VAI NewsVAN Covers and ContentsVisual Artists News Sheet

Out Now | September-October 2025 issue of The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

We are delighted to present VAN September/October 2025, an extended edition, featuring a number of Artist Interviews: Áine Phillips speaks with Breda Burns about her exhibition at Custom House Studios and Gallery; John Gayer interviews Clíodhna Timoney during her HIAP residency in Helsinki; while Catherine Marshall talks to Bernadette Cotter and Áine Ryan about their two-person show at Grisle Gallery. Aengus Woods interviews Maud Cotter about the evolution of her sculptural practice, and we arereprinting an abbreviated version of Jason Oakley’s interview with Michael Warren, first published in the SSI Newsletter in 1996.

This issue also features several Festival/Biennial profiles, fromMiguel Amado and Maeve Mulrennan’s reviews of the Liverpool and Helsinki biennials respectively, to El Reid-Buckley’s interview with the curatorial team for the 41st EVA International. In addition, Joanne Laws reports on Ireland Invites – an initiative conceived to enhance the international exposure of Ireland-based artists by inviting and hosting bien­nial curators.

Timely coverage of recent exhibitions around the country includes: ‘Soft Surge’ at Luan Gallery; ‘Heirloom’ at glór; ‘Together in Commune’ atRua Red; ‘Foreword’ at The International Centre for the Image; ‘Encounters with Failure’ at South Tipperary Arts Centre; and Steve McQueen’s film, Grenfell, currently showing at the MAC in Belfast.

On The Cover

Alice Rekab, Bunchlann, Buncharraig, 2025, installation at Liverpool ONE; photograph by Rob Battersby, courtesy of the artist and the Liverpool Biennial 2025.

First Pages 

6.         Roundup. Exhibitions and events from the past two months.

Columns

9.         Drift Days. Cornelius Browne chronicles his use of driftwood as painting supports.

The Ban, The Voice, And Nothing More. Roisin Agnew outlines the research underpinning her bafta-longlisted film.

From the Archives

10.       Attention as Fulcrum. Jason Oakley’s interview with Michael Warren was first published in the SSI Newsletter in 1996.

Moving Image

12.       Grenfell. Grace O’Boyle gauges the impact of Steve McQueen’s film, currently showing at the MAC in Belfast.

Career Development

14.       Maelstrom. Aengus Woods interviews Maud Cotter about the evolution of her sculpture practice.

Residency

16.       Leaking Light. John Gayer interviews Clíodhna Timoney during her HIAP residency in Helsinki.

17.       How the Heart Sees. Eslam Abd El Salam reflects on his recent residency at Kunstverein Aughrim.

Critique

19.       Noel Hensey, Rejection Rejection,2021.

20.       ‘Soft Surge’ at Luan Gallery

22.       Rachel Doolin at glór

23.       ‘Together in Commune’ atRua Red

24.        ‘Foreword’ at The International Centre for the Image

25.       ‘Encounters with Failure’ at South Tipperary Arts Centre

Exhibition Profile

28.       Beirt le Chéile. Catherine Marshall interviews Bernadette Cotter and Áine Ryan about their forthcoming exhibition at Grisle Gallery.

29.       The Home that Held Us. Clara McSweeney outlines a recent exhibition at Fire Station Artists’ Studios.

30.       Out of the Strong. Aisling Clark reflects on a recent group exhibition commemorating 30 years of Gay Health Network.

Festival / Biennial

34.       Bedrock. Miguel Amado reviews the Liverpool Biennial.

36.       It Takes a Village. El Reid-Buckley interviews the curatorial team for the 41st EVA International.

38.       Shelter: Below and Beyond. Maeve Mulrennan reviews the third edition of the Helsinki Biennial.

40.       Ireland Invites. Joanne Laws reports on an initiative conceived to enhance the international exposure of Ireland-based artists.  

Member Profile

42.       Between Real and Shadow. Áine Phillips interviews Breda Burns about her forthcoming show at Custom House Studios and Gallery.

44.       Uisce Salach Agus Dríodar. Anna Maria Savage outlines the research underpinning her recent paintings. 

First-person. Isabel English discusses her recent and forthcoming exhibitions.

45.       Diagonal Acts. Marie Farrington chronicles several exhibitions emerging from her unfolding cross-site project.

Last Pages

46.       VAI Lifelong Learning. Upcoming VAI helpdesks, cafés and webinars.