Flesh and Roots
Ardgillan Gallery Presents
Maya Brezing, Emma Scully and Catherine Togher-Ward
Curated by Aisling Dunne
18 April – 2 June 2024
In “Flesh and Roots”, three distinct voices converge, each offering a unique perspective on the themes of transition, temporality, and renewal. Maya Brezing, Emma Scully and Catherine Togher-Ward invite viewers into a world where boundaries blur, where the past melds with the present, and where nature reclaims its dominion over the man-made.
“Limbo,” a visceral exploration of the tumultuous emotional landscape of our younger generation, is Emma Scully’s inaugural journey into painting. In this series, Scully presents a surreal realm where contorted limbs and hairy textures converge, symbolising the complexities of growth, confusion, and misdirection. “Limbo” not only reflects the thematic content of the series but also encapsulates Scully’s own transitional phase within her artistic practice, marked by experimentation and evolution.
Catherine Togher-Ward’s series “In Pursuit of the Moon” delves into the delicate interplay between moth, man, and moon. Through meticulous etchings and post-mortem photographic pieces, Togher-Ward unravels the cyclical nature of obsession, pursuit, and destruction. Moths, with their ephemeral beauty and fragile existence, become metaphors for humanity’s relentless quest for the celestial and the transcendent, ultimately revealing the intricate connections between desire, temporality, and fragility.
Maya Brezing’s work transports viewers to a world reclaimed by nature in her exploration of derelict, overgrown spaces around Dublin. Through assemblages and printed pieces, Brezing captures the symbiotic relationship between abandonment and renewal. Remnants of mankind intertwine with the resilient forces of nature, creating ecosystems that serve as sanctuaries for life seeking refuge from urbanization and decay. Brezing’s work serves as a poignant reminder of nature’s inherent resilience and its capacity to heal and restore.
“Flesh and Roots” is a journey through liminal spaces where boundaries dissolve, through the ephemeral beauty of moths in pursuit of the moon, and through the resurgent power of nature reclaiming its dominion. It is a celebration of transition and renewal, a testament to the enduring resilience of the human spirit and the natural world alike. “Flesh and Roots” invites you to embrace the liminal, to ponder the fleeting nature of existence, and to revel in the eternal cycle of renewal.
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Maya Brezing is an emerging Irish artist working and living in Dublin. She graduated NCAD in 2022 with a BA (Hons) Degree in Fine Art specialising in printmaking. She was awarded the Black Church Print Studio Graduate Award 2022 and is currently a full time member. Brezing has exhibited in numerous shows across Ireland and the UK including The Ladder is Always There with Shell/Ter collective in Draoícht, Unlimiting the Edition in The Library Project and The Ironbridge Print Competition. Her work is held in the Office of Public works, St. Vincent’s University Hospital and the DCU art collection.
Emma Scully is an emerging artist with a First-Class honours degree in Fine Art Print from the National College Of Art and Design. In 2022 she received the Graphic Studio Graduate award, The Firestation sculpture award and the Clancy Quay studio award. Her practice spans printmaking, painting, sculpture, textiles, and performance. Her work is deeply Influenced by Irish female artists, the feminist art movement, and surrealism. Scullly’s etchings and paintings feature unconventional, often hairy forms, while her performance pieces explore solitude and tend to address societal issues. She is currently a member of Graphic Studio Dublin, a printmaker at Stoney Road Press and artist in residence at Clancy Quay Studios. Her work has been shown at exhibitions and art fairs in Dublin, Belfast, London, Miami, New York and Chicago.
Catherine Togher-Ward is an interdisciplinary Fingal based artist who specialises in paint and expanded printmaking. She has been a resident in Ardgillan Studios since 2021 where she worked collaboratively to co-found Ardgillan Gallery before returning to NCAD to pursue her degree in Fine Art Print. In preparation for her graduate exhibition she began the development of her project In Pursuit of the Moon, a body of work in which she engages directly with her subject matter, the moth, to explore themes of fragility and temporality. Showcasing the work resulting from raising and studying over 500 moths on copper plates. She received the 2024 Fingal graduate award in partnership with MART Gallery and Studios and is currently a resident in both MART Studios and Ardgillan Castle. Her work will be featured in the 2024 June awards show in MART Gallery.
