Aoife Casey

Having recently returned from a trip to the north of Morrocco I am now thrawling through images of every shade of blue. Chefchaouen also known as Chaouen, is a city in northwest Morocco. It is the chief town of the province of the same name, and is noted for its buildings in shades of blue. Chefchaouen is situated just inland from Tangier and Tetouan. The city was founded in 1471 as a small kasbah (fortress) and today is know as 'the Blue Pearl of Morrocco'. Other places I visited include Tetouan, Asilah coastal town and the the Cascades d'Akchour in Talassemtane National Park. Images in Gallery section. 

'I am a body of water
I hold on
I let go
Sink your teeth into the depths
(with stubborn eyes)
I will not let you drown
I come to you
in the form of your thoughts
before we met
Dew of the sea
A droplet of the divine
I am only ruined by your mouth' - Imogen Bailey 
model: Irish Actress Clara White

photography: Aoife Casey

'The bitten rose' self portrait, Galicia June 2016

I continue to explore self portraiture as part of the visual journey i am on. I am really interested in it in terms of a deep philosophical and psychological level of analysis and I feel the phenomenon of self portraiture is wondrously introspective, paradoxical, and even mystical. For me it is like holding a mirror up to myself and facing what I see whether it is what I want to see or not. There is a gallery of some of the self portraits I have taken over the years in the photo gallery section of the website. I hope to go further into learning about self portraiture and the analysis of the photographic self. 

Semana Santa is a Holy Week festival in Seville to mark the beginning of Spring.

There are more than 55 church brotherhoods, some dating as far back as the 13th century, which take part in Semana Santa. Members of the brotherhoods carry over 115 different floats, or 'pasos', through the streets of Seville round the clock during the festival. Nazarenos, men or women dressed in cone-shaped hooded robes, accompany the pasos on the march. In some processions they number more than 2,000.

The members of some of these brotherhoods maintain a strict silence as they march the streets for hours. Some distribute small cards, with written text depicting Mary or Jesus, or sweets to the children watching from the sides. Marching bands play music - 'la marcha procesiónal' - which influences the pace and actions of the pasos. Other processions, such as El Silencio, march in silence and without music. These may be accompanied instead by a 'saeta' usually from a balcony, which sounds like a sombre serenade to Jesus.

Imagery on the pasos depict the Passion (the final days and suffering of Jesus of Nazareth) and other scenes from the Bible.

What I found most impressive about these enormous floats, the 'pasos' with 'palios' (canopies held up with poles), was that they were carried through the streets for many hours by 'casteloros', strong and bulky men of similar height, who support the floats from underneath. Because they are under the floats, have to manage in complete darkness, moving slowly, synchronized with each other and directed through the sometimes extremely narrow lanes by an overseer or head of the group (capataz) who ensures that the float is carried with maximum reverence, grace and in accordance with tradition. These men train year round for this respected role, ensuring they become not unlike a band of brothers.

It is a festival that encompasses all the senses: the smell of the 'azahar' orange blossoms, incense being released into the air, the sight of the pointed hoods around each corner and coloured wax drips from the 'cirios' or very long candles carried in the processions on the streets accompanied by the sound of the bands echoing through the lanes.

Whether one holds any religious sentiment or not, it is a poignant and spectacular experience to witness one of the region's most precious traditions, observed and unchanged for generations.

I spent a couple of hours roaming, taking pictures of various textures to use as overlays in future pictures today- not a difficult feat in the Galician countryside. Every hundred yards was another interesting texture from a crumbling wall, a weather beaten paint-stripped boat, a rusty barn door or a lamppost shedding its layers. I have always loved textures and have experimented a lot, even doing a fabric and fibre arts course and a lot of printmaking. I guess it doesn't matter the medium, your tastes always find a way to burrow through. The full group of #textures1 is found in the gallery section. 

