Síomha Callanan is a visual artist based in Cork working in the medium of analogue photography. Her practice centres on in depth explorations of place through the act of walking. With a mindful approach she engages with her surrounding environment; walking, thinking, observing and capturing carefully considered fragments as she traverses. Spanning various types of landscape depending on where she is based, the resulting imagery tends to be simplistic, giving a semblance to familiar, everyday details which often go unnoticed.

Síomha Callanan holds a BA (hons) in Fine Art Photography & Lens Based Media from Limerick School of Art and Design (2016) and an MA in Art & Process from MTU Crawford College of Art and Design (2021). In 2025 she exhibited a selection of work in The Grammar of Home – a three person show presented by Sample-Studios in The Lord Mayor’s Pavilion, Cork. She has attended artist residencies in Road Books – Cork (2021), Joya: arte + ecología AiR – Spain (2023) and The Sustainable Darkroom Immersive Workshop – Portugal (2024). Síomha received an Arts Council Agility Award In 2022.

THE ISLAND: A work-in-progress exhibition

Opening event: Monday 23 February 5-7pm
Opening hours: Monday 23 – Saturday 28 February

Join Artist in Residence Síomha Callanan for an open studio evening in TRISKEL SAMPLE Project Space.

THE ISLAND (working title) is a presentation of work in progress which the Artist has created during her time in residence. Through the act of walking Síomha has engaged in a new body of work exploring the island of Cork city centre and its encompassing channels of the River Lee. With this project she granted herself a fluid approach to the image making; experimenting with various 35mm film types (colour, black & white and colour reversal) and allowing for repeat photographs of the same subject. In the creation of this work the Artist recognised a continuous pull towards the river and intends to develop this line of enquiry into a longer form project.

TRISKEL SAMPLE Project Space was used as a base from which to research, plan and document her investigations as well as to develop thoughts and experiment with the layout and sequencing of images. The residency also granted Síomha time and space to think through projects to date and develop ideas and processes within her practice.

Photo Walk

Friday 27 February from 2-4pm

Join Síomha Callanan for a group photo walk exploring the island of Cork city centre. Through the act of walking, participants will be encouraged to engage with the city by observing and photographing details of their surroundings, experiencing the city in a new way. The walk will offer an insight into the methodologies the Artist uses within her practice.

No previous photography experience is necessary. If participants have access to a camera or a smart phone, please feel free to bring them along – there will also be a select number of cameras provided to share within the group.

Meeting point is TRISKEL SAMPLE Project Space upstairs in Triskel Arts Centre. Book your free ticket.

Triskel Sample Project Space is a new partnership between Triskel and Sample-Studios that will provide a visual arts project space for artists, especially emerging and mid-career artists, to test ideas and to develop new work that can be seen by the public. This offers tangible career development and audience engagement opportunities to artists on their ‘home turf’ where they have a safe space to develop new ideas, within which risk-taking is possible.

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