Drawing inspiration from the local landscape and social history of the west of Ireland, Preservation explores the impacts of both the Great Irish Famine and the climate and biodiversity crises.

Past and present, these calamitous events are linked by common threads of inequality, vulnerability, destructive policies, extreme weather events, migration and death.

Within the exhibition, these threads are interwoven with symbols of ancient bogs, under pressure from traditional practices such as turf-cutting, which contributes to significant greenhouse gas emissions and loss of biodiversity. But these unique ecosystems are gradually being restored and preserved through rewetting, to promote the capture and storage of carbon and lock it away for millennia.

The exhibition holds out hope of a more just and sustainable future if positive steps are taken to protect vulnerable communities and preserve ecosystems." 

- Jo Killalea

The artist gratefully acknowledges a Bursary Award in 2022 from The Arts Council in support of this work and exhibition.

About the artist

Jo Killalea is a visual artist from Swinford, Co Mayo. A concern with sustainable development, viewed through the lens of the social history and farming traditions of the west of Ireland, is the perspective she brings to her practice

She graduated in Fine Art from ATU Mayo Campus (formerly GMIT) with a distinction in 2013 and with a first-class honours degree in 2019. She was awarded the Academic Achievement Award and Ballinglen Arts Foundation Student Bursary.

Preservation is her third solo exhibition,  and her paintings have been selected for curated group shows at various galleries in Ireland - RHA, Rua Red, RDS, Luan, The Linenhall, The Model.

Her paintings are held in significant public collections including Mayo County Council (2013) and the Office of Public Works (2018).

Her practice is kindly supported by The Arts Council.