What Was, What Will Be?

Three new artworks were commissioned for the exhibition ‘reGROUP’, part of the 2023 Linen Biennale; an initiative of R-Space Gallery, Lisburn. They were presented alongside other works produced over the past four years as part of an ongoing exploration of linen heritage, industrialisation, and labour dynamics. The commission was supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Through the fusion of augmented reality and artificial intelligence, it resurrects the voices of turn-of-the-century linen mill workers, resonating their concerns about contemporary technological threats to working conditions. It delves into issues of child exploitation by mill proprietors then, paralleling the exploitation by today’s social media conglomerates. It also underscores how social divisions continue to be exploited for the enrichment of a privileged few.

‘Divided Still Stand’ was created for Linen Lab at the FE McWilliam gallery in 2019. Based on trade union banners it uses the vernacular of colouring books to reveal the plight of chid workers in early mills.