Co-Curated by Anya von Gosseln • Site Specific Solo Exhibition
My Bones are Creaking Hawthorn is an exhibition of work by Anne Martin Walsh that deals with many aspects of Wilton Mill, Co Wexford, and is hugely reflective of the history of the building from an artistic point of view. Originally built as a flax mill during the famine years, it had become a saw mill by 1900. It is now a ruin on farmland and a beautiful glamping site. Taking the strong connection to the Great Hunger and in collaboration with her son, journalist and creative writer, Ross Walsh, the artist has created artworks, painting, photography and print, to be installed alongside sculptural elements. The title for the exhibition, as well as many of the artworks containing the written word, are quotes from poetry written by her son especially for this collaboration. All were created with a view to initially exhibiting within the walls of the ruin of Wilton Mill. Linen and wood are predominantly used in the work as a response by the artist to the mills working history, and the practice of the art of divination within the walls of the ruin is reflected in many of the paintings. The artist also collaborated with potter, Rachel Grocock, and many people local to the area with historical knowledge, which in turn had influence on the resulting artwork.
Anne Martin Walsh completed a Masters in Fine Art at CIT Crawford College of Art & Design, Cork in January, 2019, and a BA Hons (1st class) in Art from the Wexford Campus School of Art & Design, IT Carlow, 2017. She now lives and works in Wexford. Her practice revolves around painting, photography and printmaking, sometimes installed in combination with sculptural elements. Central to this work are themes of sexual and cultural identity that relate to our natural environment and reference a range of topics taken from history and mythology. She is interested in the layering of paint and different forms of mark-making. Through her art work she endeavours to create an alternative way of seeing; a physical and spiritual connection to the earth. Anne Martin Walsh was awarded The Living Arts Project Residency with WAC & WCC in 2017 and 2019. She was also awarded an ArtLinks Bursary by Wexford County Council Arts Department in 2020 and 2022. Her work has been shown nationally and internationally. Solo shows include NATURE COLLATED, 2021. The Presentation Arts Centre, Co. Wexford and, VIBRATION. Embracing a Higher Connection to Our Planet, 2020. Curated by Anya Gosseln, Kamera 8, Wexford.
