Seminars coming up in February at the Critical Academy
Check these fantastic seminars coming up at the Critical Academy form February…
![Jake here again! Today, I’m sharing my graduate project, ‘The Destructive Comfort of a Thinking Machine’, which was exhibited at Ulster University in Belfast last year.
This project documents my hometown, Keady, exploring how the comfort of familiarity has negatively shaped my thinking. The images capture urban environments at night—nature pushing through concrete, empty alleyways, phone booths, and a faceless, shaved-head figure. This fictionalised narrative is based on true events, visualising the disoriented perspective of someone consumed by obsessive thoughts, yet finding clarity in the physical world. Growth.
At the start of this project, I turned to spirituality in an effort to reshape my conditioned mind. By the end, I felt like an entirely different person. Photography became a way to not only understand the philosophy of my mind and its connection to my surroundings but also to slow down my thoughts. It allowed me to see what was in front of me rather than just think about it. This realisation led me to present the work as a photobook—an interactive experience that requires the viewer to engage with the images at a slower, more intentional pace.
The exhibition features three large matte-printed images and a vinyl strip of images displayed on a grey wall. The dark tones mirror the nighttime setting, immersing the viewer in an atmosphere of isolation. Yet, within the darkness, light emerges—representing transformation and healing. Keady, a place I’ve known all my life, became a guide, revealing answers to my overthinking cycles and helping me see myself as inseparable from nature.
All images shown are from ‘The Destructive Comfort of a Thinking Machine’ (2024).
[This post is part of a series of RADAR Artist takeovers. The current takeover is by artist Jake Hughes]](https://photoireland.org/apps/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)
