My painting explores ideas relating to distance and dislocation, both in terms of geological timelines, our position within them, and in terms of displacement and migration in a time of great uncertainty. Informed by climate emergency and environmental concern, my work references geographical phenomena and meteorological data. I have recently been developing work from a found archive of 19th century glass slides of Glaciers that have now retreated.
Selma Makela is a visual artist of both Finnish and Turkish Cypriot descent, born in London and based in County Galway, Ireland. She graduated form GMIT Galway in 2007 with a First Class Honours in Fine Art. She has been the recipient of multiple awards including The Arts Council Ireland 2022/2021/2017, Centre Culturel Irlandais Paris 2022, Leitrim Sculpture Centre 2017, Galway Arts Office 2022/2020, The Model Sligo 2017. She was also awarded a residency by Fogo Island Arts, Fogo Island Newfoundland 2011 and awarded a Fleck Fellowship to the Banff Centre in Canada in 2010.
Solo exhibition: When the birds gather, you know there is something you must do, The Ashford RHA Dublin March 2024 (Upcoming) . Previous Solo Shows include Future Haunting The Whitaker Museum and Art, Rossendale, West Yorkshire 2022, Bystander The Model 2017, Magnetic North Galway Arts Centre 2014, Cosmic Ray Weather Station PEER, London 2012, Sound Travels Farther in The Cold PEER London 2010.
Selected Group Exhibitions: Detroit Stockholm 2022, Interface Galway 2022, RHA Dublin 2021, Gerald Moore London 2020 Pollen Belfast, Creekside Open London 2019, Galway Arts Centre 2018, 9A Projects UK 2018, Barbican Arts Trust 2017, RWA UK 2017
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