Artists & Photographers from Cork and Shanghai responded with their Art in terms of colour , street life, architecture, people , vision and culture
Cork and Shanghai have been twinned since 2005, with the goal of fostering cultural, economic, and educational ties. Recent developments include a visit by the Lord Mayor of Cork in November 2024 to strengthen business and health links, and tree-planting ceremonies in May 2025 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of their friendship.
This is a group exhibition of captured images that draw from different techniques some depicting real-life circumstances some more from vivid imagination.
Steeped in symbolism, the clusters of photographic works represent the continuous movement of life.
Some images draw on irony while others are a literal interpretation of life in these cities.
Overall, the exhibition invites the viewer to reflect on their lives and how no matter where you spend time.
The exhibition runs in the Glucksman Foyer Exhibition Space from the 7th of October until until Sunday 19th of October 2025
The exhibition will continue in the gallery space of CORK ETB Douglas Street campus from 1st November to 1st December
Harry Moore
Cork – Shanghai – Celebrating 20 years of friendship When I visited Shanghai I was fascinated by the way the small shops, often under tall buildings used for other functions, spread into the pavements. Yhe pinhole long exposures give a sense of the presence of proprietors and customers but it is the products they sell that dominate visually. The glaring exception was in the Apple outlet
Virginia Giglio
“Street Bitz” Mixed media found objects on the streets of Cork
Virginia Giglio lives in Cork where she is a full-time artist and musician. Concert Manager of the Cork Light Orchestra with whom she is a vocal soloist, she also plays flute, Irish traditional flute and Native American flute with the Elemental Duo. Her art includes drawings, collages, paper, recycled art, and digital graphic design. She is Artist in Residence at Shandon Studios for 2025.
Cork – Shanghai
Twin Cities / Rising Flowers
Eoin Mac Cárthaigh:
A series of photos I took in May of this year, when the local visual artist and activist known as Welly Boot (real name Helen) decided to do a fund raiser for Palestine by having her head shaved, in public, at the Quay Co-Op, Cork. Helen had recently been diagnosed with cancer. Rather than have her hair fall out, as a result of the chemotherapy, Helen decided to go with the look, in advance and raise some money for Palestine in the process.
Jason Butler
My visual art is usually in the form of paintings of poetic reflections ranging from delicate to humorous and based on the modern aesthetic.
IMy digital art is part of my exploration as a painter to advance my personal language because of its urgency
Jason is an artist and musician and his work often explores a visual representation of music
Mary P O Connor
Multi Media artist / Photographer
Mary P O Connor studied at the Crawford College of Art Cork and the Royal College of Art London. She has exhibited widely in Europe and the USA and her work is held in many private and public collections. She has received numerous awards both for Art & Photography including from GPA ( Guinness Peat Aviation), Elizabeth T Greenshields, Madame Tussauds, RHA ( Royal Hibernian Academy) & RA ( Royal Academy)
Mary is represented by Treadwells Gallery in Vienna & Berlin and Pyms Gallery in London. Marys work has always been concerned with social and political themes and pushing her audience to react. In 2007 she became a Buddhist nun and her work has gradually become more reflective, concerned more with inner emotions, change making and sense of place within the broader human family. Her spiritual practice feeds into her artistic practice & visa versa
” The Rugby Match “: it was the last 10 minutes of the game and it was v a very close thing…. Munster won.
Head Space Series 2025 : Photography/ Painting /Mixed media “Headspace 1,” “Headspace 02 ” & “Headspace 03 – And we watched Gaza starve “
Street Life Series: Hi B bar, Streets of cork, St Anthonys National School, Christ the King School, Owenahincha Beach & St Colemans with Inma Pavon
Martin Duggan
Photographer, Local historian and Shandon Street trader, Martin is a second generation cobbler who grew up on Shandon street and has operated his shoe repair shop on the street for many years and documented the lives and stories of the local population building up a historical record of Shandon through the years. He is a multi award winning photographer.
KT Murray
KT Murray is a visual artist and a CCAD graduate whose practice, originated with the traditional media of drawing, painting and print. It quickly progressed to the use of mixed media, cycling into multimedia via the photo/video essay and the realisation of a characteristic recurring pattern;
Katie Murray’s practice is situation specific and preoccupied with performative journey.
It uses a myriad of media and platforms as required.
‘Last piece of Green’ was part of a project exploring borderlands and crossings: places where the footfall of cultures collide.
The piece refers to Gezi Park: the only piece of green left in central Istanbul, as it had been earmarked for construction projects initiating protests by Istanbul civilians. The photo was taken late evening of a Turkish woman enjoying the last rays of the day
‘Theres a horse outside’ Heir island
This piece was part of the documentation of a performative journey called Rite of passage which entailed the artist hitching lifts on various vessels along the inhabited west coast islands without returning to the mainland while exploring the depth of community and the independence of outliers.
