Biography
Environmental studio based artist at the Leitrim Sculpture Centre, where Mackey’s focus is research led on the complex ecologies of plant life through the subject of the seed cultivated through a range of site-specific and socially engaged contexts. In 2018, Mackey Completed a Fulbright Award pursuing independent research across educational institutions and residency programmes in the States. On-going projects include The Potting Shed (2014 -) through ArtLink, Donegal, which opened up a new garden and studio space inside a defunct military environment; addressing pressing environmental issues in relation to the geopolitical control of seeds continues through Seed Matter (2010-). Recent Solo projects include The Long Field residency and soloexhibitionat the Leitrim Sculpture Centre exploring hedgerow systems as sites of resistance and change, contentious rogue habitats between ‘wild’ nature and systemic land use (2021); Safe Hold – Public art commission and exhibition at the Wexford Arts Centre (2020) raised awareness about the plight of wild pollinators, empowering communities to actively engage in solutions for habitat loss and transform underutilized sites into sustainable pollen communal spaces. Current research involves plants as phyto-remediators for damaged water and soil systems co structured as woven floating gardens Mesocosm through Ecoshowboat environmental residency project (2022). Her work is supported by The Arts Council of Ireland, Visual Bursary Award, 2022. Commissioned work for publications include Politics of Food MIT Press Delfina Foundation, 2020; Becoming Botanical Objet-a-Creative Studio, Glasgow, 2019 and Mutating Ecologies in Contemporary Art, MACBA University of Barcelona, 2018.
Christine Mackey
Current projects include: EcoShowBoat Residency programme 2022-2023; Open
residency Cow House Studios, Wexford 2022; INTERFACE Inagh Valley, Forest
Residency Programme 2020-2023; Cill Rialaig Residency Programme; Creative
Ireland Programme with the Breffini Centre, Leitrim.