Solas Art Gallery

SOLAS ART GALLERY PRESENTS ‘CULTURAL SIMILITUDES’ BY LAURA JEAN ZITO

‘Cultural Similitudes’ a compelling exhibition by acclaimed photographer Laura Jean Zito will run at Solas Art Gallery, in Ballinamore, County Leitrim from 11 September until 9 October 2026.

Bringing together photographs from Laura’s extensive archive of Ireland and the Sinai Desert in Egypt, this exhibition explores the striking connections between two cultures and communities shaped by tradition, austerity, resilience and profound social change.

‘Cultural Similitudes’ presents pairings of black and white silver gelatin photographs, colour C-prints and archival pigment ink photographs, creating visual conversations between Ireland and Sinai.

Laura’s photographs of Ireland document what she describes as “decisive moments”: bygone ways of working by hand, glimpses into private worlds and the character of communities across a changing Ireland.

Laura’s long-standing connection with the Sinai community has enabled her to photograph aspects of Bedouin life that are rarely accessible to outsiders. Her familiarity with local dialects and relationships within the community allowed her an intimate perspective, capturing people not through the lens of conflict or stereotype, but through the universal experiences of making a living, raising a family, pursuing dreams and finding happiness.

Laura invites viewers to look beyond cultural difference and discover common ground. The exhibition is ultimately a reflection on memory, resilience, tradition and change – and a reminder that, wherever we come from, we are all seeking meaningful lives in a rapidly changing world.

This exhibition will be opened on Friday 11th September at 7.30 pm at Solas Art Gallery, Island Theatre, Ballinamore, by Mariette Baptist-Fruin. Mariette grew up in Egypt in the mid-seventies and has worked in and with communities from the Middle East until 2018. She lives in County Leitrim and expresses herself through poetry and photography.

Exhibition Details

Artist: Laura Jean Zito

Exhibition: Cultural Similitudes

Venue: Solas Arts Gallery, Island Theatre, Ballinamore, Co. Leitrim

Opening: Friday, 11 September 2026, 7.30pm

Exhibition dates: 11 September – 9 October 2026

For further information and press enquiries:

Solas Art Gallery, Island Theatre, Ballinamore, Co. Leitrim

solasartgallery@gmail.com

www.solasart.ie