In a ‘booming’ economy marked by widespread homelessness, ‘The Boom is Back’ quietly captures the absurd exploitation facing ‘Generation Rent’ by playing with the increasingly impermanent concept of ‘home’ in contemporary Ireland. It challenges viewers to reconsider their own definitions of ‘home’ and to reflect on the societal value placed on an individual’s life.
Award-winning filmmaker and photographer, Greg Byrne, presents his debut photography exhibition, ‘The Boom is Back,’ at The Bank at The Digital Hub on James’s Street, Dublin 8. Running from September 27th to 29th 2024, the exhibition comprises 8 large-scale photographs that depict a catalogue of increasingly bizarre items for auction, found objects that Byrne discovered upon moving into his rented apartment. The show plays with the increasingly impermanent concept of ‘home’ in contemporary Ireland, and questions the value our society places on an individual human life amid a housing and homeless emergency this domestic existence.
Byrne says, “The essence of my series aims to challenge the very concept of ‘home’ in Ireland in 2024. In a nation boasting an €8.4 billion budget surplus, the housing crisis and rising homelessness are not mere accidents of fate—they are the consequences of intentional policy decisions. Through these images, I invite you to reflect: Can a space ever truly be yours when the presence of those who lived there before still lingers? Can a house feel like a home when the shadow of eviction is always looming? What does “home” mean when ownership is out of reach and security in renting is uncertain?”
The opening reception takes place on September 27th, 2024, from 7.00pm to 11.00pm, featuring a drinks reception, interactive installs and DJ till late. Admission to the exhibition is free, with donations encouraged to support local housing charities which will be available via scannable QR codes found throughout the venue.
The Bank at The Digital Hub James’s Street, Dublin D08 C2PR
