Shia Conlon

Shia Conlon

Born 1990 (Ireland)
Website shiaconlon.com

Shia Conlon is a writer and artist whose work has been centered around marginalized voices
and growing up in the landscape of working-class Catholic Ireland.
His research is focused on non-linear time, queer representation, archives, language, and memory.¹

Bio & Career

Shia Conlon is an artist and writer currently based in Helsinki. Much of his work has been centered around marginalized voices and about growing up in the landscape of working-class Catholic Ireland. His current research focuses on non-linear time, trans representation and the power archives hold for marginalized people. His work has been exhibited in London, New York, Dublin, Helsinki, San Francisco as well as other international cities. His art has been written about in PHMuseum, The New York Times, i-D, Dazed and Confused and Huffington Post UK & US. His writing has been published in Mustekala, NO NIIN, Astra, Zelda, Pilot Press Modern Queer Poets, 14poems & others. He has an MA from Helsinki Academy of Fine Art where he was awarded the Thesis Award 2020.

Publications

Appears in

Year, Title, City: Publisher (Listed chronologically)
2021, Poem in NO NIIN magazine, FI
2021, Essay: Trans Time: Essay in Mustekala, FI
2021, Essay: Trans Time III: Seeds, in Zelda Zine, FI
2021, Essay: Trans Time II: Homecomings, in Astra magazine, SE
2021, Poem in Salarakas newsletter, FI
2021, Poetry in Museum of Impossible Forms Reader, FI
2021, Poem in 14Poems, UK
2021, Artwork in FUTURES ‘Reset‘ , NL
2021, 4 Poems in Green Carnations: anthology of queer Irish poets, IE
2021, Poetry in Pralin Magazine, SE
2021, Photography in Hazey, Fifth Wheel Press, USA
2020, Poetry in Pralin Magazine, SE
2020, Artwork in Astra Magazine, SE
2020, Writing in Ante Nouveau Magazine, FI
2020, Feature in Over Journal of Photography, IE
2020, 6 poems in Modern Queer Poets, Pilot Press, UK
2018, ART 511 Magazine, Comission by Alexandra Arts, UK
2017, Broadly, What Will Our Future Hold? Interview, USA
2016, Commissioned video interview, Arts Council UK
2016, Bunny Mag, Issue 002 – Fair is Foul, IE
2015, i-d Magazine, Artist profile, USA
2015, The New York Times, Frieze Edition, Interview in print + online, USA
2015, Red Magazine UK – Feature of ‘Daughters’ and interview, UK
2015, SUGAR – Feature in essay by Kathryn O’Reagan, IE
2015, aqnb – Bunny Collective + Areole in Helsinki, FI
2015, Refinery29 – Feature of ‘Daughters’ and interview, USA
2015, Huffington Post US – Feature of ‘Daughters’ and interview, USA
2015, Huffington Post UK – Feature of ‘Daughters’ and interview, UK
2015, Brigitte.de – Feature of ‘Daughters’ and interview, DE
2015, Tigress Magazine, Issue 003, AU
2015, Bunny Mag, Issue 001 – Work/Labour, IE
2014, The Young Girl’s Gaze – Feature in essay by Kathryn O’Reagan, IE
2014, Dazed And Confused –Bunny Collective interview, UK
2014, The Le Sigh – Girl Spotlight, Interview, USA
2014, VoxFeminae – Bunny Collective interview
2014, Galavant Magazine, Issueno3 – WRECKED, SG
2014, The Le Sigh, Occult Issue, USA
2013, The Le Sigh Bunny, Interview, USA
2013, KALTBLUT – The Coven feature and Interview, USA
2013, The Coven, Zine II, USA
2012, Artwork for Gabby Bess’ debut novel, Alone With Other People
2012, Filthy Sluts And Pure Damsels, Hag Zine, Volume 1, USA
2012, The Coven, Zine I, CA
2012, Bunny Mag, Zine I, IE
2011, Illuminati Girl Gang Zine, Volume 2, USA
2011, Shabby Doll House, Online, UK
2011, Girls Get Busy Zine, Online, UK

Awards and honours

Year, Title of the award, Awarding Body, City, Country (Listed chronologically)
2022 Kone Säätiö, 1 year working grant
2021 Suomen Kulttuurirahasto Uusimaa Regional Fund, 6 month working grant
2021 Paulon Säätiö
2021 Grafia Grant for Almanac: Journal of Trans Poetics
2021 VISEK Grant
2021 Festival of Political Photography Mentorship supported by Patricia Seppälä Foundation grant
2020 Thesis writing award for MA Thesis at Helsinki Academy of Fine Art
2020 Olga and Vilho Linnamo Foundation grant for filmmaking
2020 TAIKE Covid-19 Grant for filmmaking
2020 FUTURES Irish photography talent award
2020 Shortlisted for Prix Levallois Photo prize, Paris, France
2018 Uto Residency, Aland Islands
2016 Alexandra Arts, Artist in residence, Pankhurst in the Park, Manchester, UK
2016 Tipperary Artist Awards, Tipperary, IE

Projects

Sites of Dreaming (Year)

‘Sites of Dreaming’ is a multidisciplinary project documenting the process of hormonal replacement therapy with Shia Conlon and various transgender people in Finland. This project began when Conlon had to make the choice between a DIY hormonal replacement therapy or the Finnish medical system which, due to the current Trans Law, requires years of psychological testing and possible sterilization to access hormone replacement therapy.

Facing these options, he took it upon himself to start his own journey outside of the medical system and began documenting the experience. During this process, he learned through his own Transgender community how to take care of the many resulting changes that HRT brings. This was an eye-opening experience and one that often made me wish for more accessible information surrounding transgender healthcare. This project was born of that wish, to make a resource that holds a photographic representation of a trans community and the many ways we take of each other when legislation won’t.

‘Sites of Dreaming’ is both an artwork and a community resource, made by, with, and for the queer community. It is a space for the LGBTQI+ community to see themselves. It forgoes showcasing the often highlighted traumatic moments of navigating healthcare and instead aims to amplify the quieter moments and the mundane domesticity of queer life which often go unrepresented.