About Justine

Justine was born in Derry on 7 April 1971. She graduated in 1996 from Gray’s School of Art, Aberdeen, having obtained a first class degree in Fine Art. She worked as an Editor and Designer at the Nerve Centre Derry from 1998- 2012 when she left to co-found the digital media company, Derry Productions. In 2017 she co-founded the community interest company Kippie.

Artist Statement

My work is a vibrant and playful blend of photography, vintage advertisements, and typography, combined with street ephemera, ink, and acrylic. I create densely layered narratives that reflect my fascination with media consumption, urban decay, pop culture, and human behavior. By altering vintage images, I offer new interpretations of the original shots, drawing inspiration from the décollage techniques of 1960s Nouveau Réalistes like Mimmo Rotella and Jacques Villeglé.

I obscure my central subjects with layers of peeling and torn paper fragments, sanding back to create a history and a sense of time passing with elements of decay. The concept of "layers" encompasses both the intention behind my work and the technique used to create it. This duality—visual and conceptual—runs through my entire body of work. At first glance, my art appears colorful, harmonious, and beautiful, but a closer inspection reveals contrasts and critiques that subvert the initial impression.

My art delves into themes of traditional gender roles, femininity, and masculinity, juxtaposing the messy, chaotic beauty of real life with the simplified, idealized images perpetuated by consumer culture. This contrast fosters a distinctive narrative that invites viewers to reflect on their own experiences and perceptions. From these juxtapositions emerge complex, almost abstract works that, despite their abstraction, form a narrative.

Ultimately, my work seeks to create a space where playfulness meets critical inquiry, encouraging a deeper understanding of the roles we inhabit and the stories we tell through the layers of our lives.

Exhibitions.

2024   Echo Echo A5 Fundraiser
2024   Artlink (Hills of Donegal) Group show
2024   Cascade Gallery Gasyard Bluebell Arts
2021   Imagine in partnership with Hambly and Hambley Gallery
2020   Void Gallery (This is me)
2016   The Colony' Void Gallery (interactive) poop game
2016   Deprogramming (interactive) Void Gallery
2013   Fairy Tales (Video installation)
2013   London Street Gallery Derry group show
2013   Pilots Row Arts Centre Group Show
2013   ‘Auction for Dizzy’ Void Gallery Community Space
2012   VJ Tone (interactive) BBC (Belfast and Derry)
2012   Bird’s eye view Group Show
2012   Pilots Row Arts Centre Group Show
2012   Artwork for the Free Derry Wall
2012   Digital dialogues (Animation)
2011   Pilots Row Arts Centre Group Show
1996   Gray’s Degree show
1996   Scottish National gallery Edinburgh
1995   Aberdeen art gallery Group Show
1995   Peacock visual arts Group Show
1992   The story so far! Bishop Street Derry