Finn Nichol—Operation Transformation

9 Apr-25 Apr 2026

Overview

Pallas Projects are pleased to present Finn Nichol—Operation Transformation, the third exhibition of our 2026 Artist-Initiated Projects programme.

Recent work has seen Nichol embody spirits of neoliberal Ireland- enacting strange, solitary rituals that connect mythological transformation to Ireland’s evolving relationship with capitalism and colonial anxiety. 

The work is autobiographical, grounding personal histories of chronic illnesses within a broader Irish historical framework and offering arthritis as an extended metaphor for capitalism’s extractive growth model. Corporeal immobility mirrors economic stagnation, as a generation reaches adulthood in a nation shaped by austerity politics while bodily instability and flare-ups reflect wider economic instability. 

The title, Operation Transformation, refers both to the structural changes wrought by axial spondyloarthritis inflaming the body and fusing the spine, as well as those imposed by neoliberal policies. It’s drawn from the post-Celtic Tiger health show aired on RTÉ One, positioning reality makeover television as an expression of colonial self-loathing. Operation Transformation reality show framed the 2008 crash and subsequent austerity in distinctly Catholic terms, with ritual confessions and the shaming of participants for perceived sloth and gluttony. Fasting and exercise became a form of economic transubstantiation as the language surrounding austerity became corporeal. Terms like “lean government” and “bloated public sector” synonymize bodily health with economic discipline.

Economic recession is framed as resulting from individual greed rather than the failure of post colonial systems and bodies are fascistically valued in terms of economic productivity.

Biography:

Finn Nichol is a multimedia artist based between Dublin and Offaly. He uses a playful, DIY language, rooted in history and folklore to explore cultural value systems and economic time. Recent work has seen him embody spirits of neoliberal Ireland-  enacting strange, solitary rituals through homemade outfits, music and drawings. Characters and narratives reoccur across works, altered in each iteration, while conceptual elements are autobiographically integrated, grounding personal histories of chronic illness and economic instability within a broader Irish historical framework.

Nichol graduated from Limerick School of Art and Design in 2021 where he was awarded student of the year and won the Taylor Art prize at the RDS Visual Art Awards. His 2024 MFA work from Belfast was awarded the Catalyst Graduate Award and longlisted for the RDS Visual Art awards. Other grants/ awards include the D/deaf disabled artist support fund (2025) by the university of Atypical, the Offaly Arts Office Professional Artist Support Grant(2025) and the Agility Award (2025).  His work has been shown across Ireland as well as at festivals and exhibitions in Venice, Athens, Tokyo, and Barcelona.