Cian Dayrit

Cian Dayrit’s interdisciplinary practice subverts the language and workings of institutions such as the state, museums, and the military to understand and visualize the contradictions these platforms and formats are built upon. Through sculpture, multimedia, and participatory practices, he explores colonialism and ethnography, archaeology, history, and mythology. His countermapping works, often realized through embroidery, textile, and mixed media collages, plot the patterns of imperialism and feudalism in activities such as the extraction of natural resources and the displacement and exploitation of marginalized populations. Through narratives that expose the inner workings of imperial power, Dayrit’s work invites us to reconsider how we spatially perceive and interpret the world. At the same time, the works summon new imaginaries that recognize the overlapping struggles and periods of resistance.