This an album cover I did for the very talented musician Grame Klayh who i met while living in Korea. The image was originally shot for a series I took entitled 'Ode to Love'  modelled by Graeme and Krista. I'm so happy such a personal image has been part of his first solo album. 

"Do not love too long sweetheart, do not love too long; I loved long and long, And grew to be out of fashion like an old song. All through the years of our youth Neither could have known their own thought from the other's. We were so much at one." Yeats 

Here Graeme's first album here 

Photo by Aoife Casey 
Album Art by Hindson Her 
Models are Krista Uy and Graeme Klayh

I have left Korea after two years. I have felt so many emotions over the last few days, saying goodbye to friends, packing my life into a suitcase. I have been blessed with so many new amazingly talented friends who have endlessly inspired me to create while in Korea. I have had many opportunities to share my work with others and am so grateful for the reception and feedback from everyone who contributed to it whether by way of being a subject matter or feeling as if the subjects I have wanted to visualize resonated with them in some way. I only hope I am lucky enough to meet  others in the future, who understand, encourage and nurture me as much as the친구 I leave behind have. Here's hoping. 

I have started a story board type series of works entitled ‘The Runaway’. 

The first part of this work is heavily influenced by the psychological thrillers of Alfred Hitcock such as Pscho and The Birds. Hitcock’s stories often feature fugitives on the run. 

The first pictures were taken at the abandoned Gonjiam psychiatric hospital in Gyeonggi-do. 

There are many stories as to why it closed down. Local legend has it that in 1996, The owner is said to have fled to America when Government officials came investigating reports of numerous patients being mysteriously found dead with no explanations given to their grieving families. It seemed a fitting place to reenact an escape from. The second location was Hanuel Sky Park in World Cup Stadium Park. The sculpture installation of bird houses lent themselves really well for a backdrop.  

“How to pursue Life's Runaway? Let go

Forego the moons and waters of the mind:

Today is all that you shall find.”

Quote from Marya Zaturenska’s The Runaway.

Images in Gallery section

Photography and model: Aoife Casey

Special thanks to Joy Dalay

With Abandon

I have added a section to my Gallery for all the pictures, figurative and landscape, of all the abandoned places I have been to over the last few years. A special thanks to Evin McCarthy for his pictures also in this section. 

They are an exploration of how environments are pieces of lives left behind, sometimes still retaining signs of life, or feelings of presence.

A beautiful book was made for the recent group show at the Cancer Hospital Gallery at Seoul National University in which I had a photo 'Crysantium' shown.

Organised by the KWVD the show's aim was to bring comfort to cancer patients and their families as well as hospital staff. 

Photos of the show opening on The Korea Women visual Designer's Association website 

'Off The Beaten Track' - 'Stag' series

Self Portrait, Bukhansan National Park 

I wait for you in the cold dark stream with a warm heart.

"Climb the steep Cold Mountain way
Roads to Cold Mountain are many and never ending
The valleys are long and deep, the peaks piled high
The streams are wide, the grass is thick" - Cold Mountain Transcendental Poetry by the t'ang zen poet han-shan

Nature offers a calm place to reflection one's struggles for growth and emancipation. It is constant and strong; demands nothing in return, yet gives such beauty and restorative effects on the mind, body and spirit. 

Model: Julie Michelle

Location: Goesan National Park, Korea

More images in the gallery section

The city of traditional culture, Jeonju 세계를 비비는 도시, 전주

Jeonju City is located in the central province of South Korea and I was visiting due to having work exhibited as part of The Jeonju Biennale, part curated by artist Martyn Thompson of PANK.

See the article on Culture M magazine.

'Journey'

Self portrait, Seoraksan National Park, South Korea

I have always had a love for quiet natural places and as an artist the landscape is a continual source of inspiration and being in it, a source of strength for me as a person. It is ever changing, yet remains beautiful and honest. Being alone in a huge valley with no one for miles was both exhilerating and calming at the same time. As I am leaving Korea in February, another part of my journey will commence, probably with peaks and valleys, much as my time here has had. I just hope I continue to be surrounded by inspiring friends and have the opportunity to express myself as easily as I have been able to here in Korea. 

