Amanda Jane Graham
Amanda Jane Graham is an artist and sociologist, and her artworks emanate from the sociological gaze. The practice is autobiographical and autoethnographic. Graham narrates her story through a reflexive practice by digging deep into personal history to excavate memories, experiences, and emotions, some of which are challenging but rigorously scrutinised, and almost always, humour emerges. She articulates a personal audit through her visual language. The work adopts a playful approach to examining family histories and challenging social issues such as societal stigma, severe illness, and domestic abuse. These are addressed through references to humour in popular culture. The familiar imagery is key to penetrating the unconscious memory of the observer to create spontaneous reactions.
Graham uses everyday material culture to express personal experiences, and organic affiliations are formed between artist and viewer. In 2020 she completed an MLitt in interdisciplinary research at Maynooth University that combined fine art practice and sociology. Since leaving the National College of Art and Design in 2011 with a Master of Fine Arts degree, Graham has had fifteen solo shows and twenty-seven national and international group shows. The most recent solo exhibitions include 'Stage Left' at The Dock Arts Centre, Carrick-on-Shannon 2018/19, and 'A Tribute To The Irish Community Butte Montana 1916-1919' at RHA Ashford Gallery 2017. She receives numerous awards and commissions, including the Platform 31 Bursary Award 2022, Arts Council Awards, the Spark Residency Award 2020, and the Small Spark Award 2019 at the Hair and Beauty Industry Confederation (HABIC). In 2016 she was co-commissioned to write and perform a play for theatre called 'The Pram That Helped The Rising' for the Cavan 2016 centenary celebrations. In 2021 and 2016, Shannonside Northern Sound FM aired a documentary she wrote, performed and co-produced. She has been an invited speaker to public talks, and her work and research have been featured in many publications, including RTÉ Brainstorm and the Irish Times.
