Mise en Abyme - Sharon Murphy

In November 2025 Golden Thread Gallery will be presenting a new exhibition by artist Sharon Murphy, curated by Sarah McAvera.

Drawing from her background in theatre and shaped by influences from psychoanalysis and magic realism, Murphy’s work delves into theatrical settings, captured in moments of quiet and stillness. Through recurring symbols such as curtains, deserted stages, and performative environments, she investigates the thin line between illusion and reality, presence and absence.

Murphy constructs layered visual narratives that are both captivating and unsettling. Her photographs intentionally reference Freud’s concept of the ‘uncanny,’ where the familiar takes on a strange, eerie quality, underscoring the inherently performative aspects of looking and being observed.

This solo exhibition represents a pivotal development in Murphy’s recent practice, and an exciting opportunity to work with Golden Thread Gallery curator Sarah McAvera, merging conceptual ideas with intensified attention to the sculptural qualities of the photographic image. Real and imagined spaces merge, drawing the viewer into realms that are both tangible and metaphorical.

Mise en Abyme is the third iteration of the exhibition, previously exhibited at the Irish Cultural Centre, Paris (curated by Nora Hickey M’Schili) and at Photo Museum Ireland (curated by Trish Lambe and Darren Campion). The exhibition at Golden Thread Gallery will include a new video work made in association with Belfast photographer Simon Mills.

References :

Centre Culturel Irlandais, Paris

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