See more self portraits in the 'gallery' section of the site.

Otherworld

'Tears of the forest' 

Photographer: Aoife Casey

Models: Aoife Casey and Lia Abraham

Illustration: 권유나 (Kwonjilla)  @ MADrawing

For I would ride with you upon the wind,
Run on the top of the dishevelled tide,
And dance upon the mountains like a flame.
~William Butler Yeats, "The Land of Heart's Desire," 1894

With Samhain and the changing of seasons, I have been inspired by thoughts of the 'Otherworld'.

The Irish believed in an Otherworld, which they described sometimes as underground, such as in the Sidhe mounds, and sometimes located on islands in the Western Sea. The Otherworld was variously called Tír na mBeo ("the Land of the Living"), Mag Mell ("Delightful Plain"), and Tír na nÓg ("Land of the Young"), among other names. It was believed to be a country where there was no sickness, old age, or death, where happiness lasted forever, and a hundred years was as one day

The pagan Celts perceived the presence of the supernatural as integral to, and interwoven with, the material world. Every mountain, river, spring, marsh, tree and rocky outcrop was inspirited. 

See images in the 'gallery' section.

 'Alien Corn'

This past while I have been incredibly homesick. This effects millions of people around the world all the time. I wanted to explore this feeling of displacement through photography and self portraiture. I feel self portraiture helps me at times to address problems I'm having in my life and to voice them in a creative way helps me accept things I cannot change or inspires me to change something in my life for the better.
When I told my Dad about my feelings he (rightly so) told me I was not alone, that this is a part of peoples lives everywhere. He went on to quote John Keats' 'Ode to a Nightengale',


"the sad heart of Ruth, when, sick for home, 
 She stood in tears amid the alien corn" 

The Affinity for CultureM magazine 

Photos by Aoife Casey & Jennifer Murphy

This year two artists embarked together on a creative project to inspire and encourage each other creatively from different sides of the world, Aoife Casey in Seoul, South Korea and Jennifer Murphy in Dublin, Ireland. The Affinity is a series of works born from the idea that two friends and artists can collaborate, to produce images centred around chosen themes, bridging the miles between them through art.

So far eleven themes have been covered. This is a look at the most recent theme, ‘Antebellum’ the artists thoughts behind the produced images. The artists will be exhibiting a collection of their works from The Affinity in Dublin, Ireland in the summer, 2015. Follow the works at https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Affinity/480723782039442

See the full article here

Theme 11 of The Affinity  was 'Antebellum' or 'pre-war'. Jennifer Murphy, artist in Dublin an myself produced very visually different works for this theme, she having a more modern look encapsulating the story of Badb, an Irish legendary goddess.
I went for a more domestic setting with the model, Angela wearing a regency gown I had hired from a site here in Korea.
When I think of women of that period, I picture women in gowns in a domestic setting. I wanted to put my own twist on that with the model having a defiant expression and posture and dominantly owning the picture. We’ve come a long way, from being chattels to equals, let’s see it continue!

Lady of the Lake

As an artist I find continuous inspiration in the written word and music.

Summertime Sadness

Tidal Faces

Photos by Aoife Casey

“Perhaps I should not have been a fisherman, he thought. But that was the thing that I was born for.”
 by Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea

The sea appears in human culture in contradictory ways, as both powerful but serene and as beautiful but dangerous. It has its place in literature, art, poetry, film, theater, classical music, mythology and dream interpretation.

It’s a character, a god, a setting for exploration and war, an image touching all the human senses, a metaphor for the unseen world beyond the senses.

This is a photo series of portraits of those I met on a recent trip to the Philippine islands of Cebu and Boracay who make their livelihood from the sea. Special thanks to Noi Ilustrisimo.

Full story in Gallery section.

