Eangach

The Irish word Uaighneas, meaning loneliness, became a lens through which I reflected on the experience of lockdown. During this period, isolation reshaped our relationships with family and friends, creating both distance and unexpected intimacy. Seeking connection amid separation, I invited my Facebook community to contribute short reflections on the pros and cons of lockdown. Written in both Irish and English, these statements formed the conceptual and emotional foundation for a multidisciplinary body of work spanning film, print, photography, and painting.

The film Eangach (Irish for net) draws on the image of the silkworm cocooning—an act of protection that is also confinement. Layered audio recordings of the collected statements overlap and intensify, building towards a claustrophobic, anxious, and toxic crescendo. This sonic environment mirrors the psychological strain of prolonged isolation.

In parallel, I produced a series of prints using cocoon imagery, employing techniques such as Chine Collé, etching, sugar lift, and dry-point. A triptych structure suggests stages within the cocoon’s lifespan—formation, containment, and emergence—reflecting transformation through adversity. Together, these works explore vulnerability, resilience, and the fragile threads that bind community, even in separation.