Seán Hillen
Encyclopedia
Seán Hillen is an artist
whose work includes collage
s and the creative use of photographs.
, County Down
, Northern Ireland
. He studied at the Belfast College of Art. In 1982, he traveled to London
to continue his studies at the London College of Printing, and then at the Slade School of Fine Art
.
and England
over the course of several years. He photographed scenes related to the conflict in Northern Ireland
. He later incorporated these photographs into photomontage
work. Eventually, he began to take photographs with the photomontage as his priority.
Many of these photomontages have lengthy, comical titles such as “Sr. Faustina Appears In London Newry, Miraculously Preventing The Illegal Photography Of Members Of The Security Forces...”. His works on Northern Ireland were published, appearing on the covers of Creative Camera and the Royal Photographic Journal. Taking photos of the Security Forces was, and is, technically illegal. Hillen often pretended to be part of the press
or “just an innocent art student”.
visuals, mixed with a fantastical other world. Most of these highly decorative collages, showing landmarks from around Ireland, are no bigger than a postcard.
These works are partly influenced by the famous picture postcards of John Hinde
. Hillen adapts these nostalgic images, juxtaposing the familiar touristic shots to create an altogether different and complex image.
The Irelantis series celebrates the imagery of Ireland. Hillen illustrates places such as Newgrange
, The Cliffs of Moher
, Trinity College
and O'Connell Street.
In addition to John Hinde, Hillen has been influenced by many other artists, including the great photomontage artist John Heartfield
. This influence can be seen especially in Hillen's more political montages of the Troubles
in Northern Ireland.
and art forms, including sculpture
, video, illustration, performance, stage and graphic design
.
His later activities include photo series such as the ongoing Untitled Broken Umbrella Project, which consists of hundreds of photos of broken umbrella
s around Dublin.
In 2007 Hillen won, with landscape architect Desmond Fitzgerald, the design competition for an Omagh Bomb Omagh bomb Memorial.
Hillen now lives and works in Dublin.
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
whose work includes collage
Collage
A collage is a work of formal art, primarily in the visual arts, made from an assemblage of different forms, thus creating a new whole....
s and the creative use of photographs.
Early life
Hillen was raised in NewryNewry
Newry is a city in Northern Ireland. The River Clanrye, which runs through the city, formed the historic border between County Armagh and County Down. It is from Belfast and from Dublin. Newry had a population of 27,433 at the 2001 Census, while Newry and Mourne Council Area had a population...
, County Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. He studied at the Belfast College of Art. In 1982, he traveled to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to continue his studies at the London College of Printing, and then at the Slade School of Fine Art
Slade School of Fine Art
The Slade School of Fine Art is a world-renownedart school in London, United Kingdom, and a department of University College London...
.
Early work
Hillen traveled back and forth between IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
over the course of several years. He photographed scenes related to the conflict in Northern Ireland
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
. He later incorporated these photographs into photomontage
Photomontage
Photomontage is the process and result of making a composite photograph by cutting and joining a number of other photographs. The composite picture was sometimes photographed so that the final image is converted back into a seamless photographic print. A similar method, although one that does not...
work. Eventually, he began to take photographs with the photomontage as his priority.
Many of these photomontages have lengthy, comical titles such as “Sr. Faustina Appears In London Newry, Miraculously Preventing The Illegal Photography Of Members Of The Security Forces...”. His works on Northern Ireland were published, appearing on the covers of Creative Camera and the Royal Photographic Journal. Taking photos of the Security Forces was, and is, technically illegal. Hillen often pretended to be part of the press
News media
The news media are those elements of the mass media that focus on delivering news to the general public or a target public.These include print media , broadcast news , and more recently the Internet .-Etymology:A medium is a carrier of something...
or “just an innocent art student”.
Irelantis
In 1993, Hillen returned to Ireland. Between 1994 and 1997, he created a new body of work entitled Irelantis. The Irelantis series is a collection of scalpel-and-glue collages. They are a bizarre hybrid of the everyday postcardPostcard
A postcard or post card is a rectangular piece of thick paper or thin cardboard intended for writing and mailing without an envelope....
visuals, mixed with a fantastical other world. Most of these highly decorative collages, showing landmarks from around Ireland, are no bigger than a postcard.
These works are partly influenced by the famous picture postcards of John Hinde
John Hinde (photographer)
John Wilfrid Hinde was an English photographer whose idealistic and nostalgic style influenced the art of postcard photography and was widely known for his meticulously planned shoots....
. Hillen adapts these nostalgic images, juxtaposing the familiar touristic shots to create an altogether different and complex image.
The Irelantis series celebrates the imagery of Ireland. Hillen illustrates places such as Newgrange
Newgrange
Newgrange is a prehistoric monument located in County Meath, on the eastern side of Ireland, about one kilometre north of the River Boyne. It was built around 3200 BC , during the Neolithic period...
, The Cliffs of Moher
Cliffs of Moher
The Cliffs of Moher are located in the parish of Liscannor at the south-western edge of the Burren area near Doolin, which is located in County Clare, Ireland....
, Trinity College
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
and O'Connell Street.
In addition to John Hinde, Hillen has been influenced by many other artists, including the great photomontage artist John Heartfield
John Heartfield
John Heartfield is the anglicized name of the German photomontage artist Helmut Herzfeld...
. This influence can be seen especially in Hillen's more political montages of the Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
in Northern Ireland.
Other works
Hillen has worked in other mediaMedia (arts)
In the arts, a media or medium is a material used by an artist or designer to create a work.-Architecture:In the art and science of architecture, the design and construction of buildings and interiors, infrastructure and other physical structures are created...
and art forms, including sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
, video, illustration, performance, stage and graphic design
Graphic design
Graphic design is a creative process – most often involving a client and a designer and usually completed in conjunction with producers of form – undertaken in order to convey a specific message to a targeted audience...
.
His later activities include photo series such as the ongoing Untitled Broken Umbrella Project, which consists of hundreds of photos of broken umbrella
Umbrella
An umbrella or parasol is a canopy designed to protect against rain or sunlight. The term parasol usually refers to an item designed to protect from the sun; umbrella refers to a device more suited to protect from rain...
s around Dublin.
In 2007 Hillen won, with landscape architect Desmond Fitzgerald, the design competition for an Omagh Bomb Omagh bomb Memorial.
Hillen now lives and works in Dublin.