23.09.24
Venice, TBA21: Participating in the second Confluence of European Water Bodies October 3–6, 2024 in Venice. Hosted by TBA21–Academy’s Ocean Space. The Confluence of European Water Bodies is founded by the Embassy of the North Sea , ILP Mar Menor, and TBA21–Academy, and supported by the Ca’ Foscari University of Venice : NICHE (THE NEW INSTITUTE Center for Environmental Humanities), GARN (Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature), the Italian Buddhist Union, Creative Industries Fund NL , and Venice Climate Change Pavilion.
23.09.24
Winners of the S+T+ARTS4Water II Open Call!
Siobhán McDonald has been awarded the S+T+ARTS4Water II prize for her project Shapeshifter (more info here). Shapeshifter is an ever-evolving project that revives buried traditions to offer new perspectives on Dublin Port. By exploring Dublin’s deep connection to its waters, the project maps a slice of underwater time from 1850 to 2050. Through creative experimentation and collaboration, it reveals the invisible power of ports and their historical and future significance.
27.10.2024
Selected to be featured during at the #AATE Festival, September 27 - October 06, 2024. The open call is set with the intention of exploring Islands in topographical and metaphorical senses. The 2024 edition of the Architecture at the Edge festival will include the presentation of ‘In Search of Hy-Brasil – Ireland’s national pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2023’. The project examines the relationship between the islands of Ireland and their natural environment and puts our islands’ diverse communities, culture, and experiences right at the centre of the discourse surrounding our shared future.
06.04.2024
‘Behind the Curtain’ selected artist for an exhibition presented VISUAL Carlow. Curated by Benjamin Stafford. Two of my paintings are on view in tandem with this thematic drawn from the practice of visual artist Ulla von Brandenburg, who is presenting Under Water Ball, a solo exhibition in VISUAL alongside Behind the Curtain, and from the work of Cornelis Norbertus Gijsbrechts, a 17th century Flemish painter who specialised in trompe-l’oeil works. Gijsbrecht’s work Reverse of a Framed Painting (c.1670) has been argued to be the earliest work of conceptual art.
17.05.24
Launching my new commission at Periferia art exhibition at Hyytiälä Forest Station, Finland on 17-18 May, 2024
The exhibition will feature three new artworks: Office for Tree Migration / Agnes Meyer-Brandis (DE); To Breathe the Forest / Siobhan McDonald (IE); Forest answers / Kustaa Saksi (FI)
25.05.24
The Scale of Water Exhibition at Michael Penny gallery, Bath. Curated by Ariene Koek and Ben Parr: Works by Siobhan McDonald, Mariele Neudecker, Emma Stibbon, Emma Critchley and many more. The exhibition explore the ecological, physical, philosophical and poetic interpretations of water and highlighting how various impacts, such as water pollution, scarcity, floods, shrinking ice fields, territorial interests and conservation shape our understanding of this vital resource.
27.03.24
Art & Ecology Masters Course, Burren College of Art, Ireland. Artist talk by Siobhan McDonald.
University of Massachusetts Amherst, Upcoming presentation March 2024. The Anthropocene Lab: An art talk by artist Siobhán McDonald, whose award-winning works respond to the climate crisis by capturing tipping points and robustly engaging with climate science. https://websites.umass.edu/anthropocenelab/
26.11.23
Recipient of La Chapelle residency award. I spent the month of November in an exquisite studio based in this 16th century chapel - the chapel adjoins an old Venetian house which became a monastery on Naxos in the early 17th century.
Exhibition of paintings at La Chapelle Saint-Antoine. www.lachapellesaintantoine.com
18.10.23
The Unnatural History Museum: Mass Extinction, Artist talk with Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg, who will be speaking about The Substitute; Donal Maguire (NMI); and Bergit Arends (Courtauld) speaking about 'Exhibiting oceans in natural history museums: reflections on curatorial and artistic practices'. Scheduled for 5pm UK/Irish time on Wednesday 18th October!
