Institutions of Home
Niamh Smith

An ongoing series that conceptualises photography as an act of prayer with a central focus of the work being concerned with Irish histories. The work reflects on multiple concerns dealing with national identity, nationhood and place-making. Although the work journeys through lands of trauma, it also is an identification of how wonderfully resilient and strong people can be in the familiarity of the ordinary. The use of a subdued colour palette in the ordinary, paints with feeling. The ordinary inspires the emotion, the affection and curiosity within the work. A sense of elation, to co- exist with the pain. This spirit becomes a procession of contemplation, one that attempts to move with a rhythm towards an interpretation of Irish histories and their manifestations.
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Niamh Smith is a photographer and designer from Kildare, based in Dublin.

About the Series

TLP Editions are an ongoing collection of contemporary photographic projects in the form of accessible and inexpensive publications by PhotoIreland. These A5 sized booklets present a standard format throughout the series, with 36 pages each, a cover with a text block of under 140 words that introduces the project, and the title and the artist name only available on the contra cover. The project creates a node of opportunities as it allows photographers to enter the publishing arena, while facilitating access to contemporary artistic practices to the general public.³

About the Publisher

Founded in 2009, PhotoIreland was conceived as an organisation that would stimulate a dialogue around Photography in Ireland by developing a varied array of initiatives and events with a strong participative approach.