Photo Museum Ireland is delighted to present this exhibition of new work developed through our Early Career Artist Awards, an annual mentorship residency for the most promising photography and media graduates from across the island of Ireland.

In the exhibition, Dee Byrne considers the theme of female inheritance through her own family story, Patryk Gizickicreates a semi-fictional narrative of adolescence centred on his hometown of Castlebar, Co. Mayo, and Spencer Glover explores the complex relation between photography and memory. All the artists present innovative installations that showcase their cutting-edge practices.

This exhibition represents the fourth cycle of the Awards, established in 2020 to provide essential curatorial guidance and resources for recent photography and media graduates as they embark on their artistic careers. To make up the shortlist for the Early Career Artist Awards we invite tutors from degree courses across the island of Ireland to each nominate two graduating students.

The nominees submit a project proposal and based on this three artists are selected for the programme by the Museum’s curatorial team in collaboration with guest mentors. Over the course of this year-long programme the recipients have an opportunity to create new work with ongoing support from our curatorial team, workshops and mentorship from industry experts.

Photo Museum Ireland is proud to support and encourage the growth of new creative talent in Irish photography. The Early Career Artist Awards are a key part of our artform development programmes. They empower the recipients to develop sustainable individual practices, making a significant contribution to the exciting future of photography in Ireland.