Diaa Lagan
Diaa Lagan is a multidisciplinary artist, and Phd candidate in Maynooth. Through his artistic research he explores the analogue-digital landscapes of memory, movement and archive. He views his work as an exploration of the fragile and fluid relationships that connect heritage and spoken folklore, based on West Asia, and how these relationships are shipped and reshaped by contemporary social and political forces. He has recently held solo and group exhibitions, both in Ireland and abroad, besides participation in academic seminars and collaborating on academic projects, within Filmeu alliance in IADT, exhibitions including Expanded Memories at the Royal Academy of Antwerp (2023) and “Shahid- شَـاهÙد at The LAB Gallery (2023). He is currently a resident at FireStation Studios in Dublin for 2024-25.’
Project title: The Role of Spatial representation, and humanity digitalisation in representing west Asian culture and cartography.
Project Overview:The research explores the artistic and spatial representation in medieval Islamic cartography, going through counter mapping and juxtaposed with the Western mapping and panorama, which employed linear perspective and visual storytelling to connect landscapes, and territorial narratives. The study further considers the impact of digitalisation on contemporary cartographic practices, focusing on the role of map-based news agencies that utilise Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and interactive platforms to present real-time spatial data. Through historical analysis and case studies of digital mapping technologies, the practice-led research investigates how cultural, philosophical, and technological contexts have shaped these cartographic traditions, along with developing a practical body of work, as virtual reality experience, and mobile application.
This PhD research is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the ERDF Southern, Eastern & Midland Regional Programme 2021-2027.
The TU RISE IADT Elevate Programme hosted an XR Design Sprint bringing together enterprises and creative practitioners to explore real-world applications of immersive technologies through collaborative, hands-on innovation. Over five days, participants developed early-stage concepts across education, culture and creative industries, supported by design thinking and industry expertise.
The TU RISE Elevate team was delighted to attend Amplify 2026, hosted by the IRDG Innovation Network, where Aisling Cox and Dorota Zurek gained valuable insights into innovation, R&D and collaboration. Thank you to the IRDG team for delivering such an inspiring event.
We were delighted to take part in the IADT Summer School on Research & Social Justice, which brought together researchers, educators and community partners to explore the role of research in creating positive social impact. Thank you to everyone who contributed to such an inspiring and engaging event.