The light in Dhaka feels different to her, warmer and denser, alive with sound and movement. Oona Hyland, the Irish artist known for her experimental printmaking and sculptural work, has arrived from Dublin to immerse herself in the city's textures and rhythms. Between the hum of rickshaws, the scent of rain, and the tactile possibilities of ink and paper, she sees a landscape that challenges, inspires, and invites new forms of creation. "Every place teaches you something," she says with a calm smile, "and here, the learning feels alive."

Hyland has brought her journey of creative discovery from the rugged landscapes of northwest Ireland to the vibrant heart of Bangladesh. Currently in Dhaka for an artist residency between Ireland and Bangladesh from October 22 to November 10, she is exploring new ideas, materials and inspirations within the dynamic artistic environment of Gallery Cosmos. Her solo exhibition, titled 'An Duanaire : Visual Poems of the Dispossessed: From Donegal to Dhaka' will be hosted by Masud Khan, Honorary Consul of Ireland in Bangladesh, and inaugurated by Kevin Kelly, Ambassador of Ireland to Bangladesh, on Tuesday, November 4, from 5 pm to 8 pm at Garden Gallery Cosmos, House 23, Road 4, Baridhara, Dhaka. The exhibition will then continue at Gallery Cosmos, Cosmos Centre, 69/1, New Circular Road, Malibagh, from November 5 to 27, open daily from 10 am to 8 pm. In addition, the Department of Printmaking, Faculty of Fine Art, Dhaka University, with support from Gallery Cosmos, hosted a special lecture by the artist on Thursday at 12 pm, offering local students and professionals an opportunity to engage directly with her insights and practice.

In a candid conversation with Dhaka Courier, Oona Hyland spoke with calm conviction about her artistic philosophy, her fascination with cultural intersections, and her experience of working in Bangladesh.

"I feel very lucky to have been awarded this residency," she said. "I've done many residencies in the past, and each time I learn something new. It's important to keep challenging yourself. Working for a short period of time puts you under pressure, but it's good pressure because it makes you respond to the environment, the language, the culture, and the history."

She sees residencies as creative laboratories, immersive experiences that test and expand an artist's sensibility. For Hyland, this particular exchange between Ireland and Bangladesh carries a deeper historical resonance.

"There's been a long-standing connection between Ireland and Bangladesh," she reflected. "Rabindranath Tagore, who is so celebrated here, visited Dublin at the invitation of our national poet, W B Yeats. It's inspiring that two poets from different countries had such an influence the development of their countries and on each other."

Hyland's artistic path has always been defined by exploration. Decided to become an artist only at the age of four, Hyland earned a First-Class Honours degree in Fine Art from Wimbledon School of Art and a higher Diploma in Fine Art Printmaking from the Slade School of Art, University College London. After a teaching fellowship and residency at SACI Florence, where she received the Gillian Award, she moved to Belfast as printmaker in residence before settling in northwest Donegal. There, she established with Ian Joyce a print workshop, gallery and studios, and founded a training programme for local and cross border artists. "I was drawn to the local culture, which has a strong Irish language presence and a rich artistic background, with music and traditional crafts playing a key role," she said. "Those years setting up a print workshop, gallery and studios were very fulfilling."

About a decade ago, Hyland moved to Dublin to focus entirely on her own creative output, developing what she calls a very experimental approach to printmaking. "I see printmaking as both a medium and a source of inspiration," she explained. "When I create, I focus on the right materials and techniques to connect with the ideas behind my work. I work in many forms, especially sculpture recently, but print continues to be a major influence, from the earliest cave handprints to digital art today. I'm particularly interested in the tactile qualities of print, which I consider my strength."

Though she admits that her knowledge of Bangladeshi art was limited before coming here, Hyland has long admired Bengal's cultural depth through cinema and literature. "I am a lover of film having studied 16mm cinematography at BCFE in Dublin . I have watched the works of Satyajit Ray," she said. "Watching his films increased my awareness of Bengal's history and culture. I became particularly interested in the author Tagore after seeing Ray's films."

Her time in Dhaka, she said, has been "warm, generous and inspiring," adding that the facilities and team at Gallery Cosmos have offered both enthusiasm and comfort. "The gallery has been wonderful, welcoming and beautiful," Hyland said. "Sourav Chowdhury (Gallery Cosmos Artistic Director) and his team have been very helpful. The presses are excellent, and I'm really looking forward to making a lot of work. Workshops are particularly exciting because printmaking is social and collaborative, unlike painting, which can be insular. I'm always learning from others, and I hope to share knowledge that may be new to them. This exchange is mutually enriching, and giving, in a way, is the best way to receive."

Oona Hyland's distinguished career reflects an international journey of experimentation and exchange. A recipient of the Ernie O'Malley Award and the Emerging Artist Award from DLR Dublin, she was elected to the Royal Society of Painter Printmakers in London in 2021. Her work has been shown at the São Paulo Biennale in 2018, Onsaemiro in South Korea in 2019, the Venice Biennale collateral event in 2024, and venues such as TYPA Museum in Estonia, CfSHE Gallery in Tokyo, and with BKN at Supermarket Stockholm in 2023. She was awarded the Agility Award for Mokuhanga print training in Japan and most recently the Ushaw Residency and Acquisition Prize at the Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair in London. Hyland continues to work internationally, most recently presenting her solo exhibition Heart of Darkness in Turin, Italy, and Photography into Sculpture at Casa Regis in Biella. She is a member of the Graphic Studio Dublin and the global 9 Dragonheads artist collective.

Through her upcoming Dhaka exhibition, Hyland seeks to weave together the quiet poeticism of Donegal's coastline with the layered intensity of Bangladesh's urban and cultural landscape. Her visual poems speak not only of displacement but of connection, of the universal desire to create meaning across borders and languages. And as she continues her work in Dhaka, Oona Hyland stands as a reminder that art, like friendship, thrives most when it listens, exchanges and gives.