Sean McKernan: UnExposed

About The Exhibition

As part of our exploration into the history of Northern Irish photography, we are delighted to present the work of Sean McKernan in our Archive Gallery. The photography of Sean McKernan, co-founder of Belfast Exposed, provides a powerful visual account of Northern Ireland’s turbulent history and its journey toward peace.

Spanning four decades, his work examines the challenges and resilience of a divided society, capturing moments that reveal both conflict and hope. This exhibition presents a selection of never-before-seen images and photographic sequences, providing a unique insight into McKernan's extensive archive.

By focusing on recurring themes and subjects, the exhibition highlights his deep engagement with the community and the complex layers of everyday life in Northern Ireland.

"I recently had the pleasure of revisiting Belfast Exposed's captivating archive of over a million images charting the past 40-plus years of Belfast's social, cultural, and political life. Having co-founded Belfast Exposed in 1983 with my friend Danny Burke and directed the project up to 2000, my core objective in this exhibition is to unearth a sample of my photographs never published, exhibited, or publicly exposed.

Although my visit only scratched the surface of this vast archive, it gave me an emotional glimpse into the past, allowing me to rediscover faces, places and moments that had long been forgotten. It also propelled me back to memories of more often disturbing than joyful events. Each 35mm frame is engrained with its own narrative, waiting to be uncovered and understood, its appeal transcending the mere aesthetic beauty of these images. This brief encounter with the archive evoked many feelings tinged with nostalgia, mystery, sadness and joy. I hope this exhibition takes you on a similar journey.

I extend my heartfelt thanks to Belfast Exposed for supporting this exhibition. I look forward to continuing to work with BX and the many contributors to the 1983-2000 archive as we further uncover and piece together the invaluable historical stories our photographs represent."

Sean McKernan