BBC WORLD SERIES
03.10.23
Listen now on https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct63cx
I'm very excited to share our documentary launching on the BBC WORLD SERIES today. I created a sonic score for the programme responding to the changing acoustic environment of the Arctic and how changes from declining sea ice and increasing industrial human use is influencing Arctic marine mammal decline. "Will unicorns of the sea fall silent." This artwork was made in collaboration with Professor Chris Bean and composer Johnathan Nangle.
Review in the Irish Times
01.05.23
‘The exhibition imagines an emerging ecosystem inspired by the ground and all the visible and invisible interactions that run through it and the potential it holds.' 'When looking at, listening to and even smelling the artworks by artist Siobhán McDonald in her current exhibition — The Boglands Are Breathing — one is transported to different landscapes past and present.' Sylvia Thompson
Earth Day: 11 Irish visions of the future
Siobhán McDonald, John Gerrard are delving into our relationship with the natural environment
The results are beguilingly beautiful, but look beyond the surface gorgeousness to see the lurking environmental catastrophe. At the Edge of Visibility, a film from 2016 that is currently showing on Living Canvas at Wilton Park in Dublin, is a haunting exploration of how Arctic ice holds memories of life dating back millions of years. Gemma Tipton
29.05.2023
The Bogs are Breathing, my new solo exhibition is opening at The Model Gallery, Sligo on 29th April 2023. It brings together a selection of works spanning locations from the Arctic tundra to Irish boglands with ambitious new productions that will transform The Model into a uniquely sensory experience.
https://www.themodel.ie/?exhibition=siobhan-mcdonald-the-boglands-are-breathing
27.04.2023
Culture File - Luke Clancy
CLIP • 7 MINS • 27 APR • LORCAN MURRAY'S CLASSIC DRIVE
Methane Lake (2023) Atlay Fillm
24.03.2023
Honoured to be presenting at this event: Tim Robinson: Re-mapping Landscapes: one-day symposium Friday 24th March. The event is a continuation of Tim and Mairéad's Roundstone Conversations in Connemara which I participated in for many years. Kylemore Abbey, Galway. Booking essential linkhttps://lnkd.in/eUgqRkj9 #timrobinson #event #kylemoreabbey
01.02.2023
Living Canvas Public Art Project, Wilton Park. Selected by Gemma Tipton and The Creative Committee at the Living Canvas screen for this coming Spring. At the Edge of Visibility (2016) 4 minute film by Siobhan McDonald https://www.iput.com/international-artists-focus-on-environment-for-spring-programme-at-living-canvas-wilton-park-dublin-2/
Christopher Ash: Film Maker. Irene Buckley: Sound composition.
Premiered at Deutsches Hygiene-Museum ‘Shine on me’ curated by Katherine Nichols.
10.10.2022
Artist Siobhán McDonald will turn recordings into an acoustic installation exploring humanity’s impact on the ocean. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/oct/19/microphones-dropped-into-ocean-off-greenland-to-record-melting-icebergs
07.10.2022 - 11.10.2022
Siobhan McDonald: Exhibition at Ars Electronica
https://ars.electronica.art/planetb/en/ Curated by Christl Baur
01.01.2023
The #podcast is now online! Listen here 👉 https://lnkd.in/em9zKCqv
Emmanuel Tellie for Centre Culturel Irlandais. #JanCarson #GlenHansard
_ Visual artist Siobhán McDonald explores the crossover between human life, ecology and natural phenomena through delicate painting, drawing, film and sound installations. She is one of the first contemporary artists to have exhibited in the CCI's Old Library.
