Alice Maher explores patriarchal structures and female resistance in Irish art

Alice Maher is creating large-scale drawings of Sibyls, ancient female prophets, reflecting current global uncertainty. Her work frequently features hair as a motif, which she views as a material of power tied to identity and emotion. In the 1990s, during the Northern Ireland conflict, she collected hair from Belfast and Cork salons to construct "Keep," a tower of braids symbolizing connection. Hair's political dimensions are evident in acts like Sinéad O'Connor's shaving or Iranian women's protests. Maher associates excessive hair with monstrous femininity, referencing figures like Rapunzel and Mélisande. With Rachel Fallon, she spent three years hand-stitching "The Map" (2021), a textile sculpture examining Mary Magdalene's legacy and the Catholic Church's control in Ireland, including Magdalene Laundries where women were imprisoned. The map uses satire and beauty to address trauma, naming places like Slag Island after derogatory terms for women. Maher notes Ireland's abortion ban until 2018 and ongoing global struggles over women's bodies. Her materials, such as thorns and nettles, are foraged from ditches, representing resistance against marginalization. She draws parallels between silenced female voices and the suppression of the Irish language.