Ciara Aherne, When Were You Planning? 2021

Artwork

Ciara Aherne is an emerging Irish artist. Her work is in public and private collections in Ireland.

The body of work is an introspective and idiosyncratic commentary of the contemporary world. Focusing on her ability to adopt humour to challenge adversity; a façade of infantile themes concealing morally-weighted concepts emerges.

The colourful and playful imagery found in the work is a satirical illusion of happiness and teases with an inner maternal turmoil. Artists, such as Neo Rauch, Franz West and James Ensor regularly influence her composition and colour. 

Her research unveils an innate ironic humour in the societal expectations imposed on women and the oxymorons surrounding our lives. Figures with balaclavas and buckets on their heads reappear throughout the paintings; they serve as a maternal instinct to protect and provide optimism in a rather bleak world. 

Artist

Ciara graduated from the National College of Art and Design in 2021 with a BA in Education and Fine Art.