In Our Own Image: Photography in Ireland 1839 to the Present survey exhibition charts how the medium has both reflected and shaped Irish cultural identity, from the work of the earliest photographic pioneers up to the emergence of a recognisably modern state. Throughout the period of intense change that characterised Ireland in the late 19th and into the mid-20th century, we see how photography served as a mirror for shifting experiences of what it meant to be Irish. More than that, it also defined the way we saw ourselves, creating an image of life on the island of Ireland that still forms part of our identity today.

Artists: Augusta Dillon, Mary Rosse, the Tensions, Robert French, William Lawrence, A.R. Hogg, Robert Welch, Jane Shackleton, J.M. Synge, and others

Curated by Photo Museum Ireland (formerly Gallery of Photography Ireland) in partnership with the Office of Public Works, Dublin Castle, our In Our Own Image: Photography in Ireland 1839 to the Present survey exhibition charts how the medium has both reflected and shaped Irish cultural identity, from the work of the earliest photographic pioneers up to the emergence of a recognisably modern state. Throughout the period of intense change that characterised Ireland in the late 19th and into the mid-20th century, we see how photography served as a mirror for shifting experiences of what it meant to be Irish. More than that, it also defined the way we saw ourselves, creating an image of life on the island of Ireland that still forms part of our identity today.

– The exhibition surveys the contribution of early photographic pioneers such as Augusta Dillon, Mary Rosse, and the Tensions.
– Photography’s role as an eyewitness to history is explored through the work of Robert French, William Lawrence, A.R. Hogg and others.
– Photographs of life in the west of Ireland by J.M. Synge and surveys of heritage sites by Robert Welch and Jane Shackleton highlight the contribution of photography to the Celtic Revival movement.
– Photography’s role in constructing popular representations of Irishness is outlined through the production of romantic images to feed the new tourist market.
– The use of photography as reportage during the War of Independence and the Irish Civil War contrasts official viewpoints with the more nuanced perspectives of commercial and citizen photographers.
– The concluding section presents an overview of the key social and infrastructural developments that defined the emergence of the modern Irish state framed through the vision of creative Irish photographers up to the 1970s.

This historical survey exhibition reveals the depth of our shared photographic heritage, viewed through important works by key photographers held in leading archives, cultural institutions, museums, and private collections.

IN OUR OWN IMAGE – A YEAR-LONG PROGRAMME
The launch exhibition at Printworks, Dublin Castle was the first in a year-long landmark series of In Our Own Image exhibitions, online programmes, installations, events and education programmes, combining to examine how photography has recorded and shaped diverse cultural identities in Ireland. Innovative public art and online programmes invite audiences to contribute to conversations about what it means to be Irish today. This comprehensive survey of contemporary practices features works by artists supported by Photo Museum Ireland since it was established in 1978 under the name Gallery of Photography Ireland. The programme includes the establishment of the new National Photography Collection initiative marks the commencement of a process of working with artists to build an archive collection that acts as a repository that preserves a record of contemporary practice in Ireland.

Curatorial team: Photo Museum Ireland team Darren Campion, Tanya Kiang, Trish Lambe, Brendan Maher. Guest curators: Myles Campbell, Kate Horgan, Pauline Vermare, Orla Fitzpatrick, Brenda Malone, Deirdre Robb,

In Our Own Image: Photography in Ireland 1839 to the Present
Launch exhibition for our year-long In Our Own Image programme presenting the first comprehensive historical and critical survey of photography in Ireland. Presented at the Printworks, Dublin Castle in partnership with the Office of Public works / Dublin Castle