‘On Rocks We Stand’

Ciaran McCarthy explores how we exist in space, and how a location’s atmosphere affects our physical and mental state. They question how active investigation of an environment can change the perceived character and atmosphere of a location as one notices more details and intricacies the longer one looks. Ciaran often focuses in on infrastructure built around and into bodies of water, the visible traces of past usage and natural weathering, all of which, while often overlooked, bring life and character to the spaces, influencing the perceived environment.

'On Rocks We Stand' is an exhibition formed in response to an extended exploration of Dun Laoghaire Harbour and its pier walls. Ciaran showcases the rocks which make up the harbour and define the location through collage, juxtaposing the heaviness and solidity of the rocks with the delicate nature of paper, bringing out the playful and carefree mood they themselves feel when present on the pier walls.

Exhibition view of ‘On Rocks We Stand’ (2026)

Exhibition view of ‘On Rocks We Stand’ (2026)

‘Depths’ (3 screen-printed and laser-cut layers suspended on aluminium dowels; 2026)

Diptych ‘On Scattered Ground’ and ‘Floating Buoys’ (giclee prints on Hahnemuhle Photorag, 50x50 cm; 2026)

‘Floating Freely’ (collage on Japanese paper, suspended on strings attached to an aluminium bracket and tensed by fishing weights, 0.7x2.9 m; 2026)

Close-up view of ‘Floating Freely’

Triptych ‘Moving Shadows’, ‘Dappled Light’ and ‘Absent Presence’ (screen prints on Munken, 65x65 cm; 2026)

Close-up view of ‘Absent Presence’

‘Suspended’ (collage on Japanese paper suspended on wires, 28x33 cm; 2026)

‘Whirlpool’ (giclee print on Hahnemuhle Photorag, 65x65 cm; 2026)