09.07- 11 .10. 2022
Siobhan McDonald: Exhibition at Royal West of England Academy
'Earth: Digging Deep 1781 - 2022'
Starting left: ‘History of Time’ Siobhan McDonald; ‘Fossil Neclace’ Katie Paterson; Back wall 'Muddy Gravity' Richard Long, More works by Susan Derges, Tania Kovats, Richard Long, Mariele Neudeker, David Nash, M.W. Turner, John Constable and more. Find out more: https://lnkd.in/ed4H2bPs
14.04.2022 - 30.05.2022
Exhibition at Palais des Beaux-Arts.
https://www.bozar.be/en/calendar/colliding-epistemes Colliding Epistemes: Art, Science, Anthropocenes, BOZAR, Brussels. Curated by Maja and Reuben Fowkes
June 2022
Deep in the forest on residency at HYYTIÄLÄ FL. This is courtesy of the Climate Whirl program award which I received in 2020. In addition, The Alfred Kordelin Foundation has commissioned an artwork, which will be located in the vicinity of the forest in 2023. My project is realized in the framework of Climate Whirl Arts Program at INAR – University of Helsinki. Curated by Ulla Taipale. https://eu-interact.org/field-sites/hyytiala-forestry-reseatch-station-smear-ii/
14.04.2022 - 30.04.2022
Centre CULTUREL Irlandaise
Solo: THE WEEK THE SUN TOUCHED THE EARTH 2022 review at The week the sun met the earth, Science et Avenir, Paris by Dominique Leglu.
Arts Council Project Award 2022
THE BOGS ARE BREATHING
02.04.2022 - 04.04.2022
Centre for Contemporary Art LAZNIA
Colliding Epistemes: Art, Science, Anthropocenes, CCA Laznia, Gdansk, 4 February - 3 April 2022
https://www.laznia.pl/wystawy/zderzenia-epistemiczne-sztuka-nauka-i-antropocen-394/
Curated by Maja and Reuben Fowkes
2021
01.08.2021
JRC, Eu Commission, Italy
Glorious days on residency at the JRC, EU Commission. This is courtesy of the Alumni Award from the EU COMMISSION, which I received this year. My project ‘Listening to Soil’ is being realised throughout 2021
Beneath the earth and beyond the rocks
Siobhán McDonald, Artist in residence ‘Experimentation is at the core of what I do.’ 8.05.2021
SUNSETS AND METEORS, Painting scrolls, ancient fossilised plants, meteor dust, bone, on calf skin. Siobhan McDonald
STRATOPAUSE 28 MAY - 3 JULY 2021
Now live: https://www.gibbonsnicholas.com/exhibitions/14/works/artworks1205/ An exhibition of works by Brian Duggan, George Bolster and Siobhan McDonald. https://www.gibbonsnicholas.com/exhibitions/14/works/
2020
01-10.08.2021
Falling Walls Finalist
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RupKbkTQZgk
Siobhán McDonald is a Falling Walls Finalist at the Falling Walls and Berlin Science Week: World Science Summit 2020 (1 – 10 November 2020).
Siobhan McDonald is nominated for the FALLING WALLS Art Prize 2020. As part of the awards program, she is invited to create this excerpt of her work that shows the research behind her Breathe project.
Her work draws attention to contemporary topics dealing with air, breath and atmospheric phenomena, weaving together history with scientific knowledge. Siobhan is artist in residence in the School of Natural Sciences at Trinity College Dublin (2020-2023,) working with world-leading research facilities such as The European Space Agency (ESA) and The JRC European Commission to explore ecology in light of current ecological concerns.
Across research labs, she pursues knowledge to ask questions about the structure and history of the earth. She calls on notions of what is still unknown to science, exploring the Anthropocene and the recent consequences of our treatment of nature. Siobhan’s work with glaciers and other natural phenomena deploys a unique artistic language that gives form to intangible and richly varied processes including painting, drawing, film and sound.
Traces of Air at Uillinn:
West Cork Arts Center will include new and recent work with plants, roots and charcoal as well as paintings depicting the changing light recorded in forests made earlier this year. Some of these paintings seek to capture the innate environment-sensing capacity of plants, trees and underground networks as witnesses of history. They hold an embodied memory of time, reminding us of how time and memory shift.
