“The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls” by ATU MA graduates opens in Galway Arts Centre

The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls is an exciting exhibition by graduates of the MA in Creative Practice from Atlantic Technological University (ATU) School of Design and Creative Arts, which will launch in the Galway Arts Centre, Dominick Street, Galway City on Friday 13 September at 6pm by Galway City Council Manager Leonard Cleary and will run until 28 September (2024).

Seven graduates are exhibiting: Róisín Doherty, Cruit Island, Donegal, Em, Tainan, Taiwan, Jed Gjerek, Varazdin, Croatia, Taïm Haimet, Paris, France/Sweida, Syria, Amy Kramer, Den Helder, Netherlands/Banna, Kerry, Emma Jane Mooney, Galway city  and Anastasiia Rachok, Vinnytsia, Ukraine. They work in a wide array of media including ceramics, drawing, photography, animation, multimedia installations, and interactive AI-generated imagery.

The exhibition is curated by Soňa Šmédková, a multidisciplinary artist and independent curator based in Galway. Soňa says “The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls is an exhibition drawing inspiration from a poem from Ultima Thule (1880), one of the last collections published by American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882). The artists in the show explore cultural, environmental, and societal issues and reflect on our contemporary world.” 

Graduate Jed Gjerek says “Being part of the Galway Arts Centre show is the perfect way to showcase how our work has evolved over the past year. After a transformative year of intense exploration and pushing the boundaries of our creative practice, we are all thrilled to be part of that.”

Gavin Murphy, Programme Chair of the MA in Creative Practice, ATU, says: “I feel a great sense of pride seeing graduates rise to the challenge of ATU’s MA in Creative Practice. I have witnessed them blossom in ways anticipated and unanticipated. It is fitting our graduates now finish their masters exhibiting in the Galway Arts Centre, a professional arena with a reputation for showcasing the best in contemporary art.”

Celine Curtin, Head of the Department of Creative Arts & Media, adds: "The work is not just an expression of the students’ creativity; it’s a reflection of their journey, passion, and courage to see the world differently.”

Click here for further information about the MA in Creative Practice.