Imminent Quarterly Korea

'Paul Valery wrote of feeling in imminent danger of poetry. IQ seeks to find those works from English language writers, artists and creators in South Korea which make us feel just that – the imminent danger of a work. We hope to gather up the bits of what is imminent in our community, and put them together in one space to share.' 

Featured in Autumn/Winter 2014 edition.

Link HERE

Flesh and Light- New images for The Affinity 

Location:Singeumho Moon Village, Seoul, South Korea. I tried to break out of my comfort zone of meadows and flowers for the 'darkness' theme for The Affinity by finding an environment that encompassed the theme of darkness. I explored the Moon Village in Seoul (달 동네). A derelict part of Seoul set on a ridge, the village is a jumbled maze of rubbled buildings with many houses still full of evictees possessions adding to the eeriness of the place even in broad daylight. Korea is experiencing such a rapid growth in economy and infrastructure that places like these are disapearing and it was interesting to see it while it still exists. “Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely. ” ― Edna St.

Image story in the Gallery section.

Never Look Back

I've had a long lasting love affair photographing women's backs. There is something  so enthralling and telling about this part of the body. To me they hold a persons strength, vulnerability, desires and beauty. They, like people's faces, I feel tell a story, of the road they're on and the life they've had. Here are a few of my favorites so far in my photography. I feel this is a continuing side project I will continue to add to and see what happens with it. See my collection in the Gallery section.

She Walks in Beauty

'She walks in beauty, like the night

Of cloudless climes and starry skies;

And all that's best of dark and bright

Meet in her aspect and her eyes;

Thus mellow'd to that tender light

Which heaven to gaudy dray denies.

And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,

So soft, so calm, yet eloquent, 

The smiles that win, the tints that glow,

But tell of days in goodness spent,

A mind at peace with all below,  A heart whose love is innocent!                    Poem, Lord Byron

Intimates

I am forever fascinated by the people I meet. I long to capture an intimate side to them, their energy, vulnerabilities, beauty and vibrancy. Each face holds a story and a peek inside what it is to be human. This is by far my biggest inspiration and I am blessed and grateful to all the volunteers who work with me for each story. Without them, my work would not be where it is today. Thankyou for your continued support, trust and inspiration. Much love.

A Waif of the Plains

See full images in Gallery section.

All the vines from my heart are spread on the earth and pull me to the ground. Every small portion of ground demands a different thing but never gives space to stay or makes effort to understand me completely. I want to become one with the wind detached from the violence the ground inflicts on me. However, I know I could never be free completely and the pain continues with every step I take. Rather than being frustrated by limitedness, I will try to find the way to love every little life I touch on the ground in the best way. Love is stronger than violence. This is the way I exist.

나의 심장의 줄기들은 대지에 흩뿌려지고 각각의 줄기들은 나를 땅으로, 땅으로 끌어당긴다. 각자의 작은 땅덩어리는 나에게 각자 다른 것을 요구해오지만 절대로 내가 그 곳에 영원히 머물게 허락하지도, 나를 완전히 이해하려는 노력을 기울이지도 않는다. 대지가 내게 가하는 이 모든 폭력으로부터 완전히 이별하고 바람과 하나가 되고 싶다. 하지만 나는 절대 그러지 못할 것을 안다. 그리고 내가 내딛는 모든 한 걸음, 한 걸음 같은 고통을 감당해야 할 것도 알고 있다. 하지만 나는 이 한계에 좌절만 하고 있지는 않으련다. 대신, 나는 내가 이 땅에서 만나는 모든 생명체들을 사랑하는 법을 배울 것이다. 사랑은 결국 폭력보다 강하다. 이 것이 내가 존재하는 방식이다." Words by Freyia Han, cultural psychology student from Seoul, based in Belgium.

For the seventh theme for The Affinity, 'waif' I set out to explore an eco swamp in Sorae, Oido, south of Seoul.  An expansive dried plain with glorious colours and sea urchin like plants. The model Angela Schmangela was just fantastic, dancing around in the mud with crabs running around. Dress was made by shredding fabric I had and the headress was made from a broom (which are quite pretty here in Korea) It was great to have such an expressive and energetic model to work with and I'm delighted with how much she embraced the concept.— at 소래생태습지.

