I am an Irish born illustrator and street artist and have recently begun a nationwide project entitled 'Our Nation's Sons'. My work addresses the entrenched social issue; that there exists a generation of young males in Ireland who have been pushed to the fringes of society, and who have been left feeling neglected and /or apathetic. With emigration, mental health issues, youth unemployment and suicide at the door of most Irish households, I chose not to live in a country where any young man is left behind.
The large-scale portraits, which I install within urban environments, provoke the passerby in as much as they question the social and media representation of a whole generation of young Irish men. Their purpose is to activate a community into addressing their own participation with the young men of their village, town or city. My project enlists groups of young men from across ireland and gives focus to their challenges, but ultimately showcases their potential.
