Informed by theories of retrofuturism, this series of works address the tension between
the past and the future. This conflict is evident in the current era of post-truth politics in
which idealised versions of the past are offered up as aspirations for the future. Within
this narrative, debate is framed by appeals to personal beliefs rather than relying on fact.
At once enticing and grotesque, the gaudy sculptural forms project nostalgic visions of
the future. Adorned with sugary depictions of virtual realities and fictional landscapes, it
is as if we are imagining the future through the lens of the past.
The work examines the current discourse around authenticity. In times of uncertainty, we
find comfort in tradition. To sugar-coat the past, however, is to prevent the change
needed for a progressive future. - Leah Corbett
Leah Corbett is a visual artist from Tipperary currently living and working in
Utrecht, the Netherlands. In 2016 she graduated with a degree in Fine Art from
Crawford College of Art and Design where she was awarded the CIT Arts Fest
Prize and the Backwater Artist Group Ciaran Langford Memorial Bursary. On
completion of her residency with Backwater Artist Group, she was chosen to be
part of Public!: a multidisciplinary collaborative project lead by Rhona Byrne as
part of Quarter Block Party 2017. Most recently her work has been exhibited in
the James Barry Exhibition Centre as part of group show Doublethink. She is
currently working towards her first solo show which is scheduled for February
2018.