Re-Routing is an installation that explores the themes of movement, transition, and the fluidity of identity, reflecting both the personal and universal experience of change. In this work, Ellie reflects on her own journey of leaving Belfast to pursue her artistic practice in London—while also addressing the broader experience of migration and the search for new opportunities.

Growing up in Belfast, Ellie navigated a space between Irish and British cultures, which deeply informs her exploration of identity and belonging. Re-Routing speaks to this ongoing negotiation of the self, as she carries fragments of her past, shaped by this cultural duality, forward into new environments. The work reflects how the act of departure is not just about physical relocation, it’s also about negotiating the identities we carry and how they shift when we enter new spaces.

At the center of the installation is a pink car, which serves as a personal symbol of good luck and transformation for Ellie. Inside the car, her worn studio boiler suit, marked with traces of past projects, sits in the driver’s seat. This act of carrying the past forward speaks to the idea that even as we move into new spaces, we always carry fragments of our former selves. The pink car becomes both a vehicle of physical movement and a metaphor for personal evolution, steering Ellie and the viewer into an uncertain yet promising future.

Behind the car, her sculptures spill onto the road. Some were made in Belfast, others in London, and some exist between both places. This scattering of work feels like fragments of memory—remnants of past versions of herself, caught in the act of departure. The sculptures are both personal markers and broader representations of departure, transition, and growth.

Road markings and signage add layers of ambiguity. Are they guiding the way, or are they warnings? The installation balances excitement with uncertainty, and playfulness with disorientation. The winding path ahead mirrors Ellie’s own journey of moving between two worlds, of carrying pieces of Belfast with her as she navigates the future. The installation ultimately reflects the tension between where we come from, where we are, and where we’re heading—an exploration of how our identities are constantly shifting in response to the spaces we inhabit.