Rachael O'Keeffe

Bio

Rachael O’Keeffe is an artist based in Cork, who recently completed the Fine Art Degree at Crawford College of Art and Design. As part of her final year work, she spent time researching an industrial landscape and revealing the narrative of its lost identity through printmaking, figuring out how to imprint information on found objects related to the site. She achieves this through experimenting with screen print, sublimation print, hydro-printing and laser cutting bitmapped images. Her work has been exhibited at the James Barry Exhibition Centre as part of the group exhibition Amalgam from 17-19 April 2024 as well as Cork Printmakers Studio Gallery as part of the group exhibition To The Power Of from 10-14 February 2025.

Artist Statement

My work is rooted in exploring places left to decay in response to the many forms of unnecessary destruction that confronts us in the world now. An area of particular interest is a 114 acre former industrial site in my local area that has been derelict for the last 20 years. I seek to discover narratives of places that have a lost identity.

I achieve this through printmaking and installation, often incorporating and juxtaposing the materials associated with waste and demolition. I blend both the inside and outside to explore how these places are often in transition, layering and collaging images to reveal the hidden timelines and stories of a place.

As with deciphering an ancient ruin, my work seeks to reflect on the past, present and future of a destroyed landscape. Through my work I aim to consider the universality of destruction in order to consider the needless annihilation we are surrounded by today.

Instagram: @rachaelokeeffeart

Membership: Backwater Artists Network