Alannah Cyan is a Swiss-Irish photographer based in London. Her work emerges from a place of intimacy—a quiet yet profound desire to honor the fleeting ways we come to know ourselves and one another. Through dreamlike portraits of her close friends and queer community, Cyan archives the transient forms of identity that take shape during life’s most vulnerable and transformative years.

Cyan’s practice is shaped by the dense, mountainous landscapes of her Swiss childhood and the rich natural beauty of her native Ireland. Inspired by Anam Cara by Irish philosopher John O’Donohue, her work reflects a reverence for the sacred bond between the human soul and the natural world—a connection she likens to a soul-mate relationship.

Photography becomes, for Cyan, an act of love—a way to preserve the grace of those who have shared intimacy with her, whether through friendship or a connection to the land. Her work invites viewers to reflect on the profound impact of being seen and captured by someone who holds you in love.

By photographing close friends, Cyan creates a visual archive of their identities, celebrating the intimacy they bring into her life and preserving the fleeting beauty of their connection.

In 2023, Cyan graduated from Central Saint Martins with a BA in Fine Art. She was selected for the 2023/2024 Bloomberg New Contemporaries and has exhibited at Camden Art Centre and Grundy Art Gallery. Other notable exhibitions include the Royal Scottish Academy’s Annual Exhibition in 2022.