Órlaith Conlon
she/her
The Bog Man
Ireland has an international reputation as a green, biodiverse country. It is often assumed that, because it rains frequently, wildlife must flourish, but this is not strictly true. Growing up in west County Wicklow, I became aware of this from a young age, surrounded by Sitka spruce plantations grown solely for harvesting and endless agricultural fields. The reality is that Ireland has the third-lowest tree coverage in the EU at 11%, compared to an average of approximately 35%. Additionally, around half of these woodlands are commercially managed and exist only as temporary features of the landscape.
The Bog Man follows the story of a resurrected bog body travelling through the modern Irish landscape. It presents the ways in which the landscape has changed, asking what the country really looks like beneath its green veneer.
Accompanying zine.
Zine illustrations made from paper scraps.
Signs made of plywood and heavy embroidery.
