Winterage 2023 — Diane Magee

Winterage has been practiced by Burren farmers for thousands of years, it’s the seasonal movement of livestock to the Burren uplands in late October. Despite the tough climate the limestone winter pastures retain heat allowing ample grazing. These winter grazing systems have been scientifically proven to be critical to the survival of the Burren’s flora and fauna. For all the barrenness of the landscape, the Burren holds around 75% of Ireland’s biodiversity. ‘The paintings you see in this Winterage collection aren’t reality but the artist’s own multiverse, darker than her previous work, more of a dreamscape – like residual images we sometimes carry into real life in the spilt second of waking.’