New and recent art works by Joanna Hopkins at dlr LexIcon

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (dlr) Arts Office is delighted to present an exhibition of work by Joanna Hopkins. The work explores folklore with landscape and the human form.

Hopkins focuses on the female body, menstruation and native plants. She uses plants and plant dyes from her local hedgerows and fields in a wide range of media including sculpture, embroidery, photography and film. She makes abstract connections in her artworks between humans and nonhuman entities inspired by her local natural environment. For example, the video work, On the Rag Tree, is intended as a May tree tribute.  It was documented over a week as the rain and winds washed the dyes from the fabric. Some of the images in the installation are produced by blackberries and the sun, and they will fade if placed in direct sunlight over time. In this instance, the sun both gives the image and takes away the image. Gallery 2 will feature a large hawthorn tree branch sculpture dotted and pierced with various materials including cotton material dyed with hawthorn leaves, blackberries, elderberries, briars, pinecones and bracken ferns.

Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Councillor Denis O’Callaghan said: “Joanna Hopkins’ work explores folklore and mythology from Irish history in a really interesting and imaginative way. She focuses on the female body, explores native plants, and is inspired by her local natural environment in creating these beautiful artworks.”

Chief Executive of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Frank Curran added: “The Council was delighted to award this exhibition to Joanna Hopkins. We are very grateful to the Arts Council for supporting this exhibition and encourage everyone to visit it at dlr LexIcon.”

Fruity Bodies opens to the public at the Municipal Gallery, dlr LexIcon in Dún Laoghaire on 10 March and runs until 3 May 2024 (closed 16-18 March inclusive, 29 March-1 April inclusive). Admission is free of charge. Alongside the exhibition, dlr Arts Office will run a programme of accompanying talks, workshops and events. For further details, visit: dlrcoco.ie/arts.

Joanna Hopkins is an Irish artist working in video, collage, drawing, photography and installation. She has a research-based practice, often working site specifically, and has exhibited across Ireland, the UK, Europe, China and the US. Recent awards include Visual Artist Bursary Award Arts Council of Ireland 2023/2021, Create Collaborative Project Award 2024; Platform 31 Artist Award 2022; and Meath County Council Artist Award 2023/2022. Upcoming projects include The Soil Residency, as invited artist with the Butler Gallery Kilkenny, 2024.Recent solo exhibitions include Fruity Bodies, GOMA Waterford, 2023, ‘The  Growing Gallery’, 2022, Municipal Gallery, dlr Lexicon, Dun Laoghaire, Dublin; ‘Sympathetic Soup’, 2021, Cregan Building Dublin City University. For further information, visit www.joannahopkins.com

dlr Arts Office supports, programmes and develops a wide range of arts activities and opportunities across Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown. It works in partnership with early years services, schools, youth services, community organisations and residential care settings, as well as with its colleagues in the Council to develop the arts at local level for those that wish to attend and participate in cultural events and activities. It programmes the Municipal Gallery in dlr LexIcon and manages several residencies and artform development opportunities in the Studio, dlr LexIcon. It provides annual arts grants and professional development opportunities for artists and arts organisations, has a significant public art programme and manages the new Baths Artists Studios in Dún Laoghaire. For further information, please visit www.dlrcoco.ie/en/dlr-arts