Flow - Shannon Estuary 2023-2100 - Rising Tides, Changing Shores - Exhibition by Carl Cordonnier

To mark the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement on climate change, the French Embassy in Ireland, in association with Irish and French partners, including the Arts Office of Clare County Council, presents FLOW, an artistic documentary project about the evolution of coastal landscapes in the face of rising sea levels.

FLOW, combines photography, projection mapping, soundscape, and workshops to raise awareness of climate issues.

Created by French photographer Carl Cordonnier, FLOW explores the impact of rising waters in Ireland’s Shannon Estuary and France’s Baie de Somme, based on scientific forecasts from Climate Central and confirmed in Ireland by the Office of Public Works (OPW).

For the past two years, Cordonnier has explored the Shannon estuary, following the potential path of the water from today’s coastline to its possible future, producing two visual cartographies that mirror French and Irish territories at risk. At the intersection of photography and moving image, the work challenges our perceptions of territory and our ability to anticipate its transformation.

Visitors will experience a poetic visual immersion, with video mapping projected onto suspended fabric sails, evoking the movement of the estuary’s shifting shores. The Irish series also highlights the role of women encountered along the estuary in positions of protection and surveillance of the territory.

Complementing the visuals, a specially commissioned soundscape by Hugo Cordonnier, inspired by local and international voices of women and landscapes, features violinist Madalina Obreja (France) and Clare harpist Astrid Adler. The digital installation, co-created with French artist Sandra Suire, explores contemporary uses of photography and AI, it is eco-designed, participatory, and adaptable to diverse contexts.

Workshops in photography and digital arts will invite participants to imagine their territory in 2100. Their contributions will be integrated into a wider European project.

FLOW is a creation of Dailylife, presented in association with the French Embassy in Ireland, the Hunt Museum, Gerald Griffins Community Centre, Kerry Writer’s Museum, Cultúrlann Sweeney, Kilkee, and Súil Gallery, Ennis, with the support of the Institut Français, the Hauts-de-France Region, and the City of Cayeux-sur-Mer.

Special thanks to the Office of Public Works (OPW), Kerry County Council, Clare County Council, and the people of the Shannon Estuary for their support and involvement.

FLOW will be presented from 2 to 31 October 2025 at the following partner venues:

• The Hunt Museum, Limerick
• Gerald Griffins Community Centre, Loughill (Co. Limerick)
• Kerry Writer’s Museum, Listowel (Co. Kerry)
• Cultúrlann Sweeney, Kilkee (Co. Clare)
• Súil Gallery, Ennis (Co. Clare)

 Images are available online in the article or on request