18 October – 22 November 2025
Bernadette Cotter & Áine Ryan, Beirt le chéile

Bernadette's and Aíne's compelling works were introduced by Lisa Fingleton in an uplifting call to solidarity in the arts, feminism and the environment: she closed with a beautifully sung rendition of 'The Last Hug'. Some visitors' video recordings can be viewed here . . . 

Ryan’s practice ranges from object making to site-specific land interventions. She creates primarily sculptural pieces with cast glass, mixed media and found objects. Sometimes she incorporates textiles and photography into her pieces. Her frustrations, anxieties and personal history act as catalysts in her work. Ryan draws from nature and her farm upbringing to interrogate the social construct of feminine identity and to examine the role and value of women within the rural patriarchal space. 

Meditation, religion and catharsis are central to Cotter’s practice. Whether in drawings, textiles, performance or installations, the level of detail in Bernadette’s work is astonishing, as she says: ‘I can’t seem to get away from it. Even in the drawings — the drawings are made up of thousands of little units. Either little dots or words or the same gesture in the work, repeated over and over. I suppose it’s a kind of meditation.’ On Saturday 25th, Bernadette performed Deargfhlaith, draped in organza and 30 necklaces of her own hair, collected each year since 1995. A 33-minute excerpt from her one-hour performance can be viewed here . . .

Top  Installation view: centre, Bernadette Cotter, Deargfhlaith, performance,1995–2025

Middle  Áine Ryan, Barren is Never Used for Men, 2025, butcher’s block, deconstructed women’s underwear, metal pins, h15 x w122 x d61 cm

Bottom  At the opening view, Bernadette, Aíne and Lisa Fingleton. Photos DaveRyanMedia

Left  Bernadette Cotter, Presence, 2025, ink on paper

Right  Aíne Ryan, Resting, 2024, cast glass, flame-worked glass, human hair, h4 x w15 x d15 cm