AILBHE NÍ BHRIAIN
b. 1978, IrelandAilbhe Ní Bhriain is an Irish artist working with film, computer generated imagery, collage, tapestry, print and installation. Ní Bhriain’s work is rooted in an exploration of imperial legacy, human displacement and the Anthropocene. These intertwined subjects are approached through an associative use of narrative and a painstakingly crafted visual language that verges on the surreal. She sidesteps directive positions and familiar binaries, exposing instead the layers of ambiguity and contradiction embedded in these fraught issues. The resulting worlds she creates are at once idiosyncratic, irresistible and deeply unsettling. Her work has been exhibited widely both nationally and internationally and regularly involves collaboration with musicians and composers.
Ailbhe Ní Bhriain’s work has been shown widely internationally, at venues including Broad Museum, Michigan; Whitechapel Gallery, London; Hammer Museum, LA; Istanbul Modern, Turkey; Reina Sofia Museum, Madrid and Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon, France and the 16th Lyon Biennale. Current and forthcoming exhibitions include Lismore Castle Arts, Ireland (Solo, 2024); Heaven Can Wait, Innsbruck International Biennial, Austria (3–26 May 204); and An Experiment with Time, Kunsthal Gent, Belgium (Spring 2024). Recent solo exhibitions include Kerlin Gallery (2023); CCA Glasgow (2022); VISUAL Carlow; Crawford Art Gallery, Cork (both 2019), Temple Bar Gallery, Dublin; and Sirius Art Centre, Cork (both 2018). Public collections of her work include MAC Lyon; Dallas Museum of Art; the Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin; Crawford Art Gallery, Cork; Trinity College Dublin; The Arts Council of Ireland; and Office of Public Works, Ireland.
Courtesy Kerlin Gallery
Works at Kerlin Gallery
Explore and Follow Artists Shaping Contemporary Art
A respected voice in contemporary art discourse.
Focusing on ambitious storytelling and insightful art-world commentary. Ocula Magazine publishes in-depth interviews, critical essays and timely analysis on the artists, exhibitions and ideas driving the global art world.
Learn more about Ocula Magazine
Showcasing the best of the art world.
Ocula partners with galleries from around the world to highlight their artists, artworks and exhibitions. Gallery membership is by application and invitation, with each member vetted by an independent panel.
Learn more about Ocula Membership
Specialises in the sale of major artworks.
Led by a team with deep ties to the world’s leading auction houses, galleries and collectors. Ocula’s advisory team offers bespoke services to high-net-worth clients from around the world who are looking to acquire the best of contemporary and modern art.
Learn more about our team and services