Changing States: Ireland in the 21st Century - Catalogue

Presented by Photo Museum Ireland, IKS Photo, Düsseldorf, and Haus am Kleistpark, as part of Zeitgeist 24, an initiative by Culture Ireland and the Irish Embassy in Germany, in media partnership with ARTE.

Changing States: Ireland in the 21st Century is the largest group exhibition of Irish photography presented outside Ireland to date. Focusing on the first decades of the 21st century, coinciding with the centenary of the founding of the Irish state, it shows the depth and breadth of contemporary photography in Ireland. The exhibition reflects how Irish artists have responded to and critically reframed the recent profound shifts that have occurred in Irish society - surveying Ireland’s transformation from an insular nation-state to a more liberal, globalised and multicultural society. 

Featuring works by 34 contemporary artists, the exhibition and catalogue present three key themes: Political Landscapes, Notions of Home, and Changing Identities. Encompassing diverse vantage points of the medium, ranging from documentary photography to more socially engaged and conceptual approaches, the exhibition considers how leading artists working in Ireland have addressed major socio-political developments to reflect on changing demographics, cultural identities, contested territories and social reform.

Participating artists: Ciarán Óg Arnold, Audrey Blue, Enda Bowe, Noel Bowler, Simon Burch, Ala Buisir, Martin Cregg, Eamonn Doyle, Ciarán Dunbar, John Duncan, Robert Ellis, David Farrell, Anthony Haughey, Conor Horgan, Shane Hynan, Bernadette Keating, Jamin Keogh, Shane Lynam, Martin McGagh, Yvette Monahan, Trish Morrissey, Seamus Murphy, Brian Newman, Jackie Nickerson, Kenneth O’Halloran, Shannon Ritchie, Pauline Rowan, Paul Seawright, Niamh Smith, Daragh Soden, Amelia Stein, Lorraine Tuck, Tommy Weir, and Donovan Wylie.

The works by the featured artists respond to different aspects of these changes, tracing the many ways our past continues to shape the present. The selected works showcase the depth, breadth and vitality of contemporary photography in Ireland. The presentation of this exhibition reflects the partners’ commitment to preserving space for open conversations and debate in cultural institutions.

In recent decades the Irish state has witnessed a social revolution and contemporary artists have played a significant role in this process of change. Their critical voices have contributed to ongoing debates and have helped to challenge established power structures in post-colonial Ireland. The three chapters, Political Landscapes, Notions of Home, and Changing Identities each respond to different aspects of these changes, tracing the many ways our past continues to shape the present. The selection of works for the exhibition reflects our commitment to preserving space for open conversations and debate in cultural institutions. For this exhibition we have actively invited leading artists whose political convictions are a key element of their respective practices. 

Moving from traditional documentary practices towards more socially engaged and conceptual practices to the medium, Changing States considers how artists have responded to the profound shifts that have occurred in Irish society. This survey represents the depth and range of recent Irish photography, as well as the extent to which artists have engaged with the most pressing issues of contemporary life. It charts our transformation from an insular nation-state to a more liberal, globalised and multicultural society.

The exhibition and catalogue present three key themes: “Political Landscapes”, “Notions of Home” and “Changing Identities”. Encompassing diverse vantage points of the medium, ranging from documentary photography towards socially engaged and conceptual approaches Changing States critically reframes contemporary life across the island of Ireland. The exhibition also features a screen installation featuring an overview of Photo Museum Ireland’s collection and the work of documentary photographer Tony O’Shea from the 1980s-1990s.

Presented by Photo Museum Ireland, IKS Photo, Düsseldorf, and Haus am Kleistpark, as part of Zeitgeist 24, an initiative by Culture Ireland and the Irish Embassy in Germany, in media partnership with ARTE.

06 June 2024 – 11 August 2024
Haus am Kleistpark,
Berlin, Germany