
To be Opened by Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Brian McDonagh on Wednesday 19th February 2025 at 7pm, with Special Guest Photographer Ken Grant
Remind Me About this Exhibition
Draíocht, in collaboration with Fingal County Council Arts Office, is delighted to announce a new exhibition from photographer Rich Gilligan for the 13th edition of Amharc Fhine Gall.
The First Draft is an artistic homecoming, bringing internationally influenced work back to the roots of his creative journey and offers a contemplative look at the themes of belonging, identity and coming of age in suburbia. The exhibition revisits Gilligan's early projects created around Blanchardstown which are presented as non-sequential vignettes exploring the complex relationship we often hold with the places that shape us, inviting audiences to experience a dialogue between past and present. Still and moving image installations will transport visitors into the rich tapestry of life within subcultures, where transient moments explore the process of coming of age. Each piece, whether revisiting past work or presenting fresh perspectives, serves as a personal yet universally resonant meditation on how our environments shape our outlooks and identities.
Curated by Linda Shevlin, this exhibition marks an evolution in Gilligan’s practice, as he explores ‘expanded photography’ - a technique that pushes the boundaries of traditional image-making and presentation. Through these experimental, site-specific interventions, the show challenges viewers to rethink photography’s role in storytelling. A true celebration of Blanchardstown and beyond, this exhibition is an invitation to reflect on the places that hold our roots, and how they resonate across generations and geographies.
The First Draft is accompanied by an outreach project for young people exploring identity.
Image detail: Firekids, Dublin. 2004, Rich Gilligan
This project was funded via the bursary award from the Arts Council of Ireland and Fingal Arts Office.