A challenging time for so many and yet, in spite of these circumstances, Jialin has had tremendous success since graduation from the BA (Hons) Photography programme, where she received a First-Class Honours degree.
Jialin was shortlisted and then won the Inspirational Arts Award in Photography, an all-Ireland student graduate award, and then subsequently was one of the three winners of the inaugural, Gallery of Photography Graduate Development Award 2020. Jialin was then included in the 50 People To Watch in 2021: The Best Young Talent in Ireland by The Irish Times in January of this year.
Her graduate project, Red Illuminates, was published by The Library Project this summer and Jialin was also selected by PhotoIreland as one of five photographic artists to represent Ireland as part of FUTURES, a cross-European platform connecting artists with contemporary photography institutions. Jialin travelled to Amsterdam this past September to attend and present as part of the network at UNSEEN, an annual international art fair for contemporary photography, held in the Dutch capital.
More recently, her project was exhibited at The Library Project in Dublin and is currently to be seen as a solo exhibition at The Courthouse Gallery in County Clare as a result of Jialin being also awarded their Graduate Exhibition Award. Jialin reflects on what has been a momentous year:
“Each award leads me to different opportunities, with the Courthouse gallery graduate exhibition award, I’ve had my first solo exhibition, with the Inspirational Arts photography award, I’ve got my first publication with The Library Project. Graduate development awards from the Gallery of Photography Ireland supported me at all levels in the first year as a professional artist after graduation, and FUTURES is a platform to connect artists with contemporary photography institutions across Europe.”
Her latest work is a project commissioned by The Creative Ireland/ Dublin City Council Arts Office around the theme of diversity, which challenges stereotyped views of the Chinese community in Dublin. Jialin is also a recipient of the Visual Arts Bursary Award and Agility Award from the Arts Council of Ireland.
Further information available on Jialin’s website.