Out of The Strong Came Forth Sweetness

I’m proud to have archival and current work on view as part of the “Out of The Strong Came Forth Sweetness GHN 30” exhibition, which takes place between May 12 - 25, Naughton Institute Building (formerly the Science Gallery) in Trinity College Dublin.

Install photograph by Evanna Devine

“Chow Chow” 40x40 cm archival pigment print, from my Disco Vegetables series.

The show also includes archival images and material about my great friend Oliver Stanley (1954-1995).

Install photograph by Evanna Devine

(L-R) Poster for SHAFT, modelled and designed by Oliver, used as the Open Call image for the show.

Portrait of Oliver with his partner Fran, first seen in my exhibition “Portraits” in the Gallery of Photography, 1995.

Portrait of Oliver.

Oliver’s obituary from the Sunday Tribune and his peaked leather cap.

RIP Paul Durcan

My portrait of the great poet was taken for RANT magazine, and after he saw it in an exhibition at Photo Museum Ireland some years later, he was kind enough to send me a card. It said "In so far as one can talk of portraits of oneself without vanity or conceit – and I think one can – I was hugely impressed as well as moved by your portrait".

A lovely and very talented man.

I was very moved to see the portrait used on the Mass card and carried before the casket by his granddaughters Julia and Rosie Joyce at his funeral.

Photograph Nick Bradshaw / The Irish Times

Acquired

As the year comes to an end, I’m delighted to receive the news that my portrait of the artist Michael Kane has been acquired by the National Gallery.

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Holding

I did some publicity shots for “Holding”, a new ITV drama starring Conleth Hill and Siobhan McSweeney, directed by Kathy Burke.

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IVANA

 

My photograph of Ivana Bacik on the campaign trail.

I’ve just voted for Ivana Bacik in the Dublin Bay South by-election, and if you have a vote in the constituency please use it to help elect her. She’s a courageous, principled and progressive politician, and we need more people like her in the Dáil.

The Genius

I’m delighted to see that my friend Larissa Fasthorse has just been named a MacArthur Fellow, an award known as the “genius grant” to creatives. She’s a Native American playwright and former ballet dancer, who I met a few years ago in the Tyrone Guthrie Centre at Annaghmakerrig. It couldn’t happen to a nicer person.

Larissa Fasthorse with her husband, sculptor Edd Hogan

Larissa Fasthorse with her husband, sculptor Edd Hogan

You can see more of my portraits of writers in this gallery.

Marina De Van

Marina de Van is a very interesting French film director, screenwriter, novelist and actor.  She was a great subject to shoot, making it a challenge to pick just one image - I did eventually, and it’s in the “Artists” gallery.

Her new site has just been launched, and offers acting coaching and hypnosis in Paris.

Amelia and The Bloods

My friend Amelia Stein is one of Ireland’s best photographers, and I did a portrait of her recently to mark the occasion of her new exhibition “The Bloods” being shown in the newly reopened Butler Gallery in Kilkenny.

With a slight homage to Mapplethorpe

With a slight homage to Mapplethorpe

This is Amelia’s preferred image, which I can understand because she looks like such a boss.

This is Amelia’s preferred image, which I can understand because she looks like such a boss.

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The show is a series of portraits of members of the Defence Forces from the 3 Inf Bn, known as The Bloods, based in James Stephens Barracks, Kilkenny. It’s great work, and you can book (free) tickets here.

There are more of my portraits of artists in this gallery.

Annaghmakerrig People

Some of the great people I’ve met in Annaghmakerrig over the years.

Robbie McDonald, who will be leaving next January after ten years as director of the Tyrone Guthrie Centre at Annaghmakerrig. The post is currently being advertised

Dancer and choreographer Emma O’Kane

Emma O’Kane in action

Native American playwright Larissa Fasthorse with her husband, sculptor Edd Hogan

Author Diana Souhami

Painter Roisin McGuigan

Sheila Pratschke, the Centre’s second director

There are more photographs of Annaghmakerrig here, as well as some more artists here, writers here and performers here.

Phuong Le

An out-take of film writer Phuong Le. You can read her piece “Feeling Seen: Whose Apocalypse Now?” here, and there are more of my portraits of writers here.