What pivotal moments or experiences have contributed to your development as a visual artist?

My fascination with photography began at a young age. When I was just 12, my father, a film enthusiast, gave me a box Brownie camera, but he cautioned me: film is costly, so be selective with your shots. No photographs of this period remain! As I was deciding about my career, my father was gravely ill and although I wanted to pursue an artistic course, he encouraged me to pursue a profession that would ensure my financial stability.  I opted to study Chemistry and Mathematics and graduated with a BSc and then an MSc. I engaged in research for a number of years but took time out to focus on rearing my two children. My husband, an information scientist, was invited to join an inaugural EU committee to establish the internet in Europe. We were stationed in Luxembourg, where we eventually set up our own information business. My husband produced an information magazine, and I contributed to the photography. When our children fled the nest, we volunteered to go to Africa, where I worked with women’s groups. Due to literacy challenges, I relied heavily on visual aids. In 1998, I returned to Ireland. I decided to dedicate myself to studying photography at the University for Creative Arts in the UK.

In your statement, you mentioned that your practice is deeply rooted in your own family’s maritime legacy, which can be traced back for at least seven generations. Could you elaborate on these connections and how you integrated them into your visual narrative?

My maternal family lived in Howth, which was a fishing port just north of Dublin city. I have traced my ancestry back for seven generations. Almost all the male members of the family worked as fishermen. Many of the females worked as net menders. My mother, one of nine children, was one of the first to marry outside the fishing community. But she retained a love of her maritime home. In summer-time we rented a small wooden cabin in this fishing port. My siblings and I spent all of our time playing by the sea. In the evening, we waited for our uncles to return from the sea with the catch of the day. I loved the smell and bustle of the returning fishing boats. Before packing up and setting off for Luxembourg, my husband and I decided to buy a tiny house on an island off the south west coast of Ireland. Each Summer we returned to this house with our children. I knew I could not live forever in a landlocked country. On returning from Africa, we moved permanently to the island. I began my studies at UCA. Being on an island of 5 x 3km, it was inevitable that I would use my surroundings as my canvas.

Over time, you recognized the environmental impact of your photographic practice and began implementing more sustainable methods. Could you guide us through this journey and share the specific techniques you have adopted?

At the end of 2019, I became aware of the plastic I was compelled to accept in my everyday life. In 2020, I made the decision to track and analyse the amount of plastic I used each week. On March 15th 2020, COVID was declared, and we found ourselves confined to the island. Each day, I took walks to one of the beautiful sandy beaches, often in the early morning. The beginning of the year typically brings Atlantic storms, and I observed a growing amount of plastic debris washing ashore with each storm. If I walked later in the day, a young man tasked with cleaning the beaches would have already removed most of the plastic for recycling. This growing awareness of beach plastic coincided with my own investigation into my plastic consumption. It wasn’t until early 2020 that I recognised the need to draw attention to the alarming rise in plastic being washed up from the ocean. Before 2021, I had not considered how my photography practice might affect the environment. When I realised the significant energy consumption involved in creating digital images, I was taken aback. This prompted me to construct my own pinhole cameras. As I examined the disposal of waste water from my analogue image development, I realised that these chemicals were flowing directly into the bay beneath my home and garden. This realisation pushed me to explore alternatives. While watching “Country File” on the BBC, I heard a young analogue photographer, Julia Parks, casually mention that she developed her images using seaweed. Intrigued, I researched this method, and given my location, it seemed like the perfect solution. Bladder Wrack seaweed is plentiful along our shores. Pinhole photography is labour- intensive, and the success rate is often less than ten percent! I joined the London Alternative Photographic Collective (LAPC) and Alternative Photography Group. Malin Fabri, the group’s founder, has recently published a book featuring alternative images from 137 innovative photographers. I am proud to have a double-page spread included in this collection. Through these groups, I have gained valuable insights into alternative techniques. I have produced several lumens and photograms and have begun exploring watergrams as well.

