In the West Kerry Gaeltacht, past and present are understood through a language of costume, defiance and continuum. Here, history rests comfortably and tradition is used not to parody the past but to understand it.
Wren costumes, derived from pre-Christian folklore, are made throughout the winter season and worn by members of the community on the Dingle peninsula. Subverting any notion of ethnographic methodologies, Siobhán Dempsey, through individual collaborations, reaches an understanding of the craft and beliefs that lie behind this display of ritual.
Making Straws is the contemporisation of an ancient identity.
This work is currently on show:
Le Prix de la Photographie (PX3) at Paris Photo, Paris
November 7 - 10 2024