Aisling Conroy

Biography

Aisling Conroy is a multidisciplinary artist using painting, print, animation and installation. She graduated from The National College of Art and Design with a BA Hons degree in Fine Art Print, 2009; and a Master of Fine Art postgraduate degree, 2011. Her work is represented in public and private collections, both nationally and internationally (US, UK, Spain, China, India). She has worked in the National Irish Visual Arts Library (NIVAL) and at NCAD, on numerous archival, digitisation, research and educational projects (2012-2017), as well as working in the audio-visual sector with Animation Ireland (2017 – 2021). Conroy is a long time collaborator with the animation studio ‘and maps and plans’ which produced her debut short film BARDO, as Writer and Director and won Best Irish Animated Short at the Galway Film Fleadh 2021, Best Irish Short at the Dublin Animation Festival, and has been nominated for Best Animation Short, in the 2022 IFTA’s, and will have its US Premiere at Tribeca film festival in June 2022 . In September 2021, Conroy launched her solo exhibition, ALTER/ ALTAR at the Olivier Cornet Gallery, Dublin where she is an Associate Gallery Artist, and in February 2022 she launched another solo exhibition titled RHAPSODY at the RARA atelier in Malaga, Spain. In March 2022, she was awarded a one month residency, at the Centre Culturel Irlandais, Paris. The residency is in association with Cartoon Saloon and will commence in May 2023. In April 2022, Conroy was awarded the Arts Council Agility Award towards her practice, and is currently Directing another short film with the animation studio Elk, which is funded by Screen Ireland and RTÉ and will premiere at the Galway Film Fleadh, July 2023.

Statement

Throughout my practice I explore the idea of intention, repetition and reincarnation with an interest in psychology and vulnerability within the human condition. Drawing on influences from mystical and visionary art as well as sound and music, I create abstractions of the unconscious by using repeated motifs, shapes, colour and form in a very visceral way. This process is intuitive and ritualistic, constructing impressions that could be interpreted as a type of evocation of past lives and an incantation to new beginnings.