Could you tell us more about your work Lumen of Bladder Wrack Seaweed? What inspired the visual narrative and composition of this artwork?

I enjoy making lumen prints due to their simplicity and fundamental nature. My intention was to produce a lumen print for each type of seaweed I use in pinhole photography, aiming to highlight their unique artistic presence in my portfolio. I had started experimenting with lumens made using plastic debris collected from the beaches. Usually, lumen prints are created using plant materials, as they are pressed against photographic paper with a glass cover. This technique is challenging with three–dimensional objects. I wanted to investigate how the more two-dimensional seaweeds would expose on the paper. I chose a small piece of Bladder Wrack from the beach that would fit the size of the photographic paper I intended to use. After placing the wet seaweed on the paper, I exposed it to sunlight for a number of hours. While I noticed the surrounding area darkening, the changes beneath the specimen were not visible. The varying densities of the Bladder Wrack, due to its seed-containing pouches, allowed light to penetrate at different intensities. This resulted in a stunning representation of the plant, resembling a colourful X-Ray! Once I dried and scanned the image, I was amused and delighted that it resembled a deer with antlers!! 

In your practice, you utilize diverse seaweeds to craft images, which you then print on eco-friendly materials. Could you tell us more about this process?

My exploration of various seaweeds is still in its initial phase. Bladder Wrack is the most frequently used seaweed for non-chemical developers, due to its widespread distribution along our coastlines. In contrast, many other seaweeds are only found under specific wind conditions. I am gradually identifying which of the island beaches are more likely to yield different types of seaweeds after particular stormy weather patterns. So far, I have successfully worked with Oar and Sugar Kelps as well as Bladder Wrack, but I recognise that I have much more to learn, especially in terms of identifying the various seaweed species.

I am also interested in incorporating marine plants into my work. My method for creating the developer is the same for all the seaweeds I use. I start by soaking the collected seaweed in boiling water. The following day, I mix soda crystals or powder with warm water. Ideally, I aim to fully dissolve the sodium carbonate, although this can be challenging with the crystals. Next, I add Vitamin C to the mixture. The seaweed solution is then strained and combined with the sodium carbonate and Vitamin C solution. The ratios of these ingredients can differ between photographers. To create a pinhole image, I insert photographic paper into the homemade camera, secure it with tape, and ensure that all light is blocked out with additional tape. This must be done in the darkroom. The subject to be photographed is positioned in front of the pinhole camera. While there is ample information regarding focal distance, I find that trial and error is equally effective. The shutter flap is opened for a predetermined duration based on the light conditions. Once the exposure is complete, the flap is securely closed again until I return to the darkroom.

The paper can then be removed from the camera and put into the developer solution. The developer tray should be gently agitated for a period to ensure the entire surface of the paper comes into contact with the developer. A safe red light may be used in the darkroom to monitor the image development. Once the image has developed adequately, the paper can be transferred to the washing tray and then immersed in the salt solution to fix the image. Any minor light leak in the camera can result in an overexposed image. 

In order to maintain sustainability in my practice I avoid using photographic paper and frames to exhibit this work. Instead I print on linen or cotton and suspend the prints using ‘bull clips” or string. This is a very low impact solution. For my exhibition in 2022 I exhibited the images on one of our island beaches suspending them from frames made from recycled wood.

How did your experiences in West Africa, particularly witnessing the plastic pollution crisis, shape your understanding of global waste management and its socio-economic implications?

Even with my background as a volunteer and my previous trips to Africa, I was unprepared for the harsh reality of poverty I faced while working there. I often found myself reflecting on how women managed to earn enough each day to support their families. During my initial assignment in the Gambia, I noticed that the men were absent from the labour force. Women did all the work in the fields while caring for the children, cooking, cleaning and selling their meagre produce in the market. The way of life was mere survival. Interestingly, the locals had observed that we in the West used plastic bags for our supermarket purchases. If they could afford to buy something, they insisted on having it placed in a plastic bag, viewing it as a sign of their ability to shop at the market. African compounds are kept spotless. Vegetable peelings are thrown out for goats or hens to eat during the day, and then each morning the compound is swept clean for the next day.

