Suella Holland was born in Dublin and grew up in Navan, County Meath. She graduated with a Degree in Photography from DIT Dublin in 1993. She returned to college in 2021 and is currently undertaking an MFA in Photography at Ulster University.
In 2013 Suella began her Forsaken Ireland series of abandoned buildings in Ireland —(www.facebook.com/ForsakenEire) photographic work dedicated to social history and urbex photography exploring the dereliction that is currently prevalent in Ireland.
Reflecting on recurring images of net curtains and peeling paint from this body of work Suella’s current project, 12, addresses fragmented memory and secrecy whilst articulating, non-verbally, repressed feelings that stem from childhood abuse.
Suella has exhibited consistently over the past ten years both as a solo artist and in group shows – she took part in the Polaroid exhibition Instant Love in the MadArt Gallery, Dublin in October 2011 and her work was subsequently published in Prism magazine. In 2015 she held a solo exhibition Stories That Remain Untold which subsequently toured around County Meath followed in 2017 by An Essence of Presence which toured into 2018.
2019 saw the solo exhibition ‘Welcome to Graceland’, an homage to Elvis fan Patsy Boylan in the Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown as well as the publication, with writer Martin Towey, of An Act of Madness, one woman’s story which echoes that of thousands of Irish people stigmatised, maltreated and largely forgotten by 20th Century Irish society accompanied by Suella’s photographs and an exhibition.
She has also exhibited as a member of Meath Arts Group, Bailieborough Creative Hub, Cavan Camera Club, North Meath Photographic Society, Breffni Photographic Club and Bailieborough Studio Photographic Club.
Suella works at The Gallery Press Publishers in Loughcrew, Co Meath, is a member of Visual Artists Ireland, ReVerve Arts Group and Meath Arts Group. She is a Board Member of The Darkroom (Dublin).
Awards
Annual Funding Award – Cavan County Council (2020)
Tyrone Guthrie Centre Acceptance;
Artist Bursary – Cavan County Council (2019)
Annual Funding Award – Meath County Council Arts Office (2015);
Bi-Annual Funding Award – Meath County Council Arts Office (2007);
Collections
Meath County Council Collection; Meath County Library Archive;
Cavan County Council Collection; Kells TypeTrail Archive; Private Collections
2022: A Life in Paint: A Retrospective of Artist Patrick Reel (Dublin Castle) 2017-2022: Books covers for The Gallery Press: New Leaf (2022); Autumn Skies (2020); Calling Cards (2018); Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye (2016)
2018: An Act of Madness (Collaboration with writer Martin Towey)
2018: Cover of Unwanted (2018, Paul Donnan)
2016: Cover image for Mindfulness Training Brochure
2011: Prism Magazine; featured in ‘Instant Love’ Polaroid article
Selected Exhibitions
2022
Group Shows
Kells Type Trail, Kells, Co Meath
ReVerve Arts Group – Rhythms, Portumna Castle, Galway
ReVerve Arts Group – Resonance, Clonmellon, Meath
ReVerve Arts Group – Rhythms, Signal Arts Centre, Bray
2021
Group Shows
Kells Type Trail, Kells, Co Meath
Surveyor, Solstice Arts Centre, Navan, Co Meath
2020
Solo Shows
(Virtual) An Act of Madness (was Johnston Library, Cavan)
Welcome to Graceland – Bailieborough Library, Cavan
Group Shows
Surveyor, (Virtual) Solstice Arts Cantre, Navan, Co Meath
Art Works – The Atrium, OPW, Trim, Co Meath
2019
Solo Show
Welcome to Graceland – Connolly Memorial Hospital, Dublin
Collaboration
An Act of Madness – Exhibition and Book Launch (with Martin Towey)
Book Market, Kells, Meath
Group shows
Bailieborough Photographers, Baileborough Library, Cavan
Past Times Heritage Week Exhibition, Bailieborough Library, Cavan
Poetry Town, Bailieborough Creative Hub, Bailieborough
2018
Solo Show
An Essence of Presence, The Library, Bailieborough, Co Cavan
Group Shows
Surveyor, Solstice Arts Centre, Navan, Co Meath
Inside Out, The Atrium, OPW, Trim, Co Meath
2017
Solo Show
An Essence of Presence, Tuar Ard Arts Centre, Moate, Co Westmeath
Group Project
with artist Michelle Boyle and the Bailieborough Poetry LitLab
Group Show
Surveyor, Solstice Arts Centre, Navan, Co Meath
2016
Solo Show
Stories That Remain Untold
– Dunshaughlin Library, Dunshaughlin, Co Meath.
– Dunboyne Library, Dunboyne, Co Meath.
Grant aided by Meath County Council Arts Office.
Group Show – Postcard 1916, Old Post Office, Clones, Co Monaghan
2015
Solo Show
Stories That Remain Untold
– The Book Market, Kells, Co Meath.
– Oldcastle Library, Oldcastle, Co Meath.
Grant aided by Meath County Council Arts Office.
Group Show
Surveyor, Solstice Arts Centre, Navan, Co Meath
2014
Group Show – ‘Local Photographers’, Bailieborough Library, Bailieborough, Co Cavan.
Group Show – Breffni Photography Club Exhibition, Bailieborough Library, Bailieborough, Co Cavan.
2013
Group Show – ‘Missing Meath’, Solstice Arts Centre, Navan, Co Meath.
Group Show – ‘Traces’, Pop Up Gallery, Kennedy Road, Navan, Co Meath
Group Show – ‘Surveyor’, Solstice Arts Centre, Navan, Co Meath
Group Show – ‘Arts Trail’, Navan Shopping Centre and The Central Bar, Navan, Co Meath
Group Show – ‘Iconic North Meath’, North Meath Photographic Society Annual Exhibition, Headfort House, Kells, Co Meath
Group Show – ‘Kells Camera Club exhibition’, The Sawmills, Kells, Co Meath
Group Show – Pop-Up Gallery, Navan Shopping Centre, Navan, Co Meath
1995-2014
Solo Shows
Kells Chamber of Commerce AGM, Kells, Meath
Kells Market Day, Kells Chamber of Commerce, Kells, Meath
Come to the Fair, Diamond Cinema, Navan, Meath,
Grant aided by Meath County Council Arts Office.
Joint Show
(with Patrick Morris and Ian Rogan) The Railway Bar, Kells, Meath
Group Shows
Instant Love, Polaroid Exhibition, Mad Art Gallery, Dublin
The Enlightenment Arts Trail, Navan, Meath
Idireadra, Solstice Arts Centre, Navan, Meath
When I Close My Eyes, Toradh Gallery, Civic Offices, Ashbourne, Meath
The Burren, Solstice Arts Centre, Navan, County Meath
Horizons – Solstice Arts Centre, Navan, County Meath
Inside Out – Irish Life Mall, Abbey Street, Dublin