'Into The Blue'

Featured in Korean CultureM Magazine http://culturemmag.com/index.php/2014/06/into-the-blue

These photos are inspired by a couple of converging ideas: music and place.

Firstly, the music is that of Miles Davis’ iconic jazz album ‘Kind of Blue’. This album has proven to be both highly popular and enormously influential over the years, so much so that in 2009 the US House of Representatives passed a resolution honoring the fiftieth anniversary of Kind of Blue and “reaffirming jazz as a national treasure”

The second element of the inspiration comes from my memories of Chefchaouen and travelling in north west Morocco. Chefchaouen is an awe inspiring town with blue-rinsed hammam or houses painted every shade of blue imaginable. Jewish teachings suggest that by dyeing thread with tekhelet(an ancient natural dye) and weaving it into prayer shawls, people would be reminded of God’s power. This is translated into the blue washes with which local owners paint their houses.

The color blue is idealistic, enhances self-expression and our ability to communicate our needs and aspirations. It also inspires higher ideals.

Blue inspires a higher level of intelligence, a spiritual perspective.

Blue is the color of the spirit, devotion and religious study. It is also said to induce a feeling of coolness, to calm the body and mind.Although a latecomer among colours used in art and decoration as well as language and literature, blue was an expensive and prestigious colour in European painting. At the beginning of the 20th century, for example, many artists recognised the emotional power of blue, and made it the central element of paintings. During his Blue Period (1901–1904) Pablo Picasso used blue and green, with hardly any warm colours, to create a melancholy mood. Take a look at the whole series in The Gallery section of the site. Thanks to model Jane/허재인.

Jessica Chung for CultureM magazine article: Iconography in Fine Art Portraiture.

During the Middle Ages, art and learning were largely centred around the churches and religion. Much of the art and illumination was based in the monasteries. Large illuminated bibles and psalters were the typical forms of luxury manuscripts and wall-painting flourished. The Book of Kells, which follows many of the iconographic and stylistic traditions found in earlier manuscripts, is one of the finest and most famous of a group of manuscripts produced from the late 6th through the early 9th centuries in monasteries in Europe.

But, by the start of the 14th Century, the art of illustration had passed from the monks to lay artists who were less interested in purely religious themes and more interested in depicting themselves, their surroundings and everyday life. This movement from a purely religious view of the world to one which saw human beings as being the agents of their own destiny became known as ‘Humanism’. Using this approach, artists explored the idea that humans can live a full and happy life before they go to heaven and this philosophy one that persists to the present day.

These photographs draw inspiration from the religious iconography of the Virgin Mary, typical of Medieval Art, and from mythology and Renaissance painting.

Influenced by the layering and glazing used by the Renaissance painters and by Victorian early portrait photography, the images depict a lone figure with hand-made floral headdress. Multiple images were layered in areas to darken the image as opposed to imposing colours directly(The posture and gesture depicted by the subject also mirrors the Renaissance style). Much like the early painters and their muses, my subjects bring an essential energy, personality and mood to my work. They help me to bring changing and challenging perspectives to each piece.

Jessica Chung is a creative artist from Korea. She is a designer specialising in fabrics and tattoos and is constantly seeking new avenues through which to express her creativity.

Photographer & Headdress : Aoife Casey Model : Jessica Chung Location : 0907 studio, Hongdae.

Model Jessica's facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/slt.jessica?fref=ts

See more images from the photoshoot in the Gallery section of the website.

'Hope is a Waking Dream'-  a visual story with Jayun Koo and Jui Ryu

Spring Lay Upon the Earth and All were Enchanted by Her

Photography and headdress (made to order) Aoife Casey. Spring, a time for renewed positivity and energy after a long winter. Photo shoot took place in Hongneung Arboretum (홍릉수목원), Dongdaemum-gu, Seoul, South Korea. More photos from the shoot in the gallery section under 'We Called on Spring'.

