Remember when the internet was fun? When every gadget had character? Well the Galway-born magazine Ethereal does! Made in the bedroom of a cramped corner in Galway, Liz the founder of Ethereal Magazine has said that her time spent in University of Galway was one of innovation. It motivated her to answer young people’s demand for a space that allowed them to partake in photography, write, create fashion and art all wrapped in one space.. And so, Ethereal Magazine came into fruition.
As a neurodivergent magazine, Liz’s mission has been to help people discover their own ability to be artistic and break down the prestigious barrier of “needing to know somebody to get through specific doors!”
Photo of Liz by Alison Barry
The upcoming chapter of their print issue is inspired by themes of Digital Druidism, Techno Paganism and Celtic Computing. Liz shared in an interview with us, how "sometimes regarding technology, people view it as a bad omen but once upon a time computers were the most exciting thing in the world to us. We were so excited to log on and it felt like a portal into another dimension.” There was a time when the announcement of analog technology felt like a glimpse into the future and the mid-2000s were marked by surprises. Think slide-phones that twisted in impossible ways, touchscreens that felt like magic and portable devices that refined what “mobile” could mean.Taken from the mind of Francis Lawrence, the Literary Editor, he has combined a love for celtic mythology with our digital age to bring a special blend to Irish audiences. Their Sheela Na GigaByte: Art Exhibition on April 16th was the perfect introduction into this brand new era. The art exhibition shed light on how digital spaces and electronic devices can be sacred and magical spaces.
Photo by Ella O'Brien
Audiences locked eyes with a mix of mediums such as Sofia Moneley’s ‘Soft Currents; Where Data Flows’ which was a sculpture influenced by the intersection of the machine, the organic and the divine. Her work drew from contrasting visual languages: digital elements intertwined with angelic iconography and the human form. ‘An Orderly Disorder (Experiment IV)’ by folk artist and designer Diarmuid Farrell, shines a magnifying glass onto memory in the age of digital ephemera. Through a series of audio visual performances they have been able to bring a critically driven design narrative to a wider audience within club, electronic and dance scenes alike. Alongside Ava Kantti’s ‘The secrets to absolute wisdom - an interview with natural intelligence’ which was fuelled by views rooted in beliefs like animism and paganism. Ava shares, “I want people to connect with the fact that we aren’t studying an ecosystem but that we are actively part of it; the trees, the lakes and the grass are all existing alongside us”. Each work of art had its unique DNA.
The rise of analog technology is one of rediscovery. Time capsules of physical media are monuments to memories and the things we loved. In that way, Ethereal Magazine understands that one of the best parts of the analog experience is being able to keep and be intentional with the stuff we use. In the past, millennials revived retro aesthetics by embracing typewriters, vinyl records and cassette tapes as symbols of authenticity. Fast forward to now, Gen Z is steering this retro revival into techno optimism. Young people aren't just replaying the past, but remixing it by fusing nostalgia with the internet. For Gen Z, technology and media are not simply tools for communication but they are also vehicles for self expression, creativity and community.
Photo by Ella O'Brien
Going analog with technology and media reclaims the gift of being present. A shift from watching life go by behind a screen and an opportunity to experience it in real time with all its joy, mundanity, effort and wonder. Ethereal Magazine invites you to latch onto your wired headphones, tarot cards, extension cords and immerse yourself into their ether realm.
If you want to explore the community of Ethereal, check out their website here and Instagram here. Take some time out of your day to explore the beautiful work of the young people of Ireland!
Main photo by Ella O'Brien
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