By Kathryn Ashill
Open daily from Thursday to Saturday, 11.30am to 5.30pm until Saturday 29 August
The Tea Houses
Bateman Quay
Kilkenny
Kath’s House is Burning! Kath’s House is Burning! Send the Engines! Send the Engines!
Burning Down the House, My House is an exhibition that explores Welsh artist Kathryn Ashill’s recent experiences of having a serious house fire. Ashill attempts to look at fire as a common experience, as a cultural experience and as a danger, while reflecting on our ability to respond to a crisis. Humour and playfulness is central in this new body of work as a way to navigate traumatic events. Animation and colour are utilised in this installation as a way to bring the memory of a house fire to life. Ashill undertook a residency at the Tea Houses in spring 2026 and used this time to research local histories of fire in the medieval city of Kilkenny.
Kathryn Ashill is an artist, performer and drag king based in Barry, South Wales. Their practice combines drag, performance, video and installation. Their work embraces DIY aesthetics, amateurism and theatrically to present their personal experiences. Weaving together narratives, histories and place, their work traces the tensions between disabled, queer and working class experiences and rigid institutional structures. Ashill holds a PhD from the University of Manchester which explored interspecies co-working relationships. They were selected as one of the inaugural artists on the Future Wales Fellowship in 2022 – 2023. Their work has been presented across Wales, the UK, USA and Europe.
–Curated by Rachel Botha. Supported by Arts Council of Wales, Wales Arts International, Kilkenny Arts Office, Kilkenny County Council, Arts Council, Ireland.
The Tea Houses are situated by the River Nore in Kilkenny city centre and have been acquired by Kilkenny Arts Office to host an art programme that encourages a sense of community and active citizenship.
