Stranger Whisperer Film and Animation. 2026.
Stranger Whisperer is a work that explores the physical memory of the body, investigating the contrast between the tension held within and the expansiveness of the natural environment.
Turning toward this raw feeling, the film uses moving images to witness these hidden layers, inviting an encounter with parts of ourselves often resisted. By feeling into the body, we begin to sense how some of these burdens may have been carried long before our own lifetime and were never ours to hold. Through a softness and acceptance of what has been unconsciously carried it can begin to loosen its grip.
Created during an artist residency in Skagaströnd, Iceland, the work emerged from spending time in nature, witnessing the process of all parts fully arriving in a new environment and a daily practice of dropping into the body.
Drawn to research the heart's memory, the resonance between nervous systems and how individual lives shape the collective field.
A poem written by the artist runs throughout the film, performed in an unfamiliar language. It opens a quiet conversation with the heart, reflecting the disconnection between mind and body. As the film resolves, the words appear on screen in English, symbolising an understanding between the two.
Womb Bones, Multidisciplinary Performance, 2026.
Womb Bones is a reflection on our lineage and all life held within the womb: birth, life and death. It is an exploration of personal narrative as we navigate the loss of parents, the maturation of children, and the cycles that unite us across generations.
A solo performance by Linda Cullen, created in collaboration with visual artist Etaoin Melville, this multidisciplinary work weaves together circus, visual art and spoken word.
Etaoin Melville was the creative director for the show and created two hand-drawn animations that form the visual world of the performance, bringing an additional layer of movement, imagery and storytelling to the work.
Poppies, Hand drawn animation, 2026.
This hand-drawn animation was created specifically for the performance Womb Bones and features at the end of the show, accompanied by a poem written and performed by Linda Cullen. The piece reflects on the tender process of letting go while being held and supported by the community, creating a closing meditation on grief.
Undercurrent, Film Installation, 2025.
Undercurrent explores the essential nature of human connection and our intrinsic relationship to the land.
The work invites us to consider what it means to feel deeply and allow every emotion its full presence. By making space for this emotional depth, we create the possibility of being truly seen by others.
Set within carefully chosen natural environments, the installation contemplates the unknown of nature, consciousness and mortality. It follows two individuals as they navigate the complexity of their emotions and the need to be truly seen.
Everything in life is cyclical, our physical bodies eventually coil and twine back into the earth.
Cast; Aoife Williamson, Catherine Scroup.
Videography by Giles Carey Visuals
Soundscape/ score by Kian Alexander Azzopardi
In Conversation with Aideen Barry.
Undercurrent
Ordered trees grow in lines
I hear every sound I make
Footprint, indented in the mossy floor
Quiet yet inhabited
The light chooses routes through the trees, illuminating the floor like cracked pottery
An unnerving feeling, hopelessness
I listen for other life
A gentle breeze, a single leaf descends
I want to be seen
in this dark forest
Silent Voices, Film, 2024.
‘My art is the way I re-establish the bonds that unite me to the universe. It is a return to the maternal source” Ana Mendieta.
This project investigates our matrilineal lines, patterns that are passed from one generation to another. The animalistic woman shows our raw and primal instincts as protectors and mothers, in juxtaposition to the fairy-tale dress representing society's expectations on our gender. The vast ocean mirrors our cycles with its tides. Using black and white for the faces of each generation, unified within a sense of strength, dealing with time passing and the pace of life.
Artist/Writer/Director Etaoin Melville
Videography by Giles Carey Visuals
Vocals by Erin Gallagher
Sound mix by Cormac O Connor
Cast Lola Melville, Gana Roberts and Etaoin Melville
Black and Blue, Hand drawn animation, 2024.
How do we frame the difficult experiences in our life so they don't become our navigation? This animation is a purging of trauma. The drawings are the result of a conversation between me and the page where the images evolve naturally, helping me to separate complex emotions so I can reach an element of clarity. Getting to know each feeling intimately, its shape, colour, temperature and texture. In this way, the work not only addresses personal boundaries but also invites viewers to reflect on their own experiences with borders—both internal and external—encouraging a deeper understanding of how we navigate our emotional landscapes. Composer/ Sound Artist, Fiona Shiel.
Backbone, Hand drawn animation, 2022.
Backbone uncovers emotions we face around motherhood as we challenge ourselves and find our way through a demanding society. Exploring how we, as a society value this role of caregiver.
This animation was made as part of a socially engaged project and live performance. In collaboration with aerial artist Linda Cullen where we merged visual art with aerial dance and spoken word.
Backbone is a multidisciplinary performance exploring motherhood and the values we attach to caregiving—both personally and collectively. It delves into the fears, challenges, and quiet strength that shape this role.
Created in collaboration with Linda Cullen, the work weaves together visual art, spoken word, and aerial dance. Our different practices come together to form a unified, expressive piece.
From the beginning, we involved our community, gathering voices and experiences that often go unspoken in everyday life.
Our collaboration is ongoing, with research and development supported through residencies at Firkin Crane (Cork) and the Irish Aerial Creation Centre (Limerick) during 2024/2025.
Photo credit David Hegarty.
Backbone, The Performance, 2022.
Confliction, Hand drawn animation, 2020.
‘Contrasting personalities syncopate and escape each other. Dancing and repelling together as one.’
Collaboration with Linda Cullen. Linda preformed on the rope and I used this footage as inspiration for my hand drawn animation. Big thank you to Rosie Roccaforte for the experimental vocals.