Cllr Kieran McCarthy
Cllr Kieran McCarthy visited Shanghai as Lord Mayor of Cork several times and was fascinated by the combination of new and old architecture
Kieran McCarthy is a born and bred Cork City man. Growing up in Ballinlough he developed a great love for his hometown and today remains dedicated to promoting the past, present and future of this city and region.
After attending Colaiste Chríost Rí, Kieran went on to study Archaeology and Geography at University College Cork. On completing his Joint Honours BA degree, he went on to undertake a Masters in Geography. Even after devoting four years to furthering his knowledge of the city, Kieran wasn’t satisfied to leave his love of all things Cork and has completed a PhD on the River Lee Valley and the importance of remembering, collective memory, identity and protecting our historic landscapes.
Wang Chen
Wang Chen, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor currently teaching in the Visual Communication Design program at Shanghai University. She serves as the head of the Nano Silver Plate Imaging Studio and is a member of The Royal Photographic Society (RPS). With twenty-five years of deep dedication to photography creation and education, her research focuses on surreal visual photography and classical imaging. Her photographic practice is rooted in the “New Documentary School,” skillfully integrating the emotional expression of subjective documentary. Her works exhibit both a delicate, warm visual texture and profound humanistic reflection. Guided by the core philosophy that “images erect monuments for memory,” she specializes in using the camera as a medium to connect the subtle trajectories of individual destinies with the macroscopic fabric of era development. Her representative work “Prosperity” has garnered widespread attention in the industry for its unique narrative perspective.
Fion Gunn
www.fiongunn.org | Instagram: @gunnfion | YouTube: FionGunn
Fion Gunn is a London-based Diaspora Irish artist with an international practice in 2D, 3D, new media and immersive installation. Her socially engaged work combines cross-cultural, intergenerational and interdisciplinary collaboration, underpinned by a commitment to accessible, co-created experiences. She was the first Irish artist commissioned for a public sculpture in China (Zhangjiakou) and first Artist in Residence at the Institute of Irish Studies, University of Liverpool.
2 panels from the larger work one is Shanghai one is Cork
Kim-Ling Morris
Starting life in the UK, Kim-Ling Morris has lived in Africa and South-East Asia then in Europe as an adult before settling in Cork, Ireland. Although a Biochemical Engineer for nearly 20 years, Morris developed her art practice in parallel. She began with sculpture in Leamington Spa, UK, continuing at the École Duperré, Paris, France, also exhibiting in France. She has gained her Fine Art Textiles Special Purpose Award at CIT Crawford College of Art & Design in Cork, Ireland, where she has exhibited nationally. In 2011, Kim-Ling Morris became one of three co-founding directors of Sample-Studios where she now retains the role of financial manager. She is a member and Treasurer of the Cork Textiles Network and is on the board of the Design and Craft Council of Ireland.
PDF for interactive collaboration with Shanghai artist click here
Geoff Spiers
Geoff is a painter and digital artist who has been based in Cork since 2001. His work, described by the science fiction writer JG Ballard, as “very striking and original”, explores the landscape of human nature, sometimes literally, In a world where the media is omnipresent and in which we are constantly
under surveillance or scrutiny and increasingly isolated from each other and our true nature.
Francis Bacon’s abstract figuration, William Burroughs’ cut-ups, Ballard’s dystopian futures, Max Ernst’s surrealism and Warhol’s serial pop imagery simmer beneath the surface of Spiers’ colourful images.
In late 2022 Geoff opened the Laneway Gallery in Shandon with the aim of not only showing his own work, but also as an independent space to show and promote other local and national artists work.
lwww.lanewaygallery.ie @lanewaygalleryireland @art.spiers
Don Samec
Don Antoine Samec, aka Poetonic, a mixed media artist working with collage to explore resilience, identity, and rebirth. Born in California, raised in France, and now based in Cork, I approach collage like Kintsugi-breaking and reassembling images to create something new.
With a master’s in cinematography specializing in film editing, I’ve taken my love for assembling pictures in a different direction, orienting myself towards analog collage techniques. Since moving to Cork over three years ago, I’ve extensively photographed its urban landscape, using these images as collage material. The city keeps being an endless source of inspiration. My work has been exhibited in Corsica, Las Vegas, New York, and Seattle, with collaborations including Superchief Gallery, Dam Zine, and JRNY Gallery.
