Ivy Borden

oikos logia (I), 2026

Tapestry woven on cotton (warp) with hand spun wool (weft), dyed with nettle, dock leaf, and madder root harvested in the Burren, Co.Clare. Felted cocoon of scrap yarn holding the carcasses of insects killed while making the plant dyes 

‘This diptych is half-handwoven tapestry, half printed photograph. It is made from hand spun wool, from sheep watched after by Burren farmer Patrick McCormack, dyed with nettle, dock leaf, and madder root harvested in Ballyvaughan, County Clare. Hanging from the bottom of the tapestry is a felted cocoon of leftover yarn scraps which holds the carcasses of insects unintentionally killed while making the plant dyes. The photo is of my grandmother’s family – her brothers, sisters, father, and mother – taken during the 1950s.’

oikos logia (I), 2026

Tapestry woven on cotton (warp) with hand spun wool (weft), dyed with nettle, dock leaf, and madder root harvested in the Burren, Co.Clare. Taipéis fite ar chadás (dlúth) le holann lámhshníofa (inneach), daite le neantóg, copóg agus fréamh madair dheirg a bailíodh sa Bhoirinn, Co. an Chláir. Cocún feiltithe d’fhuílleach snátha ina gcoinnítear conablaigh feithidí a maraíodh nuair a bhí na dathanna planda á ndéanamh. Grianghraf ar chanbhás. 

‘Is taipéis leath-lámhfhite, leathghrianghraf priontáilte í an diptic seo. Tá sí déanta d’olann lámhshníofa, ó chaoirigh a bhfuil súil á coinneáil orthu ag an bhfeirmeoir atá lonnaithe sa Bhoirinn, Patrick McCormack. Tá an olann daite le neantóg, copóg agus fréamh madair dheirg a bailíodh i mBaile Uí Bheacháin, Contae an Chláir. Ag crochadh ó íochtar na taipéise tá cocún feiltithe d’fhuílleach snátha ina gcoinnítear conablaigh feithidí a maraíodh trí thimpiste nuair a bhí na dathanna planda á ndéanamh. Is é teaghlach mo sheanmháthar atá le feiceáil sa ghrianghraf – a deartháireacha, deirfiúracha, athair agus máthair – a tógadh sna 1950idí.’

Go back to the shortlisted works