I am happy that CultureM Magazine has published an article of The Natural Beauty Project Seoul

'An artist who wants to find a true thing in the life, Aoife Casey. CultureM Magazine releases the art works ‘The Natural Beauty Project Seoul’ of Aoife Casey on two separate occasions. http://2url.kr/aeTS

아일랜드 출신의 작가, 이퍼 케이시. 너무나 익숙해서 무지했던 아름다운 것들을 이야기하기 위해 한국 여성들의 자연스러운 얼굴을 담아낸 그녀의 사진을 컬쳐엠매거진이 공개합니다. http://2url.kr/aeTS'

See article HERE

PIK magazine's LOVE issue. I am honoured to have one of my works published in Photographers in Korea's February issue all about love. See the pdf issu version below. There are some beautiful images in the addition. Happy Valentine's Day !

http://issuu.com/joewabe/docs/pikfebruary

Collaboration!! Celebration!!

I am beyond excited about new collaborative work with super talented Korean artist yuna-kwon/ 권유나
facebook page..www.facebook.com/kwonjilla
Having seen her work online I just had to contact her and tell her how much I loved her work and so a project was born.
Her interpretation of my works is breathtaking. I feel allowing another artist to interpret your work is both an exciting and rewarding experience. I really don't know why I haven't tried it more.  No direction was given at all, I simply sent her some images and asked her to react to them. I hope to see this work come to life in print at some stage in the future.

I will be showing a few works from The Natural Beauty Project Seoul (https://www.facebook.com/TheNaturalBeautyProjectSeoul2013)
Also on show are recent portrait photographs.Portraits capturing an intimate and free side to the models, friends and volunteers, a moment when, unawares of the camera, a glimpse of their particular personality and energy emanate. 
 The show will run from the 8th of February 2014- 8th of April 2014.

Gallery [t.] and T. Morning (they are one and the same) are located just outside of Daegu Station. Check out the map below for easy navigating. 
Google maps: goo.gl/maps/JEvl5
Foursquare : https://foursquare.com/v/tmorning/4cb1a4a0cbab236a5268aa73?ref=atw

Curated by artist Martyn Thompson, this group show consisted of works from 6 choosen artists 

interpretation of a Korean poem:

Let's leave, let's leave, 살어리 살어리랏다
Let's live on the green mountain! 청산에 살어리랏다
With wild berries and thyme, 멀위랑 다래랑 먹고
Let's live on the green mountain! 청산에 살으리랏다
Yalli yalli yallasyong yallari yalla 얄리 얄리 얄라성 얄라리 얄라

PUBLICITY:

http://www.arttimesnews.com/2013/12/03/news-갤러리-아이-mountains-청산별곡전-12월-18일-28일/

http://www.korea4expats.com/events-in-korea-Mountains---Group-Exhibition-18-28-Dec-2013-Insa-dong-Seoul-8446.html

http://albinogoth.wordpress.com/2013/11/19/upcoming-mountains/

http://seoul.angloinfo.com/whatson/event/3197/mountains-exhibition

See review article in the Korea Herald featuring one of my photographs HERE

September 2012

Intropia is a dream that wants to become reality. It is the most intimate reflection of the personality that makes each woman different to the rest.

You also have your intropia. A big dream. A professional, artistic or non-profit project that you would like to share with all the visitors to hossintropia.com, who are many and from all around the world.

My interview HERE

Hesa inprint is a bilingual (Finnish & English) blog, web magazine and printed art magazine. Based in Finland’s Helsinki, we aim to provide a platform for artists, writers, photographers, film makers and anyone who has a vision and voice to share their opinions, work and stories not for a pay check but for the love of creating. Each month will feature a subject matter to which anyone can then submit their work. (See how to get involved)
Click here to see my work Featured