WESTERN FRONT – Cirrus

A dramatic painting of a tiger attacking a buffalo, biting its neck as the buffalo raises its head in distress. Another buffalo is partially visible in the background, surrounded by tall grass and bamboo, under a dusky sky.

Western Front is pleased to present a solo exhibition by the Irish Canadian artist-filmmaker Holly Márie Parnell. Rooted in a documentary approach and shaped by personal encounters, Parnell’s work explores ideas around connection and estrangement in our present moment. The exhibition features a debut of Cirrus (2025), a new two-channel video work, accompanied by a live video performance on opening night (details here).

Named after the slender sensory appendage found on various animals—used to grasp, feed, anchor, or navigate without sight—Cirrus traverses an interior landscape shaped by the perspectives of artists Min Kim and Mia Wennerstrand. Set between two European capitals hollowed out by late capitalism, Cirrus immerses viewers in the affective atmosphere of today. It asks: What does it mean to be an artist in a time of economic disparity, cultural malaise, and political impotence?

As cityscapes shift like changing theatre backdrops, a quiet dialogue emerges between screen and spectator—where the simple acts of watching, listening, and waiting create a subtle architecture of connection. In this space, Min’s intimate correspondences reveal stories of mysterious creatures—moles, lemurs, pink fairy armadillos—tracing her own animal attunement around a felt absence. In contrast, Mia’s voice arrives as a spectral transmission: a fragmented lecture broadcast across an empty theatre, deserted dance floor, abandoned theme park, and classroom, asking: “Who talks anymore? Who listens anymore?”

Cirrus is thirty-three minutes in duration played on a continuous loop. Visitors are welcome to enter and exit the gallery at any time.

Performances and texts: Min Kim and Mia Wennerstrand
Director: Holly Márie Parnell
Composer and Sound Design: Mia Wennerstrand
Additional sound (bells): Ellen Virman
Advisor: Ane Lopez
Translator: Annika Norvik
Poster Design: Panos Barras

A person wearing a blue shirt lies curled up on an empty theater stage, facing away from the camera. The auditorium is dark and empty, with rows of unoccupied maroon seats and stage lights casting a dim glow.

A person with short black hair faces a wall featuring a large, detailed image of a tarantula. Their head is turned away from the camera, almost blending into the spider’s body due to the perspective and lighting.

About the Artist

Holly Márie Parnell is an Irish Canadian artist-filmmaker based between the United Kingdom and County Wexford, Ireland. Working in film and expanded cinema, her practice looks at ideas around connectedness and the ways in which fundamental needs are being threatened and eroded within our current economic and institutional frameworks. She is an alumnus of Film London’s FLAMIN Fellowship and an MFA graduate of the Slade School of Fine Art, London.

Accessibility

Western Front’s gallery is a ground-floor, wheelchair-accessible space with a partially accessible all-gender bathroom.

What to expect: The exhibition includes films with sound presented in a darkened screening room with seating.

Alternative formats: The films include captions.

Further details about visiting and accessibility at Western Front can be found here.

Acknowledgements

Cirrus is commissioned by Western Front, Vancouver, with support from the Arts Council, Ireland; Canada Council for the Arts; and the Audain Foundation.

Holly Márie Parnell, still from Cirrus (2025). Courtesy of the artist.

Holly Márie Parnell, still from Cirrus (2025). Courtesy of the artist.
Holly Márie Parnell, Cirrus (2025), video still. Courtesy of the artist.

Holly Márie Parnell, Cirrus (2025), video still. Courtesy of the artist.
Holly Márie Parnell, Cirrus (2025), video still. Courtesy of the artist.

Holly Márie Parnell, Cirrus (2025), video still. Courtesy of the artist.

Western Front is a non-profit artist-run centre in Vancouver.

We acknowledge the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations as traditional owners of the land upon which Western Front stands.