Arts Council
Featured by the Arts Council on EarthDay 2021
‘Study for a volcano’ (w/ detail)
Film on glass prism, plinth, and projector 2min, 20sec
First celebrated in 1970, Earth Day is an annual event to demonstrate support for environmental protection. For Earth Day 2021, the theme is ‘Restore Our Earth’ marked by a Leaders Summit hosted by US President Joe Biden and an Earth Day Live digital event.
To coincide with this important day, we are sharing this stunning installation ‘Study for a volcano’ by Siobhan McDonald from the#ArtsCouncilCollection.
‘Study for a volcano’ is an installation about the co-existence between the lungs of the earth, humans, and plants.
It explores European volcanoes and points to the cycle of the earth breathing within the carbon cycle and our ecosystems in this time of climate emergency.
STUDIOTOPIA
STUDIOTOPIA is a creative journey addressing sustainable development across Europe through the converging views of art and science. This initiative aims to increase collaborations between cultural and research institutions, academia, innovation centers, creatives, and European citizens.
Ars Electronica Festival 2020.
The artists and scientists will kick-off their collaboration at the Ars Electronica festival with a Creative Question Challenge (CQC).
Artist talks: Siobhan McDonald and Professor Chris Bean.
2020
Audience with the Artist
2nd July 2020, conversation with the artist about the role of art in science and conservation.
London Art Fair 2020
Siobhan McDonald with the Jill George Gallery at the London Art Fair…
Climate Whirl 2020
Siobhan McDonald selected as Artist in Residence 2020 for Climate Whirl program with the University of Helsinki.
Artistic License
Siobhan McDonald interview in “The Gloss” magazine, July 2020….
BOZAR
Siobhan McDonald selected for Studioiotopia & Ars Electronica 2020-2022
BOZAR + Ars Electronica
https://www.studiotopia.eu/artists
2019
BOZAR
Centre for the Arts, Brussels. Datami Siobhan McDonald exhibits To Breathe.
Opened 10th December 2019. See more…
Of plants and People
A Stroll Around Our Green Planet
Apr 2019 to Apr 2020
Including work by Artist Siobhan McDonald, Uriel Orlow, Karl Blossfeldt and more
Art Toronto
This painting is part of a series of works on view at Art Toronto that explores the invisible networks of trees. See more…
October 25 - 29, 2019
Radical rethink
Volta
Listed as one of the top six Artists to see at Volta. See here…
10 to 15 June 2019
Including works by Artist Siobhan McDonald at Gibbons & Nicolas.
EU Commission
Siobhan McDonald is commissioned by the EU Commission to make work for Resonances “Datami” 2019. At the JRC Siobhan collaborates with scientists and policy makers using air-borne pollutants from EU cities and film footage from volcanoes to create drawings, paintings & film works to show how plants & humans are adapting to air pollution. See more…
VOID
An Afternoon Symposium: Void Gallery in collaboration with Paper Visual Art Journal
@ Void Derry. Presentations by Willie Doherty, Darran Anderson, Gareth Doherty, Siobhan McDonald and chaired by Mary Cremin. Saturday, March 23, 2019
Joint Research Centre (JRC)
Residency as part of the European Commission
Ispra, Italy.
March 2019
Limerick City Gallery
2018
'In this brief time: art, environment and ecology' 24th November: Trinity College Dublin: Speakers John Gerrard, Vivienne Dick, Clare Langan, Siobhan McDonald, Deirdre O’Mahony:
'Crystalline: When Plants Remember', Solo show by Siobhan McDonald at the National Trust: Henry Fox Talbot Museum. 10th November - 9th December 2018. Supported by GB18: Culture Ireland
Collecting Breath: humans, plants + roots Trinity Creative Award: Future Breath
OPEN INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE in an art project: Breath recording (humans) Monday 15 October, 1pm – 5:00pm. Trinity College Herbarium.
