A Hand In Nature

Craft NI is delighted to announce ‘A Hand In Nature’ will run at Craft NI Gallery May 7 – June 26, 2026!

After a successful exhibition at the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks in Dublin last year, nine talented silversmiths and jewellers will now share with NI audiences innovative works which highlight the connection between the natural world and the art of making.

The exhibition features new contemporary art metalwork and jewellery that honour the elements and ecosystems that make their existence possible. Silversmith Eva Lynch coined the term Anthropoware to describe objects that are designed to remind us of our inextricable connection to the natural world. Through use of materials, design aesthetic, function or underlying narrative these objects tell a story about the ecological and cultural impact of their development.

Alongside Lynch, eight prominent makers also responded to the theme: NI silversmiths Cara Murphy and Stuart Cairns; Irish artists Eimear Conyard, Clodagh Molloy, Cecilia Moore, Cara Murphy, Cóilín Ó Dubhghaill, Angela O’Kelly, and also welcoming Wales-based Finnish maker Rauni Higson. Their pieces challenge the viewer to think beyond the object and to consider the impact of their material choices.