Emma Bourke

Emma Bourke
Wstport, Mayo Ireland

Emma Bourke draws on Irish folklore, mythology, and botanical traditions to create glass sculptures that celebrate the cultural significance of wild plants, capturing their medicinal and symbolic roles.

Mithridate is a collection of glass tea paraphernalia intricately containing lampworked medicinal plants such as dandelion and self-heal, each carefully crafted to reflect their traditional uses. Encased in glass globes with copper and silver-plated handles, representing tea strainers, these sculptures merge scientific precision with artistic expression. Each plant represents the physical and cultural heritage of Irish flora, celebrating remedies passed down through generations. For example plants like gorse for heart health and chamomile for mental well-being were cultivated. Through these glass forms, Bourke revives and preserves Ireland’s ethnobotanical history, transforming each piece into an educational artifact that joining historical knowledge with aesthetic appreciation.

Her art underscores tea’s role as a ritual of connection and healing, an opportunity to share stories, remedies and identity. The work reminds viewers of tea’s function as a cultural ritual and its role as a vessel for sharing stories, cures, and a sense of identity. Through her glass artistry, Bourke celebrates the resilience of Irish traditions and the natural world’s power to shape cultural identity, illuminating an enduring connection to the past while inspiring future generations to honour and sustain their heritage.

Dimensions: 19 x 10 x 11 inches