Institute of Art Design + Technology
Dún Laoghaire

Hannah Murphy 

BA [Hons] Art

Hannah Murphy is a Wexford-based artist specialising in oil painting. Her work explores her fascination with the concept of time and its impact on the human experience. She is interested in how the past and present intersect, and in the power that memory and nostalgia can have in portraiture. Painting is not just a tribute to the past, but also a way of exploring her own identity and place in the world. Capturing fragments of experiences and emotions in paint allows her to gain a deeper understanding of herself and the world. She has exhibited in In the making: Butter (Pallas Projects/Studios, 2023).

Project Description

This work revolves around moments in my mother Nikki’s life when she was my age. I am fascinated by photos of Nikki in the 1990s, a time before I was born. By investigating the relationship between the camera and my mother, I hope to reveal something of the person that she was. The paintings focus on candid fleeting moments captured on film, seemingly mundane, which convey a great deal about who Nikki was then and what her life was like. These paintings tell a story about her. The process of painting is a form of communication, allowing me to connect with Nikki across the barriers of time. Through my work, I hope to deepen my own understanding of our connection. Ultimately, I see my paintings as a love letter to my mother and an invitation to others to reflect on their own experiences with their parents or their past selves.