Future Fossils: Junk or Jewels Fiona Mulholland

The solo exhibition “Future Fossils: Junk or Jewels” by Fiona Mulholland presented new and existing photographic and sculptural works that examine our conflicted and fragile relationship with both the natural and built environment. Over recent decades, the cumulative impact of human activity on the Earth has become impossible to ignore. Along our coastlines, flotsam, industrial detritus, and commercial waste have become a permanent presence—bearing silent witness to a legacy of human-generated 'natural' waste.

In these works, the artist juxtaposes industrial materials with references to heritage and archaeology, creating poignant contrasts that prompt reflection on what we consider valuable. These sculptural ‘artifacts’ operate as visual dialogues—inviting viewers to contemplate the tension between the precious and the disposable, the permanent and the perishable.

The exhibition engages with themes of resilience, renewal, and repair, foregrounding the delicate interdependence between humanity, culture, and the environment. Through material transformation and symbolic layering, Mulholland invites viewers to consider what lies beneath the surface — both literally and metaphorically — and to reflect on how place, memory, and belonging are interwoven. The work becomes a space for reflection—on loss, endurance, and thoughtfully navigates the subtle depths of inner and outer landscapes, blending myth with the shape of place.

The exhibition was kindly facilitated with the support of the Artists Bursary Scheme from Donegal County Council.

About the Artist:

Fiona Mulholland has been working successfully across a range of visual disciplines and contexts for over twenty-five years. Throughout her career she has moved fluidly between fine and applied art and is motivated by materials, processes and the challenges of contexts. She digs deeply into the psychological dimensions of our human experience within a given environment to communicate contradictions and complex rituals. Fiona has produced award-winning designs, large-scale public art, and work within gallery contexts. Recent public realm artwork includes a major commission, Island City - Cork’s Urban sculpture Trail initiated by Cork City Council in 2023, alongside a solo exhibition, ‘In Search of Pearls & Future Fossils’ with Artlink at Fort Dunree in Co Donegal. She has participated in numerous group exhibitions both nationally and internationally, most recently with the Hamilton Gallery in Sligo. Fiona has regularly lectured in art and design at third level, curated several significant exhibitions and been the recipient of several bursary awards. She currently lives and works between Dublin and the Northwest of Ireland.