery between October and December 2016, before moving on to Dunamaise Arts Centre in January 2017. I attended the private view on 27 October 2016.