Emma Spreadborough
Emma Spreadborough (b.2000) is an Irish artist who works predominantly in the photographic media. Her art practice is widely influenced by Irish literature, culture, and folklore.
‘You Mustn’t Go Looking’ - 2023
In her most recent work, 'You Mustn’t Go Looking', Spreadborough has been inspired by the writing of Brian Friel in Dancing at Lughnasa. She uses the analogies of his writing to explore the ideas of the Irish home and landscape in the wake of recent Northern Irish history.
After the Brexit tensions of 2021, the results of Northern Ireland’s census revealed a shift in the current identities of Northern Ireland. The election of a new party to minister and a nearly 50/50 ratio between both parties presents the possibility of a fragility to the border in the North.
Brian Friel’s play, Dancing at Lughnasa, explores Ireland’s mix of religion and politics and how these factors play out within the home. He uses the indoors as an analogy for safety, structure, and control. Outside of the home, the landscape is referred to as dangerous and Pagan.
For the body of work, You Mustn’t Go Looking, Spreadborough draws inspiration from Friel and searches for the magical past of Ireland’s culture. Seeking answers through her upbringing and the elicitation of the supernatural in Northern Ireland’s mythical landscape.