Black Hole Studio present the photographic works of local artist David j. as part of the Boyle Arts Festival 2023 following their successful exhibition at the same event the previous year Landscape and Nature, which featured three Roscommon based photographers: Laura Jean Zito, Matthew Gammon and David j.

This year features portraiture work of locals who were invited in for an impromptu sitting as they passed by the studio. Inspired by August Sander’s project ‘People of the Twentieth Century’ David j. wishes to make portraits of people from various social and economic backgrounds, but instead of travelling the countryside to encounter different people the decision was made to let the people come to him. By simply asking passer-by’s to sit for him gives a random choice of those portrayed, whether they are locals living there for years or visitors just passing through. It also gives a small cross-section of the people of Boyle and those who visit.

Sander changed the way many of us think about portraiture, informed the way we see gender and class, and shaped discussions around the archive as art and the idea of the documentary. With these themes again at the forefront of news today, in particular gender, it is fitting to reignite the idea around who people are and how they are perceived with the photographic portrait being probably the best suited for this purpose.

Simply drop by to view the work on any of the days from 10:30 - 17:30 during the Boyle Arts Festival from July 20th - 29th, 2023.