Claire Hurley
(Sheltered)
8 January to 27 February 2024
Studio 2

Open Studio Monday, Tuesday

During my time at Uillinn I will be exploring the emotional and physical concepts of Home and Shelter, through creating wearable sculptural pieces, from both locally foraged plant materials and recycled materials. Using these forms I will explore internal and external created spaces, and document through photography and video

My work is process and materials led, and directly influenced by my surroundings, either through the use of recycled materials, and/or sustainably harvesting natural materials in the local environment, and studying what materials may have been traditionally used in the area for domestic uses, such as weaving, basketry, textiles etc, and connecting with these materials and their possibilities for use and reinterpretation.

I will be exploring the concept of Home and shelter, and what it means in this time of housing and environmental crises, such as creating safety and security and belonging.

I will make work that examines these physical and abstract qualities, through creating, interacting with and documenting whimsical alternative, large and small scale wearable concepts that can move from adorning the body to protecting it, from both natural and recycled materials.

This work, for me, is a way toward looking for a more self-reliant and empowered, sustainable future. In this time of global housing, energy and climate crises, how do we feel safe and create safe pockets of place for ourselves?

I am interested in forms such as nests, cocoons and pods, and playfully exploring their uses as shelter in relation to the body, and how they might respond to the climate and housing crises in both a therapeutic and tongue in cheek way.

This work creates a tangible connection for me with my environment as a way to physically experience it in close relationship, and also how that leads me to respond in my body. I will examine this further by re-situating the work in different environments and how that impacts both my experience of place and the piece itself, exploring different contexts of placement, physical response and documentation will be part of my work in the residency.

Claire Hurley is an Irish interdisciplinary artist, predominantly based in Cork. She works across different media including sculpture, textiles, printmaking and photography.

Her work is directly influenced by her surroundings, either through foraging for materials in the local environment, or the use of recycled or discarded materials, and she uses these to explore both personal and environmental themes by creating wearable sculptural work that varies from small to large scale.
Claire is interested in how the human body inhabits the work, and creates photographic self portraits as a way of exploring this, and in the interface and space between our physical selves and our surroundings, how we connect with our world..

instagram @clairehurley.artdesign

www.clairehurley.com

WCAC acknowledges the financial support of the Arts Council and Cork County Council in making these residencies possible.