Vanessa & Saoirse, Sherkin, Co. Cork
2017
Photography/Archival pigment print
38 x 38 cm. Framed
Edition of 5
€350 Framed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Emma McGuire’s new body of work focuses on Sherkin Island, Co. Cork, a small island of approximately 90 or so inhabitants. Over two years ago, one of her closest friends decided to move to this island and try a different way of life.

While it’s easy to invoke romantic notions when living or looking at such a place, this is simplifying the reality of living in a somewhat isolated location. The ability to live and act autonomously is a requirement – and a strong sense of one’s self is a necessity to see you through long, dark winters on the edge of the Atlantic, hugging Ireland’s furthest coast. West Cork has always been home to alternative thinkers and artists, conjuring a visionary idyll of our nation’s psyche.

This photograph is at the highest point on the island, near what’s known locally as “the Devil Stones”.

About the Artist

Emma McGuire is a photographic artist, living and working in Dublin. In 2013, she completed a MFA in Photography from the University of Ulster in the Belfast School of Art. She continues to produce work examining people and places on the edge of change and transition, typically from within her own peer group. Previously her projects observed her friends as they navigated Dublin’s renting crisis and inhabited decaying suburban homes. Currently she is investigating life on Sherkin Island, Co. Cork and working to separate romantics notions of islander life from the daily realities.

She has previously exhibited in the Gallery of Photography and the RHA’s 188th Annual Exhibition.

emmamcguirephotography.com