untangle

eva, 2025, Film, HD video, dimensions variable

A documentation of the making of Limerick Lace, filmed to capture the slow process.

untangle, 2025, socially engaged sculpture, performance, string figures, dimensions variable, sculptural centerpiece 234 x 115 x 78cm

Artist Shane Finan developed a socially engaged sculptural artwork in response to the conversations and methods explored with Friends of Lace Limerick. This artwork consisted of a large-scale mesh on a sculptural installation, mimicking the lacemaking mesh. Considering clothing manufacture from the perspective of manufacturing histories, critical technologies and capitalist systems, Shane chose to present this artwork in the thoroughfare of the Arthur's Quay Shopping Centre on August 14-15 and 28-29 2025. Passers by were invited to read or contribute to a 'wall' of text reflecting on their habits with regard to shopping. Shane was present, introducing each visitor to the idea of slow process of making and of how shifts in technology and culture have changed methods of manufacture of clothing.

The artwork was on site for four full days, and in this time over 100 people stopped and engaged with Shane, while dozens more stopped to read the responses but did not speak with the artist. 65 written responses were collected from people over the four days, and each was given a basic introduction to the history of Limerick Lace and the contemporary work of Friends of Lace Limerick.

The work was designed to interrupt a busy thoroughfare with an artwork that was clearly out of place, a quiet moment in a loud space. It was made from planed timber and mesh fabric in a location surrounded by smooth veneer, plastic and advertising boards. The audience were mostly people that are often not engaged or reached by galleries or museums, and were given a chance to both understand and contribute to ideas around clothing and care. While most people who stopped had a good understanding of unsustainable clothing manufacture practices, many had never heard of Limerick Lace and were interested in the history of local manufacture and cottage culture.

A presentation of the artwork along with a string-based installation was made by Shane Finan at a Culture Night event in the Citizen's Innovation Lab, Limerick, September 19^th 2025. At this event Shane performed the making of string figures as an event, considering the loss of storytelling through the loss of this artform.

a hex, 2025, signal app sticker set,

Using research from this project, I created a sticker set on the app Signal to promote alternatives to commercial messaging platforms and to juxtapose media by assigning emotional responses to abstract and arbitrary images of lacemaking.

The set is available to download for Signal users at this link.