Henshaw exhibition at the Chéad Tine Art Gallery in Kilkenny

​Artist Diane Henshaw brings ‘What the Land Remembers’ to Kilkenny this month.

The solo exhibition explores the connections between landscape, water and the natural world.

Curated by Mary Doyle, in association with Science Week Ireland and CALMAST, SETU, the exhibition explores our relationship with landscape, water and the natural world. Drawing on ideas from Jane Bennett’s writing on vibrant matter, Henshaw considers how land, plants, minerals and water shape the places we inhabit and the stories they hold.

Working with drawing, natural pigments, earth-derived materials and handmade inks, Henshaw incorporates materials gathered directly from the landscape. These include water collected from the ocean and land, alongside moisture extracted from plants. The materials become part of the artwork itself, creating a tangible connection between each piece and its natural source.

Alchemy is central to Henshaw’s artistic process, as natural materials are gathered, mixed and transformed through making. The exhibition also raises important questions around water guardianship and our shared responsibility to protect water as a vital resource, highlighting the connections between water, biodiversity and the health of our landscapes.

In keeping with Science Week Ireland 2026’s focus on water, What the Land Remembers invites visitors to look more closely at the natural processes that sustain life and reflect on how we can better care for the environments on which we depend.

The exhibition will officially launch at 6pm on Friday, 6 November. At 6.30pm, artist and curator Maurice Quillinan, from Limerick History Museum Gallery, will facilitate a Interview with artThist Diane Henshaw, offering visitors an opportunity to hear more about the ideas, materials and processes behind the work.

The exhibition offers a wonderful opportunity for the Kilkenny community to engage with contemporary art, creativity and environmental science through the lens of our relationship with water and the natural world.

The exhibition runs at An Chéad Tine Art Gallery at the First Floor, Dunnes Stores on Kieran Street until November 30.