Statement:
My project OXYgen consists of a series of photograms made using the drug Oxycontin®, a strong narcotic and the prime suspect in the current opioid crisis. While the drug is legally available via prescription as a tablet, it is often then ground down into a fine powder and subsequently snorted or injected, creating an instant euphoric high similar to that of heroin. My background in Pharmacy ignited the research for this work and I felt compelled to make a project which explored the role of Oxycontin® in this on-going epidemic.
The reasons for the opioid crisis are complicated and multifaceted but at the heart of it is a pharmaceutical company. Purdue Pharma aggressively marketed Oxycontin® to physicians claiming that the drug’s delayed release mechanism would limit the risk of addiction. This was not the case and vast numbers of patients became strongly addicted, needing increasing doses to satisfy their cravings or turning to cheaper street alternatives such as heroin. This led to a whole new generation of addicts.
My work explores how the photographic medium can be pushed beyond its traditional boundaries to create new modes of visual communication. Experimentation is a key element in my practice and is driven by a strong interest in camera-less photography. Working exclusively in the darkroom, this experimental approach means paring everything back to the simplest of ingredients: light, paper and chemistry. While analogue materials are routinely discontinued and discarded, I have a continued desire to explore their essential qualities and find new ways to represent the world around us.
In an image-saturated environment, we are constantly exposed to new digital data that are easily manipulated and audience-specific, distributed through news and social media platforms. The level of trust in the media has dropped so dramatically that we must devise alternate approaches of communication that challenge, probe and question traditional modes of viewing. The aim of this work is to challenge the viewer to look more intensely at an image, to consider its origins and the means of its representation.
Biography:
Aoife Shanahan is a visual artist based in Dublin. She received her MFA in Photography from the Belfast School of Art (2018). She also holds a Pharmacy Degree from Trinity College, Dublin. Her work is driven by a strong interest in camera-less photography. Her experimental approach towards traditional analogue materials allows her to explore their expressive possibilities and to question their contemporary relevance in a digital era. Her work resides in a number of collections including The National Gallery of Ireland, The OPW State Art Collection and The David Kronn/IMMA Collection. Aoife is represented by Green on Red Gallery, Dublin and an exhibition at Argentea Gallery, Birmingham is scheduled for Spring 2022.
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