However, there is no specific place for the plastic bags. Waste collection and recycling are non-existent. While nothing goes to waste – aside from using a plastic bag until it is no longer usable- there is little that can be done with it. As a result, it often ends up discarded outside the compound, where it is blown around until it gets caught in a tree. I found it difficult to envision how these bags could be removed from the environment, other than completely avoiding their use. These blue plastic bags were ubiquitous, and I came to despise them. I left Africa in 1998, but I am unsure if the situation has improved or deteriorated. This experience sparked an idea in my mind about how I could highlight the persistence of this material in the environment.

Could you share more about the challenges and rewards of using eco-friendly materials in your printing process? What advice would you give artists who are shifting their practices to be more sustainable?

Challenges vary depending on what eco-friendly material an artist chooses to work with. For instance, creating lumen prints is relatively straightforward, but the real difficulty lies in preserving them if they are not fixed. Photograms and watergrams present a bit more complexity. In contrast, pinhole photography demands a lot more time and may not always produce successful outcomes. The initial step involves building the camera from recycled materials. Making the pinhole requires precision to obtain a clean-edged image if that is the goal. Excluding light from the ‘camera’ is crucial. Transporting the camera to the desired location while maintaining light exclusion can also pose difficulties. For those aiming for maximum sustainability, developing the image with plant-based materials rather than relying on available chemicals, is essential. However, I have discovered that capturing the image using sustainable measures is immensely fulfilling, making the effort totally worthwhile.

My sole piece of advice is that the sense of accomplishment makes the hard work truly rewarding, knowing that your artistic practice is not significantly contributing to the planet’s degradation.

What future projects or initiatives are you currently exploring to further expand your artistic exploration of ecological themes and promote environmental stewardship?

Presently, as I have said, I am investigating different seaweeds for use as chemical replacement developers. I am also creating a portfolio of lumen prints of the seaweeds I use. I would love to collaborate with an expert on the chemical make-up of different seaweeds to create a table of those that would be most useful as photographic developer material.

I am also interested in investigating other marine plants as an alternative to seaweed. 

I have only started to make watergrams. I love the idea of creating more of these in the rock pools on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean using found beach plastic.  The choice of plastic item is important here as it must have an open flat structure in order to transfer a discernible image to the photographic paper. 

I have created an educational video about plastic pollution, which is being supported by Creative Places West Cork, a government-funded programme. I will show the video to audiences on the island where I live and to the two neighbouring islands in the coming months. The event will include other creatives and an academic presentation. 

Art and artists play various roles in the fabric of contemporary society. How do you see artistic practices advancing sustainability and social consciousness?

Art has long served as a powerful medium for addressing social issues, from the struggles of poverty to the horrors of war. Photographers and painters have consistently worked to bring these critical situations to the forefront of people’s consciousness. The haunting image of a lifeless child on the beach, the victim of drowning while seeking safety, conveys the message without the need for words.

In my own modest way, I aim to shed light on how our society is being forced to use plastic due to the petroleum industry’s need to offload its waste products. We are misled into thinking that we can simply recycle this material into non-existence. However, the stark reality is evident on our pristine beaches after every storm. I gather this evidence to illustrate the permanence of plastic in contrast to the fleeting nature of my artistic creations. My hope is that those who encounter my work will recognise this issue and feel inspired to help reduce unnecessary plastic in our lives. In doing so, I hope to convince them of their role in protecting the planet and preserving both human and animal life.

What message or call to action would you like to share with our readers?

Be aware that plastic is a forever material. Plastics break down into microplastics, which have been found in most human organs, including our brains. Research is showing that the presence of plastic in humans can be linked to many diseases, such as cancer. We need to eliminate unnecessary plastic from our lives.

Have a look at the artist's website here and listen to her radio interview here.

Cover image:

Pinhole of Floats Overlaid with Lumen by Nuala Mahon.

All images courtesy of Nuala Mahon.