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- Ellie Henry
Ellie
Henry
Final Year Project - Hidden Borders
The core focus of this collection of work lies within borders.
Borders take different shapes and forms through this work as they are drawn from architecture, gates, barriers, road signs and found objects. Considering the social and cultural divides in communities throughout Ireland currently, attitudes and actions have become borders that we cannot see but know they are there lingering.
Through photography and drawing the recurring nature of thresholds, gates, fences and barriers symbolizing both opportunity and division in our country with regards to housing, education and culture capital. My drawings take the form of line, black and white and breaking down buildings and structures in simplified versions to show the irony and approaches to community planning.
The idea that the place you are born determines class, opportunity and acceptance. Through observation and interrogation of physical reminders of place and culture, I depict my perception of cultural intersects in different regions in Ireland including Kildare, Limerick, Dublin and West Belfast.
This work hopes to point out the ugly issue’s surrounding racism and classism in contemporary Ireland, challenge them and breakdown physical and intangible borders.
Concurrent
This project centres on an in-depth exploration of Limerick’s waterways, which served as a vital foundation for my research. By examining the ecological makeup of various aquatic sites such as rivers, canals, and estuarine environments. I investigated how local conditions influence the presence and behaviour of organisms such as bacteria, algae, and rust. These lifeforms, shaped by the unique environmental characteristics of each site, became symbolic indicators of deeper societal issues.
The project evolved from a biological study into a broader commentary on our modern world. The interactions between these organic materials and their surroundings began to mirror our own interactions with the environment. What emerged was a reflection on consumption of food, clothing, technology and the accumulating waste and damage that stems from our unsustainable habits. The invisible yet pervasive presence of bacteria and the slow, corrosive spread of rust became metaphors for the often unseen but irreversible harm we inflict on our ecosystems.
Through this lens, the waterways of Limerick became not only sources of scientific inquiry but also poetic landscapes through which to examine the consequences of human excess. The work questions how we coexist with the natural world and challenges the viewer to reconsider their relationship with the materials and systems they consume daily. This project is posing a microscope on decay, resilience, and the urgent need for environmental awareness and responsibility.
No students found for the selected year.