Mary A. Fitzgerald

Mary A. Fitzgerald is a Lecturer in the Department of Art and Design at the National College of Art and Design (NCAD) in Dublin. Her practice spans printmaking, painting, video, and installation, with a focus on perceptual experiences and the interplay between memory, reality, and abstraction. She collaborates frequently with artist Marc Reilly, exploring collaborative works and site-specific installations.

Education: Fitzgerald holds a B.A. in Fine Art from Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology (1989) and an M.A. in Fine Art from NCAD (2004). Her research investigates drawing's broader role in shaping meaning through spatial and sensory engagement, often integrating public contexts and presentation devices.

Research Interests: Her work interrogates how personal history and sensory experience alter perception, creating 'new realities' that blur literal and emotional spaces. Key themes include narrative archeology, the tension between revelation and concealment in art, and the transformation of materials and spaces. Collaborations with Marc Reilly have produced notable projects like Silver, Silver and Gold (2015), a stop-motion animation integrating light, sound, and 3D structures.

Awards & Residencies: Recipient of the Arts Council Visual Arts Bursary and Professional Development Grant, Fitzgerald has held residencies at Clo Ceardlann (Donegal), Heinrich Böll Foundation, and Cill Riallig. Her work is featured in major collections including Trinity College Dublin, OPW, and Microsoft Ireland.

Exhibitions & Projects: Notable shows include Quantum Leap (2015 Foundation Arts Festival), the Enniskillen Visual Arts Open (2016), and Artisterium in Tbilisi (2013-2014). She contributed to the public art project The Home Project under Breaking Ground’s Percent for Art scheme in Ballymun.

Professional Affiliations: Member of the Black Church Print Studio (former board member/chair), Artist Panel at IMMA, and the Artists in Prison scheme. Her work emphasizes community engagement and site-responsive art practices.