Solstice art launch links prehistoric monuments to Derry border history
New exhibition weaves Tyrone stone circles with archive footage from late Derry filmmaker Vinny Cunningham.
Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA) Derry has announced the launch of its highly anticipated summer solo exhibition, 'All I see is the present', by renowned international artist Christopher Steenson.
The exhibition will open over the summer solstice weekend with a public reception on Friday, June 19, 2026, from 7.00pm to 9.00pm.
'All I see is the present' represents the first major public manifestation of Steenson’s long-term research into the prehistoric past of the island of Ireland. Spanning sound, installation, lens-based media, and archival material, the East Tyrone-born artist cleverly interrogates the politics of time, utilising moments from prehistory as a speculative gateway into our contemporary world.
A major centerpiece of the exhibition is a newly commissioned installation, 'The Dragon’s Teeth' (2026). Taking direct inspiration from the Beaghmore Stone Circles and Alignments in County Tyrone, the work derives from Steenson’s archival research within the 'Historic Environment Record of Northern Ireland (HERoNI).
Inspired by Brian Friel’s 'Making History' (1989), the installation reconstructs a fictional conversation between prominent 1970s archaeological surveyors to explore why humanity continuously attempts to interpret the past through the biased predicaments of the present.
Tensions between tenses are further explored through a striking juxtaposition of archaeology and local political activism.
The exhibition features a historic archival film captured by the late, acclaimed Derry filmmaker Vinny Cunningham (1966–2025). Filmed in September 1994, it depicts a group of local men dismantling concrete border road bollards (colloquially known as "dragon’s teeth") from a border road outside Derry. Displayed alongside vibrant colour photographs of wedge tombs located on Ireland's southwest coast, the acts of dismantlement in Cunningham’s film oddly mirror the ancient construction methods utilized by prehistoric megalith builders.
As part of the wider Heritage Month celebrations across the Derry City and Strabane District Council, CCA Derry will also host a public live discussion on Saturday, June 20, 2026, at 2.00pm. The "In Conversation" event will feature artist Christopher Steenson and esteemed regional historian Dr Brian Lacey, moderated by CCA Director Catherine Hemelryk.
The exhibition is proudly supported by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Derry City & Strabane District Council, the Garfield Weston Foundation, the Arts Council of Ireland, The Elephant Trust, and the Northern Ireland Screen Digital Film Archive.