IADT is delighted to congratulate graduates Ava Bowden and Nikol Ochichenko, who have been selected for the RDS Visual Art Awards 2026.

Ava and Nikol are among just 12 emerging artists selected from across Ireland to exhibit as part of this year’s Awards at the Gallery at RDS, from 6th November 2026 to 23rd January 2027.

Ava Bowden, a textiles artist based in Kildare, works primarily through hand knitting, with a practice that explores chronic illness, personal experience and slow, intentional creation. Her selected work, dis/comfort, comprises two hand-knitted self-portraits made from 100% wool. Each work contains approximately 59,073 stitches, placing the time and physical labour involved in their creation at the heart of the work.

Nikol Ochichenko is a Ukrainian visual artist now based in Ireland, working across photography, moving image and installation. Her practice explores community, social engagement and displaced identity. Her selected work, Still Tied, combines film, an immersive installation and a contextual booklet to explore the craft of camouflage net-making through Ukrainian communities in Ireland. The nets featured in the installation were made by members of the Ukrainian community in County Monaghan, connecting local acts of solidarity with experiences of war, displacement and community.

The RDS Visual Art Awards showcase emerging contemporary artists from across Ireland, with this year’s selection representing a diverse range of practices and approaches.

The RDS Visual Art Awards 2026 exhibition runs at the Gallery at RDS from 6th November 2026 to 23rd January 2027.

Meet the RDS Visual Art Awards 2026 Artists