'FEATHER YOUR BED' BY DEIRDRE BURKE

ARTIST'S STATEMENT

Deirdre Burke (b. 1969) was born in Dublin, Ireland She trained at DIT under Alice Hanratty and Michael Kane and graduated in 1990 with an honours degree in Fine art (Printmaking). She exhibited in 1990 and 1991 at Group show at the City Centre Gallery, Dublin, In 1996 she had a solo show at The Bakery in Wicklow, followed in 1997 by a solo show at St. James Art Fair in Kentucky, USA.

In 2000 Burke was winner of RTE’s The Open House art prize. 2007 she held a Solo show at The Gate Gallery in Co Cork, 2012 exhibited at the Eigse fringe festival,

2017 group show  Solas Art Gallery

2017 NOA shortlisted

2017 published / into the void

2017 published A5 zine             

My work  for this project   is a direct response to the  benign attitude we have towards our wildlife and habitats. The work takes  a critical view of political issues surrounding the protection(lack of ) our heritage.

I think of my work as an inventory,  of drawings, paintings, prints, clay and  found and acquired objects , all of which through a consistent methodology come together  to present a visual consistent dialogue.

Although I use a variety of mediums  and processes , through limited pallet  and repetitive marks  , what is constructed  is a cohesive and readable story , one which will  invite the viewer to hopefully react to and examine  the subject.

The main body of work is created around bird feathers, which are so symbolic to us, they have taken on many meanings ,visual and spiritual.  Although they have become a symbol of purity, energy and innocence, I have presented them  under a different guise, picking out parts that we don’t normally see , or prefer not to see .what is presented is not the shiny veneer that we tend to look for.

This work is not polite, but we don’t have time to be polite. Its intention is to make you uncomfortable.  Juxtaposing material, using matt black  and distorting forms , the work  sets out to trick  the viewer and question what they

 are viewing and the use of negative space , creating another dimension to  familiar images and subjects.