Artist Oisín Tozer is preparing a fleeting exhibition titled "Yearn" as part of Phizzfest 2025, a local festival in Phibsborough, Dublin. The exhibition is held in his studio at Richmond Road Studios, located within the brutalist Phibsborough Tower. Tozer, a 2023 fine art graduate of TU Dublin, has carved a large orchid design directly into the wall, emphasizing site-specificity and impermanence. The show is part of Phizzfest's visual arts strand, which also includes Jim Donnelly's "The Walk to the Workhouse" and Eileen Ferguson's "Area C." Tozer's work draws on philosophers Gilles Deleuze, Félix Guattari, and Mark Fisher, exploring desire and the political potential of inaccessible, temporary art.
This exhibition matters because it highlights the growing trend of site-specific, ephemeral art that challenges traditional notions of permanence and marketability. Tozer's rapid rise—winning the R.C. Lewis-Crosby Award at IMMA and securing multiple residencies—signals a new generation of Irish artists engaging with political theory and local community festivals. The show also underscores the role of grassroots festivals like Phizzfest in providing platforms for emerging artists outside major institutions, fostering dialogue between contemporary art and local audiences.