'Afterlight, ' a new solo exhibition exploring the passing of time to be showcased at Artlink

Entitled ‘Afterlight’, the new exhibition encompasses painting, drawing, sculpture and installation – bringing together artworks created by Stephanie who is drawn to the meeting point of polarities - including life and death.

Stephanie McGowan gained a distinction in her Fine Arts degree from the Sligo Institute of Technology in 2017 and was selected for the RDS Visual Art Awards. She completed a Masters in Contemporary Art Practice at the University of Edinburgh in 2018, during which time she also took part in a ‘Tropical Lab’ residency in Singapore.

Stephanie has exhibited her artworks extensively throughout Ireland and internationally including: The Courthouse Gallery (County Clare), NOA (Lucerne, Switzerland), 126 Gallery (County Galway), Harbinger Project Space (Reykjavik, Iceland), ICA (Singapore), Mazda 2.5 (Leipzig, Germany), The Old Biscuit Factory (London) and The Embassy Gallery (Edinburgh).

Stephanie says that ‘Afterlight’ refers to the soft, diffuse light that remains after the sun has set, and can also mean a view of past events. Speaking ahead of her new solo exhibition at Artlink Fort Dunree, she said: “I chose to name my new exhibition ‘Afterlight’ as it can mean a view of past events. Indeed, all of the works on show begin as photos and memories – so looking back on them and allowing these past moments to emerge in a new way becomes the ‘Afterlight’.

“Another meaning of the word refers to the light that is visible in the sky after sunset – the ‘afterglow’ – which I think is a rather beautiful description of the feeling and emotion that is felt when looking back on fond memories. These emotions both fuel and prompt my intuitive decision-making process when I’m thinking about the colours and composition within each of my works.

“People attending my solo exhibition will therefore see a body of new works including drawing, sculpture, paintings made with natural dyes and my threaded paintings.

“The threads that I use in the paintings are deliberately embroidered by hand as I don’t want the outcome to be too rigid and the little imperfections and actions I make become like the strokes of a paintbrush.

“Some of my larger installations can take a long time to complete depending on the scale – but I can work on them whenever possible, which is necessary for me as a full-time mummy to a toddler!

“I also incorporate and use threads and wools for many reasons – embroidery threads have a wide variety of colours and they also signify a connection between myself and the viewer.

“I have also always found the idea of searching for threads, wools and materials to be really rewarding. Importantly, materials and objects can tell you a lot about someone. For example, my maternal grandmother died before I was born, my mother of course had photos but I was always looking for something more in terms of the materials, objects and things that I also saw around her in these photos.

“Importantly, ‘Afterlight’ can refer to the glow or aura that lingers after a bright light (or indeed a person) has passed – or the feeling or impression that remains after an event or experience has ended.

“In my paintings or installations I therefore aim to create a fully immersive experience for the viewer, blurring the boundaries between art and the real world!”

Artlink Project Co-ordinator Rebecca Strain said: “McGowan’s new body of work forms part of a recent ongoing theme at Artlink, exploring life’s rhythms, times when we are quiet and reflective and other times when we are productive and need to share the fruits of our labour.

“’Afterlight’ is an intriguing exhibition which explores a number of themes related to light, shadows, the passing of time and even the afterlife.

“Stephanie’s use of threads and wools in her artwork adds texture and depth, and creates a variety of very interesting and dynamic effects; from delicate and intricate embroidery in her paintings to larger scale installations that dominate a space.”

Martha McCulloch, Artlink Project Co-ordinator added: “This exhibition follows on from the work we have been doing with Irish Hospice Foundation, creating spaces where people can feel safe to talk about loss. Visitors to Stephanie’s new exhibition will be moved by her use of immersive techniques to create a memorable and thought-provoking experience.

“And of course, it is always exciting to see contemporary artists like Stephanie pushing the boundaries of traditional mediums and exploring new ways of engaging with audiences!”

The open event for the ‘Afterlight’ exhibition takes place at 2pm on Saturday March 25 and runs up until April 23 with free admission daily from 10:30am-4:30pm. For further information visit artlink.ie email [email protected] or telephone 00353 838696513 / 00353 864532428.