Of Petals, Pearls and Inherited Creatures 
Dee Byrne
PhotoIreland
English
Softcover
Edition of 200
32 pages
2025
148 x 210 mm
‘Of Petals, Pearls and Inherited Creatures examines emotional inheritance and female identity through an exploration of familial object histories and the intimate bonds between women in my family. Informed by Galit Atlas’s Emotional Inheritance, Annabelle Birsch’s A History of Women in 101 Objects, and Lydia Yuknavitch’s Letter to My Rage, this work visualises the active nature of inheritance. The work involves site-specific portraiture, archive imagery and embroidery, to reflect on inherited behaviours and emotional legacies from both my maternal and paternal lineage.
The project includes portraits of myself, my sister, and my mother, photographed in my parents’ childhood homes, which serve as sites of ‘genetic memory’ and trauma. These homes and objects within them act as witnesses to past experiences and transmitters of material memory. Heirlooms like pearls and clothing are seen as multi-generational identity markers, embodying ideals of traditional womanhood. Motifs like roses, curtains and lace are employed to symbolize these ideologies and the shared female experience.’
(Source: https://www.dee-byrne-portfolio.com/)
About the Artist
Dee Byrne is an Irish photographic artist, currently based in Dublin. Her practice often explores themes relating to women’s history, the body and spiritual beliefs. Her visual narratives are constructed with a particular focus on the tactile nature of the photographic object and are often accompanied by text. She likes to bring a sense of intimacy to the forefront of the photographic process, emphasising the connection between the camera, the photographer, the subject and its audience.
https://www.dee-byrne-portfolio.com/
(Source: https://www.dee-byrne-portfolio.com/about)
About the Publisher
PhotoIreland grows the reputation of Irish artists globally through a 360 degree support system and platform for contemporary photography, activated through a diversity of projects. These include events such as PhotoIreland Festival and Halftone print fair amongst others; resources such as the PhotoIreland Collection, a specialised research library of photobooks, and Ireland’s Art Bookshop, The Library Project; via publishing with projects such as OVER Journal and TLP Editions; professional development support through networking and consultancy opportunities; and empowering early and mid-career photographers via our international partnerships, most relevantly through Creative Europe co-funded platforms such as FUTURES and Parallel.
https://photoireland.org/
(Source: https://photoireland.org/about-photoireland/)
