John Sunderland

Bio

John Sunderland is a mixed media visual artist, archaeologist and researcher. He has developed a hybrid practice, drawing on the rigor of archaeology and the openness of arts practice to interpret heritage in changing landscapes in new ways. Over decades he has developed a transdisciplinary practice with outcomes ranging from exhibitions to art and archaeology commissions, residencies and academic publications. Recent work includes a residency at The Glass Factory, Boda, Sweden, resulting in the solo exhibition Touching darkness (2019) and another residency on an archaeological excavation also resulting in a solo show Touching Time (2023) at the Droichead Arts Centre Drogheda.

More generally he has been exhibiting since the 1990’s both nationally and internationally, he holds a BA in Fine Art (1991, Sunderland University) an M.A. in Documentary Photography (2006, University of Wales, Newport) and undertook a practice-based PhD that investigated the visual perception and interpretation of landscape change, resulting in the thesis In Flux, land, photography and temporality (2015 University of Northampton).

He continues to work both in Sweden and in Ireland and is currently working on two multi-disciplinary projects. In Sweden he is a member of a team of scientists and artists investigating an illegal toxic waste dump in the Wastestock project. In Ireland he is the initiator and project manager of Beneath our Feet, an interpretation of the results of a rescue archaeological excavation in the heart of medieval Cork undertaken in advance of construction. This involves archaeologists, visual artists and oral historians and will culminate in an exhibition in St Peter’s, North Main Street Cork in September 2025. This project is funded by Creative Ireland, Cork City Council and the Arts Council.

Artist Statement

Dr. John Sunderland works in the fields of mixed media visual art, archaeology and transdisciplinary landscape studies. His research considers the impacts of change on people, ecologies and places undergoing transformation, dealing with issues such as post-industrial trauma, rural depopulation, ecological restoration and illegal waste dumping. Since 2019 he has been working on collaborative and solo projects in Sweden, Ireland and Wales, that have resulted in residences, curatorial projects, festival participations, conference presentations and solo and group exhibitions. He was recently awarded the Arts Council agility fund (2025) and twice recipient of the Creative Ireland communities fund (2024 &2025) for his most recent project, Beneath Our Feet.

Email samsunderland@gmail.com

Website www.johnsunderland.com

Membership: Backwater Artists Network