Sheila Gaffney – Embodied Dreaming exhibition catalog

Sheila Gaffney’s retrospective exhibition Embodied Dreaming is currently on display at the Blenheim Walk Gallery, Leeds Arts University, from October 4, 2024, to January 11, 2025. Curated by Marianna Tsionki, the exhibition showcases a diverse range of Gaffney’s works, including sculptures, drawings, video installations, and previously unseen models, emphasizing the importance of the creative process in her artistic practice. The exhibition draws inspiration from Gaffney’s doctoral thesis on psychoanalyst Christopher Bollas’ concept of “embodied dreaming,” exploring themes of identity, gender, and memory.

The exhibition is accompanied by an essay written by Griselda Pollock, offering a theoretical perspective on Gaffney’s central themes. The publication, edited by Christopher Sand-Iversen and Marianna Tsionki, was printed by Northend Print and published by Really Simple Syndication Press. Pollock’s essay delves into how Gaffney’s work bridges craft with psychoanalytic theories of embodiment and self-construction, presenting a rich intersection of practice and theory.

The publication’s design incorporates the typefaces Silvana Text and Fusion, developed by Blaze Type. Printed on Fedrigoni paper, it reflects the tactile engagement Gaffney has with her materials, enhancing the conceptual depth of her work. This thoughtful publication design highlights the materiality central to Gaffney’s art, offering an intellectual and aesthetic framework for interpreting her oeuvre.