Exhibition: Elizabeth Bleynat

From February 2nd to March 16th, 2023 the Dillon Gallery will display work by artist Elizabeth Bleynat. Dedicated to the conservation and stewardship of the Irish coast, Bleynat collects colourful marine plastics on her regular shore walks in County Clare. These plastics are the primary material in her art practice.

Through her work, Bleynat strives to imbue value back into waste material; asserting that beauty and function must be drawn from existent material in plastic-pollution reversal. She employs craft techniques such as weaving and sewing to create wall hangings and wearable sculpture. Her work considers human labour and eco-ethics, drawing parallels between a culture of disposability of material goods and of human labour.

Her intricately handmade artworks advocate for mending and repurposing, for living harmoniously with the planet, and for restoration before exploitation. Bleynat completed a Master of Fine Arts from the Burren College of Art in April of 2022. This will be her first solo exhibition.