The A Different Light Project

During a period of approximately two years I worked with young people from Dublin's north-inner city in a participatory-media project, locating my work in two youth services. The practice formed part of my practice-based PhD in DIT and included ethnographic exploration of the processes, products and various exhibitions of the creative work we collaboratively produced. Underpinned by theoretical frameworks of voice and listening, the principle aim of this participatory-media project was to facilitate self-representation and foster self-recognition.

Participating young people self-selected themes, allowing them to explore and share aspects of their identities through their chosen forms of media. Each of the projects carved its own unique paths, deploying various forms of media including video and photography to produce a diverse collection of work. This diversity represents a distinct richness in the work, responding to typically monolithic representation of the north-inner city. Throughout a long process of critical reflection and exploration the participants, speaking back to the circulation of negative and one-dimensional representations of young people from the north-inner city, collectively cast their corner of the city in ‘a different light’.

Our process was necessarily durational and collaborative for several key reasons: to foster trust in our relationships; to produce a democratic and bespoke process that we could each claim ownership of; and finally to create space for participants to develop confidence in their own voices leading them to eventually lay claim to their right to spaces of listening and recognition through a series of exhibitions. Our exhibitionary strategy was multi-faceted including: Collective Showcase including all projects; Seomra Spraoi, Nov 2013 Nevermind That’s Life; Central Library, Dublin, Jan 2014 Tattooed Humans: Brick Alley Café & Gallery, Feb 2014; Participation of 4 projects - Who Do You See? Dublin, Our Urban BMX Playground, Nevermind That’s Life, Tattooed Humans; Five Lamps Arts Festival, Mar 2014; Dublin, Our Urban BMX Playground; Fresh Film Festival 2014 – Winner RTE Best Factual Award, Apr 2014. Who Do You See is available on our YouTube channel with 1700+ views.

View samples of work below.