Nov 13, 2025
Maria Somerville
seen from Türkiye
seen from United States
seen from Netherlands
seen from United States
seen from Türkiye
seen from China
seen from United States
seen from T1
seen from China
seen from T1
seen from United States
seen from Türkiye
seen from T1
seen from United States
seen from Türkiye
seen from United States
seen from Bulgaria
seen from Germany
seen from Germany
seen from Latvia
Maria Somerville
Video I made for Cloud Castle Lake
Portrait of Angel Olsen, Dublin 2014.
'The Wobbly Bridge' saw Lynn collaborate with fellow Irish photographer Cait Fahey. The work was shown in The Library Project in Temple Bar as part of last summer'sPhotoIreland Festival. More from this series can be seen here - http://goo.gl/tkYhWc
Contemporary photography from Ireland by PhotoIreland, opening on the 15th of November
Join us for the presentation of the book New Irish Works at düo, on November 15th from 6pm. Enjoy also selected prints and the latest photobooks coming from the island.
New Irish Works presents a selection of contemporary photography in Ireland with works by 25 artists: Barry W. Hughes, Càit Fahey, Caroline McNally, Claudi Nir, David Smith, Dorje de Burgh, Dragana Jurisic, Ethna O’Regan, Grainne Quinlan, Ieva Baltaduonyte, Kevin Griffin, Linda Brownlee, Mandy O'Neill, Martin Cregg, Maurice Gunning, Miriam O Connor, Muireann Brady, Patrick Horgan, Paul Gaffney, Robert Ellis, Roseanne Lynch, Shane Lynam, Shannon Guerrico, Stefania Sapio, and Yvette Monahan.
Image: Paul Gaffney, from the series 'We Make the Path by Walking', 2012
CÁIT FAHEY, 1990, IRELAND
YCS: The basis of your work is the incidental observations from everyday, realised with an apparent sense of irony. Would you elaborate on what conceptually this interest examines? Is it clear to you from where your main motivations originate?
CF: For me photography is just about observing. My photographs show how I see things. I like looking at ordinary everyday things and finding something new.
YCS: You already possess a distinct style involving close abstracted compositions and use of bold colour shot in the same orientation – why do you see things this way? Did the ideas or the visual aesthetic occur first? To what degree has its evolution been conscious or intuitive?
CF: I like when a photograph of something is isolated it can end up making new shapes and forms. I love it especially when the object can then end up looking like something entirely different.
It’s hard to devise a method I use but usually each project stems from one image. I will shoot a lot and then one photograph will stand out to me and I will build a series upon that. If I shoot instinctively, the meanings of the images come to fruition afterwards. I’m never bogged down by having to have a concept before I begin shooting. However it can work both ways for me. For example with the ‘That’s Mine’ project, where I began with a concept and then visualised it.
YCS: How did photography first become introduced to you, as a viewer and as a creator; what encouraged you to continue it as a long term activity? Of what part of you do you feel photography provides fulfilment?
CF: Initially through fashion and music magazines. I remember buying Lula when I was 16 and it made me aware of what you could do with photography, it was so inspiring. I used to copy photographs by drawing them out but then I realised with a camera I could make my own. I always knew I wanted to do something creative and when I got into the photography course in IADT it definitely encouraged me to continue long term. It confirmed for me that I could be a photographer. I need to be doing something creative or else I get miserable.
YCS: Would you discuss your sequencing process – by what routine do you like to edit? What criteria determine positioning, and how long does a final edit usually take? What do you intend your audience to take from your work?
CF: Sequencing and placing photographs together is my favourite part of the process. I love piecing them together like a puzzle. I like to print out my photos and put them on my wall and change their order around. It’s really exciting for me when I notice unintended similarities between images, so I love to play around with arranging them in grids on my wall. The length of time depends, sometimes it can be really quick and sometimes it can take weeks.
I don’t want to tell the audience what my work is about. I would like for them to be able to project their own thoughts and ideas onto my work. As if the photographs are small visual clues for the viewer to make up a bigger story.
YCS: What is your relationship with colour?
CF: It’s quite obsessive. Colour is what drives me to take photographs. I will notice the colour of something and I will have to photograph it. I love it when colours compliment each other. It’s important for me to have a good colour balance in a project, for example when sequencing images I will think; ‘oh this series needs some yellow in it.’ Turquoise is my favourite colour, I instantly fall in love with anything turquoise. I have noticed I own a lot of turquoise items that are actually disgusting but I’m blinded by my love for turquoise.
YCS: Where are you currently based, and how does this community influence your creativity? Do you believe in a holistic approach to practice, or are you able to successfully compartmentalise the non-creative parts of your life?
CF: At the moment I am temporarily based in Berlin. I really love this city and have always felt inspired here. My favourite thing to do here is to go to all the magazine and book shops. Dublin is where most of my friends and family are and that community provides me with so much support. Dublin is great for six months of the year then it starts to feel really small and I get the need to go away. Travelling influences me a lot it’s good for me to change my everyday surroundings. I hate being a tourist so moving to other cities for longer periods seems like the best way to do it.
I think it’s important do be doing something with photography everyday. Even if it’s just reading a book about photography or putting a picture on my wall. I don’t want to have to do photography on the side. Even if I am doing a more commercial job it is still photography and it will push my own work.
YCS: How does photography feature in your salaried work? You have produced some strong pieces for editorial opportunities for example; did they generate income? How did these occur, and what attracted you to that discipline? Will it play a role in this regard going forward?
CF: Ideally I’d love to be making editorial work that can fund my personal projects. That’s what I’m working towards at the moment. In Dublin I was working part time in a lab in a camera shop which was good way to have a job that was slightly related to photography. The most valuable work for me has been assisting. For the past few years I’ve been working as an assistant to photographer, Sarah Doyle, who has shared some amazing advice, encouragement and professional insights.
YCS: Since graduating in 2012, you have exhibited at the European Month of Photography in Berlin, and are due to feature in New Irish Works at PhotoIreland this summer. To what do you attribute the strength of these opportunities achieved relatively quickly?
CF: These opportunities came from submitting my work to open calls and I was thrilled to have been picked. It’s a big compliment and has definitely given me confidence to continue making the work that I am making.
www.caitfahey.com
Image Copyright belongs to Cáit Fahey.
Fionn
Cáit Fahey