Henry O Brien
Henry O’ Brien is a renowned photographer based in Cork City, celebrated for his captivating images of landscapes, seascapes, nature, cityscapes, light painting, astrophotography, and portraiture. With a deep connection to his hometown, Henry is a noted chronicler of Cork City and its picturesque surrounds, skillfully capturing its essence through his lens. Highly sought after as a wedding and event photographer, he brings creativity and precision to every occasion. Henry is particularly accomplished in using flash photography to illuminate stunning night shots, creating dramatic and unforgettable visuals.
- OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
- OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
- OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Sheena Crowley
These photos were taken on my phone between 2024 and 2026. I am an amateur artist/musician and I love to delve into all mediums of expression as often as possible. I mostly share my work on social media. I immediately thought of nature when I saw the ‘Architecture’ theme as I think the Golden Ratio has to be the best representation of architecture there is but it could just as easily be ‘Vision’ because nature is like a vision of heaven on earth.
Sheena is a well known figure in the music industry running Crowleys Music shop and was responsible for returning Rory Gallaghers guitar to his homeland
YUWU SHAN
My name is Yuwu Shan, an entrepreneur based in Ireland and Director of Innolife Beauty Ltd. I serve as General Secretary of the Chinese Business Association in Cork and General Secretary of the Shanghai University Alumni Association in Ireland, actively promoting business, education, and cultural exchange between China and Ireland. I am actively engaged in education and cultural exchange through the Ireland-China Culture Education Centre, where I help organize language and cultural immersion programs for young students from China and Irish students to China. I am also passionate about sustainable living, landscape design, and cross-cultural collaboration.
Wang Shuozhong
Dr. Wang, Shuozhong, was a professor of Shanghai University before his retirement. He graduated from Peking University, China, and received his PhD degree from the University of Birmingham, UK. He was an experienced researcher in image and information technology, and has published many papers, and nine books including two on post-processing of digital photograph. Dr. Wang was a hobbyist of photography early in the era of film, and later closely followed the rapid progress of digital techniques. As an image processing researcher, he has a unique point of view towards the on-site shooting and post-editing. He loves nature and the city he has ever lived. After retiring, Dr. Wang enjoyed traveling all around and taking photos of the beautiful scenery and human activities. He shares his works with people through the internet and lecturing, with much appreciation from his fans.
CORK & SHANGHAI
- On September 30, 2018, the 2018 Presentation Ceremony of Shanghai “Magnolia Gold Award” was held in Shanghai, where Patrick Ledwidge, Deputy City Administrator and Director of Strategic Planning and Economic Development of Cork City, took a group photo with some guests.
- On May 28, 2010, the Lord Mayor of Cork, Dara MurphyIreland, took a photo in front of the sister cities connection map at the Ireland Pavilion.
- On May 26, 2010, Dara Murphy, Lord Mayor of Cork, visited the kindergarten section of Jianqing Experimental School.
- On May 28, 2025, Dan Boyle, then Lord Mayor of Cork City, attended the tree-planting ceremony commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Shanghai-Cork sister city relationship.
- On May 28, 2025, Dan Boyle, then Lord Mayor of Cork City, attended the tree-planting ceremony commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Shanghai-Cork sister city relationship.
- In November 2024, a delegation from Cork City visited Shanghai, with Dan Boyle, then Lord Mayor of Cork City, leading the delegation to observe the China International Import Expo, accompanied by Ou Boren, Irish Ambassador to China, and Mo Dawei, Irish Consul General in Shanghai. The delegation also visited Xinjing Fifth Village and Xinjing Sixth Village in Changning District, Shanghai.
- On May 29, 2025, Dan Boyle, then Lord Mayor of Cork City, attended the World Mayors’ Dialogue · Shanghai and the 2025 Shanghai International Sister Cities Cooperation Forum and delivered a speech.
- In November 2024, Dan Boyle, then Lord Mayor of Cork City, led a delegation to Shanghai to observe the China International Import Expo.
- On May 28, 2010, the Lord Mayor of Cork, Ireland, took a photo in front of the sister cities connection map at the Ireland Pavilion.
- In November 2024, a delegation from Cork City visited Xinjing Fifth Village, Changning District, Shanghai.
- During the COVID-19 pandemic in June 2020, the gift of five ventilators from Ruijin Hospital to Cork University Hospital was facilitated by the Shanghai Foreign Affairs Office.
At the Opening ceremony
Thank you to the photographers : Martin Duggan, Lyuwu Shan & Henry O Brien for capturing the event and the atmosphere on the day
Cork – Shanghai 2017
On Monday 25th September 2017, H.E. Dr. Yue Xiaoyong, Chinese Ambassador to Ireland, met with Cllr. Tony Fitzgerald, Lord Mayor of Cork. They exchanged views on China-Ireland cooperation in sub-national level and Shanghai Cork twining-ship.