Guth na nDaoine

Guth na nDaoine is a narrative-driven print developed in collaboration with then-presidential nominee Catherine Connolly, exploring themes of public voice, representation and collective agency through a fine art lens.

The work responds to a presidential campaign context and is anchored by the phrase “Guth na nDaoine” (Irish for Raising your Voice”). The central challenge was to translate an abstract concept of voice into a visual form that felt assertive and emotionally resonant, while remaining inclusive and grounded in Catherine's campaign.

The piece combines hand-drawn illustration, digitalised with layered screen-printed mono-prints, using colour, texture and composition to build a strong visual presence. These printed layers act as both structure and expression, allowing linework and form to emerge organically. The composition centres on a forward-facing figure, suggesting confidence, resolve and attentiveness, while typography (letterpressed) and image are treated as interdependent elements rather than separate components.

Produced as a fine art print, the work sits between political communication and cultural artefact. It reflects a design approach that values materiality, authorship and visual clarity, and draws on the long histories of screen print and letterpress as tools of mass communication and dissent. By combining these processes, the work positions illustration and print as active instruments for public dialogue, rather than solely as campaign materials.