“Forward,” said granny in the snow – “Eteenpäin,” sanoi mummo lumessa (Finnish Proverb)
Jane Hughes and Selma Mäkelä
Curated by Paula Barrett
The exhibition will open on Saturday 28 March at 3pm with a Gallery Conversation between the artists Jane Hughes and Selma Mäkelä and the curator Paula Barrett.
The Finnish proverb“Eteenpäin, sanoi mummo lumessa” – “Forward,” said granny in the snow – evokes resilience and determination in the face of adversity. This spirit of perseverance underpins this exhibition that brings together the work of Jane Hughes and Selma Mäkelä for the first time.
The artworks chosen for this exhibition position landscape as a site for engaging with deep time, a concept that reaches far beyond human history into geological and cosmic scales. Through pigment and layered surfaces, these paintings offer tangible connections to that immense continuum, while their non-linear approach reflects the challenge of grasping such vastness. Oscillating between figuration and abstraction, they unfold as painterly meditations that weave together memory, archival fragments, and imagined terrains.
Informed by residencies in remote regions – from Inis Oirr and Achill Island to the Arctic and Fogo Islands – their practices reflect lived experiences of displacement and fractured cultural identity. These composite landscapes are geological fantasies, layered with personal histories and cultural echoes, inviting viewers to consider multiplicity within a profound universe.
Both artists share a magnetism for peripheral spaces and a life shaped by migration. Selma Mäkelä, with Finnish and Cypriot heritage, grew up in England and now lives in the West of Ireland. Jane Hughes, born in Ireland, emigrated nearly two decades ago and now resides in Finland. Their intertwined narratives add a poignant dimension to this exhibition, where borders blur and time expands.
Events
To complement the exhibition, the artists and curator will lead a series of events on Sherkin Island, focusing on the exhibition’s themes with particular attention to deep time. These interdisciplinary, immersive experiences connect art with science, nature and embodied learning, fostering community engagement and inviting participants to reflect on time, change and place.
Deep Time: A Geology & Astronomy Event on Sherkin Island
Sunday 29 March 2026
2.30pm – Geology Walking Tour with geologist Dr. Bill Sheppard
Meeting point: Sherkin Abbey (2 minutes from the pier)
Includes an illustrated talk and slide presentation in the Sherkin Island Community Hall, followed by a short outdoor session examining local rock formations.
Refreshments
4.30pm – Illustrated Astronomy Talk with astronomer Magnus BurbanksSherkin Island Community Hall
Ferry Information:Baltimore → Sherkin: 2.00pm
Sherkin → Baltimore: 4.15pm and 6.00pm
https://westcorkartscentre.com/event/forward-said-granny-in-the-snow/