Dun Laoghaire Rathdown
Helen Hughes is a process based sculptural artist living and working in Dublin. She is a graduate of Chelsea College of Art and Design, London (BA Hons Fine Art) and IADT, Dublin (MA Visual Arts Practices). She presented a solo exhibition at Roscommon Arts Centre, “and Yes, daydreamer s u r R e n d e r “ (January 2022), and recent group exhibitions include “Periodical Review #9” at Pallas Projects, Dublin (2019), “Dearly Beloved…” VISUAL, Carlow (2019), “Syntonic State" TULCA, Galway (2018) and “A Bounce Borrowed”, The Dock, Carrick on Shannon (2017).
Making and materiality are foundational in her predominantly sculptural practice which takes influence from mass produced commodities and the fetishistic surfaces of retail. Manipulating industrially manufactured elements, Helen probes the homogeneity prevalent in consumerist society to participate and engage with capitalist concepts and constructs differently. Honing and developing her own improvised, markedly physical processes, and utilising materials that are wilful and difficult to control (eg, balloons, fast-cast resins) her practice is rooted in the body and its ways of understanding. Her intention counters increasingly virtual ways of navigating the world and a growing remove from materiality.
Helen is a recipient of a Creative Ireland Visual Arts Bursary (2020), an Arts Council Visual Arts Agility Award (2020) and a Professional Artist Development Bursary from Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council (2019). Upcoming projects include solo exhibitions at the Customs House Gallery in Mayo (2022) and at Ballina Arts Centre (2025).