In my work I explore migration, particularly the concepts of home, identity and belonging. I explore this through maps and associated iconography. I use maps to confront the disconnection and detachment I feel for my Irish home, drawing parallels between the impersonal nature of maps and my own sense of displacement. My works stems from own experience of migration, and the effects moving from Australia to Ireland as a child has had on me. In my work, I grapple with the dissonance between map representations and lived experiences. This exploration has culminated in work in 3D topographic maps made of various material like acrylic, wood, paper, and steel. Starting with 2D maps of my homes, my process involves abstracting these maps to just their contour lines and reinterpreting them into 3D structures. My works reflects the nomadic sense of belonging experienced by many immigrants through the language maps and abstraction.