Shine on Me The Sun and Us An exhibition by the Deutsches Hygiene-Museum, Curator: Dr. Catherine Nichols. Opening 26th September 2018
The Dresden project gets underway in autumn 2018, almost concurrently with a NASA mission aiming to send a space probe as close to the Sun as possible. The exhibition sees itself as a sort of sister mission pursuing a similar objective: To enthrall visitors to the exhibition and guide them as close as possible to the Sun phenomenon.
Taylor Galleries presents: In Conversation and Book Launch: Thursday 5th April 2018
Taylor Galleries presents Siobhan McDonald and writer, Catherine Marshall in conversation. No booking required, all welcome. A full colour catalogue for ‘Crystalline,’ designed by Oonagh Young will be launched at the event with texts by Helen Carey, Catherine Marshall and excerpts from ‘Approaching the Glacier’ by Tim Robinson, Tales and Imaginings, Lilliput Press 2002.
Crystalline: Disappearing Worlds (Short documentary)
From her studio artist @SioMcDonald talks about her exhibition Crystalline: Disappearing Worlds, and the fragile landscape of the Arctic Circle. Crystalline opens @TaylorGalleries March 16th - April 7th.
Disappearing Worlds, Solo show. Taylor Galleries, Dublin. 15 March – 7th April 2018
Trinity Creative Challenge Award Winner, January 2018
2017
December TEDx presents Siobhan McDonald
Bursary Award by Arts Council Ireland
Culture Ireland Award: Imagining Ireland in the UK 2018: When Plants Remember
Awarded a Creative Ireland, commission to respond to The Black Pig’s Dyke
'A Change in the Signal,' Highlanes Gallery, Ireland. November 2017
'When Plants Remember.' Solo show, Henry Fox Talbot Museum, The National Trust, UK, November 2018
Irish Arts Review, ‘Somewhere in the Future’, November 2017
UN Climate Action unfccc feature. Featured as first in the series: 'Artist of the Week
2016
Front Cover of Nature Geoscience: The journal Nature Geoscience published the fruits of my project ‘Cyathea australis’ and selected one of my images from the series for the front cover.
Radio Lyric FM broadcast Friday 7th October at 7pm: "Crystalline,' A 40-minute documentary on the work of artist Siobhan McDonald.
Awarded European Research Council (ERC) grant to pursue the frontier of research.
Awarded Art Council of Ireland: Travel and Training grant.
Imago Mundi Project June 2016, Luciano Benetton. Invited artist: Traveling International Exhibition. Curated by Ciara Gibbons and Sean Kissane.
2015
Public art commission for the School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin.
The Science Gallery, Trinity College Dublin. Artist Talk and presentation: "Atmospheres in Conversation," Thursday, October 29, 2015 - 18:00 to 19:15. Paccar Theatre. Physicist Tom McCormack and Artist Siobhan McDonald, both from University College Dublin, will discuss their recent collaborations from their own unique perspective. Rainbows, atmospheres, and the sun provided common areas of interest but can collaborations such as these lead to greater understanding or perhaps a mutual exchange of knowledge? City of Physics 201
Awarded collaborative project with Bank Of Ireland, New York.
Awarded BAI Sound and Vision RTÉ lyric fm. The radio programme is being funded by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland’s Sound and Vision Funding Scheme. Rockfinch is producing the 40-minute documentary on the work of artist Siobhan McDonald. The programme will be broadcast on RTÉ lyric FM in early
Oslo, Norway
"The Deep" nyMusikk’s festival of adventurous music presents: "Deep Songs: Commissioned by Oslo’s Only Connect festival. The presentation of Susan Stenger's 'Deep Songs' includes projections of a series of images created by Siobhan McDonald, and will combine composed sound (including parts for Norwegian Hardanger fiddles) with subterranean sounds recorded in Iceland. *Special thanks to Culture Ireland for supporting Siobhan McDonald on this project.