Running from November 23 to February 9, Skin / Deep is a groundbreaking exhibition at Photo Museum Ireland that explores the complexities of embodiment in contemporary Irish photography and lens-based media. Curated by Darren Campion, the exhibition brings together artists who examine the body’s diverse realities, engaging with the ways that gender, sexuality, and identity are experienced, represented, and challenged in modern society.

The featured artists—including Shia Conlon, Jane Cummins, Phelim Hoey, Pradeep Mahadeshwar, Pauline Rowan, Vera Ryklova, Pádraig Spillane, Brian Teeling, and Nazli Yildirim—adopt innovative approaches to their medium, pushing the boundaries of traditional photography.

They use their practices to question societal norms, creating works that delve into the material, social, and psychological aspects of embodiment. In doing so, they shed light on experiences that are often marginalised, such as those of queer, trans, and migrant bodies.

Curator Darren Campion expressed: “It’s crucial for Photo Museum Ireland to provide a platform for artists addressing these key issues of gender, identity and sexuality through their work, which we’re undertaking as part of our wider institutional commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion in the arts.”

Campion adds, “There is a range of experiences highlighted in this exhibition—trans bodies, queer bodies, migrant bodies—each with their own story to tell, and art provides a means to express those different experiences.”

Skin / Deep also serves as a commentary on how technology shapes our relationship with our own bodies and those of others. Photography, social media, and digital platforms have transformed our perception of the body, influencing everything from personal identity to societal expectations. While these tools can distort or commercialise our sense of self, the artists in this exhibition use them to reconnect with authentic bodily experiences, confronting urgent questions about identity and humanity.

Through a diverse range of perspectives, the exhibition encourages viewers to reconsider conventional understandings of the body and invites them to engage with experiences that reflect the evolving landscape of identity in Ireland today. More information can be found here.